Quick Review: "Star Wars: The Force Awakens"

Those who saw the original film in 1977 ( I was born in 1989), probably still remember the excitement of seeing the first film. It was something new and exciting. But in 1999, Episode One came out, had a different feeling more than likely, one of disappointment, or at least that it was a mediocre movie. However in 2015, Star Wars actually did come back with the epicness worthy of that name.

The battles were awesome, there was humor, nostalgia, and it was just fun! There was not a dull moment, but I will admit, it was a little fast paced. But the movie holds your attention and doesn't let go. They crafted a fantastic story and characters that you actually care about, the new and old ones (Ackbar does have a cameo). Finally a light saber fight that was one of the best. If only J.J. Abrams put this much effort into the Star Trek reboot.

Anyways, this trilogy is off to a good start, with right amount of nostalgia and fresh ideas. It's "A New Hope", and not a "Midi-chlorian" in sight.

A Constitutionalist For President

Introduction

2017 will be one of the rarer moments in American politics, electing a new President without an incumbent in office. What is exciting now is the amount of candidates on both sides vying for the position, particularly on the Republican side. Though it has dwindled down over time, still in November we have an incredible amount of candidates still running. For a while it seemed that Donald Trump was going be the nominee, but now it seems that it's beginning to shift, with Ben Carson fighting for the top position, but even that might be changing.

For myself, going for Rand Paul, who I've had referred to as the "Little Pipsqueak". The guy at the debates whose usually is at one of the ends, typically doesn't get a lot of time to speak. Why am I for him? He's a Constitutionalist, he uses the Constitution for the basis for most of his positions, which is very much in line with what I believe. It is the founding document of this country, and one of the foundations of our culture. It is what gives the government it's legal authority, and also restricts it.

I can see why people have swarmed to Donald Trump and democrat / independent Bernie Sanders. They tap into  an anger that comes from the frustration with the government and the economy. Sometimes it seems like the whole country is in a downward slide with no way out and a strong leader with new ideas and is a non politician is appealing. Someone who people can latch onto to give them hope. I support Rand Paul because my beliefs tell me that getting back to the ideals of the Constitution is what will "save us." We can't go back to everything from the past, but sometimes the past gives us answers for the future.

I Stand With My Core

So I was asked to look up the "flip-flops" on the candidate whom I support for the 2016 presidential election, Sen. Dr. Rand Paul. From what I have read, and heard, and watched, he is a candidate, who at his core, is a man who bases his political beliefs on the Constitution. That hits a  cord with me, someone who just doesn't swear to uphold the Constitution, but actually does it. The article (linked below) that came up with attempts to explain how the senator and presidential candidate is someone who doesn't follow his own values.

I am not a journalist, just some idiot with access to a free blogging service, but the quality of the article from "Salon" is very poor. Not an article that tries to have a clear look at Dr. Paul's "flip-flops", but one that uses a very biased and pompous tone. The supposed gaffs that the senator made come from a desperate attempt to discredit the senator, and I will go through them.

Number 1: Support for fighting ISIS

According the article, Rand Paul sent an email saying how we shouldn't support giving the rebels weapons because of the events that followed in Libya and in the second saying that he would fight ISIS militarily if he were president.  The two emails don't contradict each other, the first talks about his fear that if we supply Syrian rebels, they will form terrorist organizations that may only escalate the problem. While the second says were should fight them with military force and he would likely seek congressional approval to do so, but says nothing about supplying weapons.

Number 2: Drones used against US citizens

In one comment Dr. Paul says, during his filibuster of John Brennan's nomination as CIA chief, that he is concerned with security agencies targeting  and killing American citizens "not involved in combat", then saying he's fine with Police agencies using drones while going after criminals, and then how he is concerned with the police becoming militarized. These have nothing to do with one another. I agree with  Dr. Paul in that organizations like the NSA and the CIA, they should have warrants (4th Amendment) to target innocent citizens. But this does not contradict with police deploying a tool to help catch a potentially dangerous criminal.

Number 3: Money aid to Israel

In Dr. Paul's quote, it he says that bill he is proposing cuts all of America's foreign aid, including to Israel and then in the following quote, says that he never proposed to cut aid to Israel. Unfortunately, this is the only one that I can not refute, that's a blunder on Rand Paul's fault.

Number 4:  Birth control 

In a bill proposed by Dr. Paul, he proposes that multiple forms of birth control be banned, as well as abortions, and giving companies the ability to chose whether or not they will provide birth control.  Then says that no republican candidate would ban birth control. There is a difference between an outright ban and banning specific forms, for what reason is not said.  Mr. Cesca, a little more detail would be nice before calling that a "flip-flop". Not to mention that the "Personhood" amendment (linked blow) is a law defining the definition of a person, not banning birth control (also see CNN link below as well).

Number 5: Views on the Civil Rights Act

According to the "journalist" who wrote the article, Rand Paul said that civil rights would harm businesses and said that he "would’ve tried to modify that.” But following that, according to the author, Rand Paul never said that he never opposed the part of the Civil Rights Act preventing discrimination in business. There is big difference between modification, and outright opposing something.

From what I have read of Dr. Rand Paul's background and articles on his positions, he is an imperfect human-being, capable of mistakes like anyone else, but at the core of his political motivations is a devotion to the Constitution. To me, that is what makes him one of the best choices for the presidency, his ideals are based on the foundations of this nation, not which way that "political compass" swings. Admittedly, he is not as hard core on the idea that his father was, and has choreographed how he presents his views to keep himself in the  running for the presidency. There are also a few instances of plagiarism and a malpractice suit that don't sit too well with me. But his core values are what brings me to his side, because they fit with my core values.

Ever since I started following politics, my trust in politicians has dropped to nearly zero, and I view most government actions with suspicion. Every time I vote, I have to pick between two people, neither of whom I like very much, and pick the one that sit better with my views, and most of the time that tends to be the Republican. I despise both parties, as they only seem to care about themselves, not the people or the country, to the point where I think many consider themselves a Democrat or Republican first, and a American second. It should be the other way around. Many people seem to be apathetic to politics as a whole, preferring to stay away from the annoyance that it is, and I can sympathize with that. When most people shout with emotion, and you try to look at politics with a logical point of view, and the response  is mostly insults, the interest wanes to eventually nothing.

It's nice, however, to finally have a few viable candidates, which follow my core values, running for office. Candidates like Rand Paul and Ben Carson. People who look at politics with a sense of logic and Constitutionally, rather than emotion and the party. It's nice to finally have someone who I feel represents me, rather than just clamoring to get my vote. Only time will tell if my hopes will come to fruition. In the mean time my suggestion, when looking up on what candidate you would like to vote for, go to news sites that give a more unbiased look rather than places like Salon and other opinionated trash that belongs at the bottom of the barrel. Never take anything at face value.

Conclusion

I won't tell anyone who to vote for, but don't just vote based on personality or party alone. Listen to what the candidates have to say, and look at what they have done. If we are to get out of this so called "downward spiral", it is voting with an informed mind that will get us out of it. Educate yourselves on the candidates, parties, and the government, they will be working for you, remember that, they are working for YOU. The vote is the most powerful weapon the American people have.

There will never be a "prefect candidate", your always going to find something you disagree with them on. I disagree with Rand's stance on NASA, I think it's one of the most innovative organizations we have, has helped improve our lives. But I do agree with him on the idea of making schools more of a local obligation rather than federal. However, because he is a Constitutionalist, I will vote for him.

Don't let anyone tell you that you should vote for a candidate because they have a greater chance of winning. If more people voted for who they believed in rather than what the media perceives and anoints as the one who will win, we would have a different set of candidates. Do your own research, and don't listen to the media, watch the debates, and look at what they said if you think what they said is questionable. Politicians have tendency to dance around questions and "flip-flop". This way you go into the voting booth with an informed mind and we won't have to vote for who is less evil.



Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rand_Paul

http://www.salon.com/2015/05/21/rand_paul_doesnt_know_what_hes_talking_about/

http://www.cnn.com/2014/09/30/politics/rand-paul-plan-b/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colorado_Amendment_62

Quick Thought: Video Games

On Black Friday last weekend, I walked into GameStop at my local mall. What was interesting was my reaction to being in that place, it felt almost juvenile. I've been playing video games since I was a kid, DOS versions of "Space Invaders" and "DooM II" were the first, then followed by my "Super Nintendo". It has been a hobby, a way to pass time, fun way to hangout with friends, and just plane fun. So, what has changed?

Over the past few years I have aquired a custom built gaming PC / Hackintosh and a XBox One (review coming). Of the two, I have enjoyed the PC far more than the XBone. More games through Steam and especially access to a bountiful amount of Mods. The XBone, not so much, not to mention a lack of storage, not a very convenient gaming machine.

Walking into the store made me feel like I was walking into a toy store (essentially it is), it's hard to explain. Since I played the game "Skyrim" many moons ago, I've more "complex" games (even though I bought Goat Simulator right after it's release), in story but also mechanics.

Perhaps it also the era which I come from in gaming. I miss the split screen multiplayer, and the time when games seemed more innovative than just graphics. I just find the counsel games lacking in this, and while "Call of Duty" is fun, it just seems juvenile and simple. I'm probably a bit of  hypocrite, but going into GameStop doesn't thrill me anymore. Not to mention I can't stand the XBox live crowd and eSports / MLG.

However, the new "DooM" game, I'll be getting that... for PC, it's practically in my DNA.

Quick Thought

The question of the Second Amendment's purpose has again been asked in light of recent events. Gun control is not unreasonable, they are dangerous tools that can be used for recreation and self defense, but also a tool that can cause great harm to other. It can help guns out of the hands of those who should not possess one, criminals and those not in the right of mind.

However, despite our efforts to keep guns out of the hands of these people, it is a futile effort. People will get access to these weapons illegally, there is always a market for it and people willing to sell. So how do we fix this? It has to be societal change, perhaps even somewhat cultural. A ban on guns will do nothing, even a restriction on media will have little effect. The problem lies within the mind, we to change how we look at mental illness and other issues of that nature. 

You can stop crime and the horrible acts people inflict upon one another. But what we can do is change society in a way to discourage these acts. The Second Amendment is a right granted to all Americans, but with that right comes a responsibility to treat it with respect.

Once Again....

Once again it has been a while since I posted another article. Life has a way of creeping up and throwing wrenches at us, work, family, personal distractions, ect... But I have a number of articles I the works, politics, and a few reviews. So those of you who enjoy reading my rants, don't be troubled, I haven't forgotten. Like I've said, the posts are going to be sporadic, at some point I will create an actual schedule and have regular posts.

So keep on the look out for new articles!

"DooM: The Unmaker Edition"

DooM, the father of all first person shooters, the one by which all others are judged by and spawned countless clones and imitations.  A game, despite being over twenty years old, and newer graphics,  it is till beloved by fans and the community that surrounds it, and is more vibrant than ever. Fans still create custom "WAD" files, and it has been modified to work on everything from game consoles to printers and ATM machines. DooM is a testament to not only what makes a good game, but how loyal a game community can be and the creativity that can come from it. Few games will reach the height that DooM has risen to. I've been playing the game since I was six years old when my father first showed it to me, I've been playing the game ever since and haven't looked back.

In spring of 2016 we will be getting the next installment in the series, simply named Doom. A game that is harkening back to the days when DooM was a fast paced and bloody action shooter game, mowing down hundreds of enemies, and moving away from the more horror style that was Doom 3. I will not say that Doom 3 was a bad game, I would say that the game helped try to give DooM a  bit more of a complex story, but also did a decent job in blending the two genres of horror and action together. It also did help in expanding Doom's modding community and help keep interest in the series, not that it really needed any. But it didn't inspire like the original did, but led to a movie, that aside from FPS sequence and the credits, most would like to forget. The new game could breath new life in to the series and with it's creative level editing tools could create a new era for the DooM community.

So, what do I mean by, "DooM: The Unmaker Edition"? A new years back we got, DooM: BFG Edition, released on PCs and consoles, it included Doom, as well as it's to expansion packs "Resurrection of Evil" and "The Lost Mission", and DooM and DooM II. Next to the "id Anthology", probably larger collections of id games put together. My issue with the "BFG Edition" is that I want a DooM game that includes all DooM games, an anthology of DooM games. Not only the games mentioned earlier, but also Final DooM, and the forgotten but still beloved by those who played it DooM 64. The entire Doom anthology in one place, named after the ultimate weapon from DooM 64. It would be a nice release before the next installment arrives.

DooM 64, almost released under the title "The Absolution", and developed by Midway under id's supervision, is probably the most neglected game in the franchise and the most unique of all the games. While "Doom 3" didn't do a bad job at blending horror and action, DooM 64, however, did it perfectly. The game created an unsettling atmosphere with the use of colors to create a disturbing atmosphere enhanced by it's subtle sound track to create a frightening ambiance. But it didn't take away from the action, it was still fast paced and the atmosphere kept you on the edge of your seat and your heart pounding. The enemies were remade to be pure nightmare fuel, and in the case of the "Pain Elemental", almost "Lovecraftian". Sadly, because it was only released on the Nintendo 64 and id quickly moved away from it to games like Quake with modern 3D engines, it was lost to the sands of time. Thankfully, members of the DooM community have brought it back for us to play  on the PC (link below), but it still deserves treatment that the other DooM games have received.

Future of DooM most would say is fairly secure. The original games will live on forever in the hearts of those who have played it, especially those who have played it since the beginning. That legacy will only enhanced by the new installment's, hopefully, successful launch. There is a bit of trepidation and doubt when a beloved series gets a new installment, will it live up to it's name? Bethesda and id have fairly good reputations , and as long as the footage shown for the preview is what we get  or better, it should be good. However, it would be nice to have all the DooM games, the remember and those lost to time, together in one place; id, make it happen!


Credit goes to id Software for creating the game.

Convenient Doesn’t always mean Convenient

From: The Printed Rambler

            We’ve all seen the ads on tv and heard the rhetoric, “support your local business” and “support main street, not wall street”. But what does all this mean for the average person? How is it beneficial to them? Is not not more convenient to go a big box store that has everything you need? Small businesses and local businesses bring opportunities and vibrancy to a community. They support local events and organizations, and in many ways are much more convenient with location and familiarity. But some would argue that the big box stores and online retailers are even more convenient because they have everything in one location, and in the case of online retailer, you don’t even have to leave your chair. But are they really more convenient?

            When you go to a big box store, you are likely to meet a different person each time you go in (and in the case of online stores you will meet no one). This doesn’t the people working there are bad, some of them can be quite knowledgeable, but they have so many people that it’s hard to have a relationship with any one person there, when you come back for help, you may get lost in the system. At a small business, however, there is a sense of familiarity, the same people are there each time you visit. You establish a rapport with the people there, they know what you like; the way you like your hair cut or your coffee order.  Here at the print shop we save all your files, so that when you come back to business card after five years, we can can get it done faster and exactly he way you had it before, without having to recreate the wheel. Unless, you really want to.

            Ask yourself, is it really worth going through all the hassle of “recreating the wheel” each time to get a job done at a big retailer, just because you think it might be cheaper? Is it not better to have a sense of familiarity rather than having to deal with someone new each time? If you think about it, “convenience” doesn’t always mean “convenient.”

Gateway Printing
174 Main Street

Wareham, MA 02571

gatewayprinting@verizon.net

Sorry... But Good News!

Sorry for the long absence, but new articles are coming, three or four should be popping up within this week or the next! Like I said, they are going to be sporadic, hopefully, at some point, I can create a regular update schedule, but until then, keep coming back to check for updates!

Have a Good Day!

I'm Never Late, I post When I Mean Too!

So, I apologize, life throws one many curve balls, often fifty at once. So, until I can get things straightened out, and my life into some sort of organized mess, the posts will be sporadic at best. Building an entire epic universe, in which you have gone off in a dozen different directions, takes a lot out of you, more on that when I discuss writing. Also the pressures of a small business, more on that to, later.

So, here is a schedule on what is come in my sporadic posts:

1. Game of Thrones Season 5 Thoughts.
2. A review of the game Destiny
3. DooM, greatest game to ever exist
4. Something on Politics
5. Something on Religion

So, keep checking, I may have something up, I may not.

But, a quick thought for this post in regards to the recent events concerning the Confederate flag.

This morning I read an article on Apple removing any reference to the Confederate flag off their app store (link below). This included a strategy game on the Civil War, in no way endorsing the recent shootings, nor slavery or racism. There needs to be a fine line between removing materials the would be offensive, such as the flag, and maintaing historical accuracy. Are games and movies now supposed to remove the flag and put something else in it's place? Understanding flags, symbols, sigils, emblems, ect… are just as important to learning history as learning about the events and what they happened. They symbolize cultures and ideals, and have a history to them. To deny them, is to deny history, and to show we are afraid of those symbols. We don't chastise World War II games on displaying Nazi flags and emblems.

Historical perspective is something that we are losing in this country, I'll go more in depth in another article. We are rewriting history so that it is more clean, more palatable. It shouldn't be, because it should teach us a lesson, if you don't know you past, your doomed to repeat it. We should learn about the good and the bad. Plus it's also up to game developers and movie makers to determine how they want to portray historical subjects that may be controversial and upsetting. Yes, it is also Apple's propagative to determine what goes and doesn't go on their App store, but there should be a fine line between what is intentionally offensive, and what is done for the sake of history.

http://www.ultimategeneral.com/blog/our-game-has-been-removed-from-appstore

Filler

As one can tell, I have been absent for a few weeks, remise in my duties to update the blog with new interesting bits for my from "thinker box". Work and other duties have interrupted my nobel duty as 26 human dispensing wise information for the ages. So… here's a filler episode until I get my act together.  Dug up from the sands of time from old site I used to have a profile on, these are the only three entries I made in the journal, unedited for your enjoyment!


(Circa 2007)
Space Marines Part 1
In many sci-fi novels, movies and games( including my favorite game of all time DooM) all of them have space marines. Now in 21st centuary and we are learing more about space, I think it is bout time for Space marines to come in, before we know it we could have colonies on mars and the moon and many nations and factions will have access to many diffrent types of ships that could pose a threat to many to our colonies. Space Marines could help defend these colonies.

To be continued…..


 Fri Nov 16, 2007 @ 12:11pm
A war of Imperialism!? I think not!
American Imperialism, I am curious does any notice anything wrong about that phrase, because i sure do. What do I notice that is wrong with that phrase is that, IT IS NOT TRUE! It irritates me so much when people call what we are doing in the middle east Imperialism because I am not sure when the definition of Imperialism included freeing people from a merciless dictator and giving people democracy. Anyone who is or has called the War in Iraq a war for oil, or American imperialism hasn't really studied the reasons for going to war in Iraq or you might want to see a doctor for any head injuries.
One reason we went to war with Iraq was to get rid of Saddam and his Weapons of Mass Destruction. Saddam Hussine was ordered by the United Nations to let inspectors into his country and get rid of the WMDs in Iraq, he had around 12 years to do this. That may years later in 2003 Saddam still hadn't done what he was ordered to do by the United Nations. So the US invaded with other allied nations to take out Saddam Hussiane. The UN protested their own mandate by protesting the United States invasion. In this case the only mistake bush made was that he forgot to mention the UN mandate against Iraq.

Now I think it is time for a little lesson in US politics. All of you liberals and ignorant people who believe them, believe that Bush is the cause of this war and all blame is to be left on him. But you know if the president could declare when he wanted, the US would have been involved in a lot more wars over the 200 years this great country has stood. That is why our government has check and balances. The President of the United States can not declare war with out the approval of the United States Congress. That means that all of your favorite liberal senators and congress men voted in favor of this war that all of you now protest. Don't protest Bush over this war, go after your congressmen and senators for this war, they are the ones who approved it. Bush is not king or a dictator like all you think that he is, if he was do you think that we would have the same rights that we have right now?

Think a little bit about this war before you say something about it, and don't whack your head against large metal objects.



Tue Nov 20, 2007 @ 07:03pm
Space Marines Part 2
I will now continue in my reasons that we should have Space Marines. We look today upon a frightening world of terrorism and conflict, and a world of ever rapidly increasing technology. One of the biggest technological advancements that we have had is the International Space Station, the only problem with it, is that it has no protection. To solve this an International Space Command should be set up to defend the space station and Earth in General from attacks from space. The Space Marines could be the muscle of this new force. With specialized weapons they could guard the station and pilot specialized fighters that could fly around the station and earth protecting them.

Well that is all I got for now

To be Continued…………….

American Sniper: A Review

There is a quote from Sigmund Freud that has some bearing on this review. "Sometimes a Cigar is just a cigar." We put to much thought into something where it isn't needed. What is on the surface is all there really is. Such is the case with the Clint Eastwood film "American Sniper."

Released earlier this year, American Sniper is a war film that tells story of Navy Seal sniper Chris Kyle during his tours of duty in Iraq, and his home life. Over the course of the film we watch his early life, the reasons why he joined the military, and the effects of his tours in Iraq on his home life. All three of Clint Eastwod's recent war films, "Flags of our Fathers", "Letters from Iwo Jima", and "American Sniper", are all in the same vain, how war effects the individual and their home life, as well as those around them. If that is the case then, how did "American Sniper" become one of the most controversial war films made in recent times?

The primary argument against the film is that it is anti-Muslim. To put it bluntly, it isn't anti-Muslim. Would the world prefer that we rewrite the story so that they were all Germans with swastikas attached to their uniforms? Would that make everyone happy? History is history, and should not be altered to fit someones ideals. The film is going to show him fighting Muslim terrorists,  there is not much else he would be fighting in Iraq at that time. Plus, it's a war film, which generally aren't the friendliest films made. The point of the matter is that you can't change history based on a whim, or what you feel is politically correct.

Many like minded people have taken to boycotting, or even banning the film outright, many of them college students. They push the argument that is anti-Muslim, but this a surface look, and not the meat of the movie, what it is truly about. It's a biography of a man who did everything he could do to protect his fellow soldiers as the people who lived there, as well as the effect the war had on his physiology.  Not to be insulting, but I would figure that college students would be open minded people with the ability and desire to look deeper into a film and discuss the finer points of  the film and it's merits.

Overall, the movie is a fantastic war film  and biopic. If you get a chance, you should watch it regardless of your faith or political leaning. Keep an open mind about the film, same for any movie. Like all well done historical films, it is telling a story based on fact without the intention of putting a political spin on it and to be as accurate to the source as possible. But it's also good to have heroes who faced a struggle to the best of their ability, and from what the movie shows us, he was a guardian to the men fighting in the streets and a guardian to them at home. Yes he said some disparaging  remarks about Muslims, but do expect some who has seen what he has seen to constantly think that he might offend someone with his words? Men and women who have not see war, like the majority of us, what he saw, it is hard for us to comprehend. The issue is we put these people on pedestals, and when they don't turn on like the typical comic book superhero, we denigrate them and throw them to the dirt. So let's stop judging people based on their careers, and putting certain ones up on a high place. He is a hero, to those whose lives were spared and went back home to their families. As for the movie, a cigar is just a cigar.

An Update of Sorts

I missed last week's post, sorry about that. Work, Dungeons & Dragons (yes, 26 years old and I play it), and trying to build the universe around the epic I have been building have devoured much of my time. As well as experimenting in script writing, I have been drafting a script for an adaption of The Silmarillion in the same vain as Game of Thrones. I'm not an actual script writer, just dabbling in it, see what I can come up with; and there is not actual Silmarillion TV show being planned as far as I know, unfortunately.

So en-light of scheduling issues, I will be moving the updates again to Wednesday. That should give me ample time and room to put something together. I should have something ready by mid tomorrow!

Again, sorry for the lack of updates and Thanks for reading!

Apple, Why so thin?

Sorry for the dely, here it is:


       The recent trend in Apple devices is to make them as thin as possible, to the point where, in twenty years, we will have a iPad thiner than a piece of paper (knowing apple it would probably be regular printer paper with cloud connectivity). While I was enthralled with the new MacPro, aka “The Trash Can”, I was disappointed the unveiling of their new MacBook Pro. I am by no means an expert on computer hardware, but making the RAM part of the motherboard never seemed like a good idea to me. I've liked the idea of being able to take apart easily fix and replace components.  My current laptop, a Mid-2012 Macbook Pro, opens up from the bottom and everything is laid out, easy enough to fix.

Recently, Apple released the new Macbook, potentially their thinest and lightest laptop ever, even more than the Macbook Air. From what I have heard and read, they should have just switched the titles of both machines. While it is impressive and innovative with's fanless design, battery that forms to all available space, more sensitive and tactile mouse pad and keyboard, retina display, and the smallest logic board they have ever built, there are quite a few flaws with it. For one thing, if something breaks on this laptop, it's probably cheaper to replace the whole thing rather than have that component replaced. Then there is the USB Type -C port, only one port for external monitors, hard drives, devices, and your power cable; and you need an adapter (which will likely run you $50 to $70) and you can't have the power and another device running off it at the same time, so I have been told. Your other port, is a headphone jack.

I love Apple, their devices have been innovative and beautiful at the same time, and their operating system, Mac OS, is by far the easiest and most secure operating system to use. Very rarely have I had an issue with my apple computers, more than likely it was my own fault because I like to fiddle with computers to much. My only issue, has been the price, they are the most expensive by far, it's the reason I own a "Hackintosh." But love of Apple has been strained by their sudden anorexia, obviously no one wants a laptop that weighs twenty pounds or a desktop that is basically a desk, but where do you draw the line? When do you say you can't go any further, that it's to much?

I my own opinion, the Mid-2012 MacBook Pro, that I am writing this on, is the last, best, laptop they ever built. It's fairly lightweight, about half an inch thick, and easily repairable and upgradeable. But the recent trend in computers seems to be "the throwaway computer." If something breaks, you go to an apple store, or any electronics store and get a new one, you're up and running again within an hour of the issue, and your programs and files are stored on the cloud (that's a another rant i'll go into later). It's efficient, especially in our fast paced world, time is money in any business and you want to be get going as fast as possible. In the home and non-business use, who wants to wait for repairs to get on "Facebook" or "Netflix" again.

The issue I have with this is that computers become more akin to paper than machine. Yes, the current trend is more efficient, but we eventually create a society that doesn't care about buying something of good quality, and not to sound materialistic, but it is yours. Jeremy Clarkson said it best "It's what non-car people don't get. They see all cars as just ton-and-a-half, two-tons of wires, glass, metal and rubber. That's all they see. People like you or I know, we have an unshakeable belief that cars are living entities. You can develop a relationship with a car. And that's just what non-car people don't get." In some respect you can place that on our relationship with our computers, they go with us or wait for us on our desks, they help us create, game, do business, communicate, and an innumerable amount of things. Yes it is an inanimate object, but is kind of like a friend, and we shouldn't devalue it.

Sorry for going off topic, but I think it's an issue with all devices that we buy and we should try to take better care of our devices, and Apple is partly responsible for this problem. I don't want Apple to stop innovating, they have pushed technology to new limits and created devices that have improved our lives. But to what sacrifice; to create devices that are less efficient machines. Yes, sometimes progress at the expense of connivence, but there is the fear that Apple, without Steve Jobs, may return to the way it was in the 90s, creating to many machines and devices that are way too expensive, and there is not to much difference except for a better operating system. Most people will go for what's cheaper.

There is also the fear that Apple is trying to appeal to people who use apple products for the image, not their capabilities, ignoring the people who have stuck by them for years. In many ways, Apple has always been about image, many of their designs have been stunning, like the Lamborghini or Ferrari of computers, fast and awesome to looks at, but still expensive. But now, with the release of the apple watch, and the high end version of it, the "Edition", is $10,000 because it has gold in it, utter lunacy! There are no technical differences between the different versions, your spending an exuberant amount of money on an image showing how rich you are. Give some credit though to the new MacBook though, if it truly works as they intended, it's an amazing achievement in computer engineering, but for practicality, the new Google Chrome Pixel has two Type C-Ports and two regular usb ports, then again, why would you pay $1000 for a netbook?

I digress, in short, what Apple needs to do is decide whether they want form or function, image or innovation, and who they want to appeal to. At lest to me, Apple seems to be trying appeal more to the image setters, than those who like powerful and beautiful machines. You can have form and function, image and innovation, and appeal to both sets of people. The true Apple fan has loved the idea that you can get something so awesome looking on your desk and that it is powerful enough to run graphics programs, and  games, open at the same time, and yes there are games for Mac OS. But they should be careful not fall back into the state they were back in the 1990's with no direction and an endless stream of failed products that were too overpriced, there won't be a second coming of Steve Jobs. Again, innovation does come with a cost, and only time will tell where that will eventually lead.

Top Gear, Final Thoughts; On Jeremy Clarkson and his Empire

One thing I would like to clear, despite what the reports say, Jeremy Clarkson was not fired or "sacked." The BBC decided to not renew his contract, which under the circumstances, was a better decision that just firing him; considering his and the co-hosts contracts would run out at the month. Again, I can understand what they did, and they made the decision with a heavy heart, but that doesn't mean we all have to agree with it. For us, he was the unapologetic, politically incorrect twit who gave us laughs and insightful information on cars. But he handled the issue with class and dignity, he knew what he did, and didn't let it show how much it bothered him, and from what I have read he's probably ready to take on the next challenge.

But is this end? No. Top Gear itself will likely continue in some fashion, it had existed for the better half of a century and probably will go on. For the three of them, there are multitude of possibilities. They could all do separate projects, or come together for another project, and considering they are still good friends, thats not out of the realm of possibility. What will they do, who knows. But I don't think we have heard the last of "Captain Slow", "The Hamster", and "Jezza". Heck, the BBC hasn't ruled out signing again sometime in the future, the future is not bleak, and there is till hope.

But, for the rest of us, it is the sad end go an era, one that lasted over decade, and became one of the biggest shows… in the world. I already liked cars before, but this show furthered that interest, and despite their age, gave me some car people that I could relate to. So thank you, good luck, and surly we'll be following you guys to what ever you do next!

(Image linked from: http://www.theguardian.com/media/2014/dec/29/top-gear-jeremy-clarkson-falklands-number-plate-tv-ratings)

http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-32083181?ocid=socialflow_facebook

http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-32067342

http://hypebeast.com/2015/03/jeremy-clarkson-rumored-to-create-new-car-show-with-netflix

An Ode to Top Gear

So the news is reporting it, it appears that Top Gear (UK) as we know it, is going to be no more, Jeremy Clarkson has been "sacked", his contract will not be renewed, due to an incident with one of the producers. As a fan, an American fan, I am irate and saddened at this news. This is a show that I looked forward to for the last two or three years, their antics and banter have had me nearly falling out of my chair and into the corner of the nearest piece of furniture. Plus the line of super cars and "insane" cars have been highlight of the show for me. But it was the the relationship between the three presenters that really sold the show.

Top Gear (UK), according to the Guinness Book of World Records, is the longest running factual television program in the world. It is watched by 350 Million people world wide, in hundreds of different countries. They were like an unstoppable hyper car with a perpetual motion devise as it's engine… or so we thought.

As mentioned, lead host Jeremy Clarkson was involved in an incident with one of the show's producers and as a result was suspended in what was dubbed a "fracas".  According to sources, the incident took place after filming part of an episode and when Clarkson retired to the hotel, he yelled and punched the producer as there wasn't a hot meal ready for the presenter. Following the incident, Clarkson reported himself to BBC director Danny Cohen in order to avoid any further issues, and was suspended there after and an inquiry held. After the news broke, fans rallied around the presenter, including myself, to see him reinstated.

Following the initial breaking of the story, the rumors spread that he was going to be canned. A petition was created, that has since reached over a million signers, to have him reinstated to Top Gear. But the rumors came to fruition, and today is a sad day indeed.

While I understand what they did, I don't agree with their decision. For the BBC, Top Gear is probably one of their highest grossing programs, next to Doctor Who and their world wide news services. It is an amazing feat that a small local British television show has grown into such a massive global success; and the show has become a success due to the relationship between the three presenters that helped cement the shows place in the world. It is the ease and relationship that Clarkson, May, and Hammond had. They didn't care about offending anybody, they were unapologetic and knew what they're audience wanted to see. It's very rare to find a show with that as that perfect combination of elements, and subject matter that almost universal, to create something as awesome as Top Gear (UK) was. Can it now survive without Clarkson?

Probably the opinion of most fans is that the BBC has cut off it's own foot. Jeremy Clarkson has been the face of Top Gear for over a decade, he was on the old version, and help create the new version. While his co-hosts have become famous in their own right and have worked on their own projects, he was the glue that held everything together. I can't condone what he did, nor his hatred of Porsches, and he should face some sort of reprimand, which I think should be the producer getting to punch him on stage. But he should have been allowed to return to Top Gear and provide us with the politically incorrect and unapologetic humor that I and fans and enjoy.

However, Mr. Clarkson will not lose either way, in fact he will win no matter what. No doubt that the bidding for war for Clarkson's contract is probably about to begin. His name carries the weight of an experienced and talented presenter, potentially two very talented co-hosts, and throngs of fans, which equal high profits to whomever gets him.

It's is the fans, however, who will also suffer to an extent in this situation. By no means is this greater than the harassment that the producer suffered in the altercation, but the fans do deserve something in this situation. It's because of them that they show has reached such heights, and produced so much money for the BBC. The three of them should be allowed to complete the three final episodes and finish their last tour of Top Gear Live as a farewell tour, if simply just for the fans as a thank you and a goodbye.

In this world that seems to be tarring itself apart and civilization appears to be on the collapse, it's nice to have something to go to that is simple and allows you to laugh. To watch something that is so humors and unapologetic and talk about a subject that crosses races and national borders. And to watch three old British idiots drive around in ridiculous cars, review them in an uncompromising honest way, and have fun, which we get to share in. At it's heart, it's a guy show in a very true sense, something we very rarely get to see, but has managed to cross all boundaries.  I don't think it really can't ever be replaced, and  we loved the obnoxious twit who brings it to us.


As James May said, "He's a knob, but I quite like him."


Official Report:

http://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/entertainment/news/a25379/bbcs-full-report-on-assault-that-got-clarkson-fired/

BBC Headline

http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-32052736

James May's Reaction:

http://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/entertainment/news/a25378/video-james-may-reacts-to-bbc-firing-jeremy-clarkson/


Various Other Links:

http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-31839677

http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-31828184

http://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/entertainment/news/a25250/jeremy-clarkson-may-quit-bbc-top-gear/

http://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/entertainment/news/a25241/clarkson-punch-out-over-catering-may-threaten-top-gear/

http://time.com/3740047/jeremy-clarkson-top-gear-suspended-richard-hammond-james-may-ferrari-porsche-mclaren/

http://www.theguardian.com/media/2015/mar/11/bbc-jeremy-clarkson-suspension-top-gear

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/celebritynews/11465022/James-May-Jeremy-Clarkson-is-a-knob-but-I-quite-like-him.html

http://www.standard.co.uk/showbiz/celebrity-news/jeremy-clarkson-suspension-top-gear-presenter-has-called-bbc-bosses-to-apologise-10108919.html

http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-31908080

http://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/richard-hammond-james-held-jeremy-5347488

A Slight Delay...... sorry.........

Sorry for another delay, but the article isn't quite finished and I think it would be best to wait on the results of the Top Gear inquiry. That way all the information will be there, and I can do a proper piece on it.

Also, it is Tolkien reading day, so I am going to be reading The Children of Hurin. Go grab a Tolkien book, or watch The Lord of the Rings in another language with subtitles!

Quick Update & Quick Thought

I know that I said Monday would be update day from now on, however I am chaining that to Tuesday. Due Mondays being the day that, yes, "Dungeons and Dragons" with a group of friends in the evening, it probably isn't the best day to be posting articles. Plus last night, even though the session was cancelled, I played the "Vault of Glass" raid in Destiny with with a friend early in the week. By far, one of the longest and challenging missions I have ever played in a video game, unfortunately, however, we were unable to complete it due to it being late and trying to beta the the final part of it over five times. But the good news is, I now have enough information to finish my Destiny review. That will be followed by some thoughts on Apple, Inc. and some of their recent hardware choices, but first an article on the recent issue with "Top Gear" (UK).

A quick thought on "Top Gear".  Very few things have caught my attention as much as Top Gear (UK) has. The specials, challenges, races, endless line of super cars, and of course, "The Stig." But it's the interaction and antics between the three main hosts that makes this show what it is. Three old British twits who tease and mock each other for the laughs of the audience. They have a synergy that they have built over the course of more than a decade, and it is that cooperation and friendship that has brought laughs to over three hundred million people across the world.

The recent scuff between Jeremy Clarkson, the lead host, and a producer has brought worry to many fans that this insane, ridiculous, and fun ride will soon come a tragic end. But, there yet may still be hope, the most recent news sources has reported that the other two hosts, James May, and Richard Hammond have refused to do any more shows with him. And with the support with so many loyal fans and supporters, the show has a good chance of returning.

That has been a quick thought, more to come!

A Few Points

Just a few points to make here, nothing big or dramatic here. Off the heels of retiring from PAX East this weekend, I am currently working on a piece about that and conventions in general, since I have been to both Anime Boston and PAX now. Also in relation to PAX, some lessons learned from one of the panels, I will now try to have a consistent “posting day”, and I am going to try to make that mondays. That way I can set a goal for myself and you don’t have to wait three weeks for me to post something. However, the topics, 90% of the time, will still be random and I may post one, or as many as I feel depending on what I accomplish over the week. Plus I may still post stuff in the middle of the week, but keep looking on Mondays.

The Printed Rambler: What’s in a name?

Another article from the Gateway Printing newsletter; my column, The Printed Rambler.

When you open up a new storefront, what do you want prominently displayed? A complex list of what you do? A long history of your business? A lot of people tend to overload spaces, such as business cards and ads; with way more information than is needed. Too much information could overwhelm a potential customer, as the phrase goes, “Keep It Simple Stupid.”

When designing a business card, or any small advertisement for your business, you should look at the space you have, which isn’t much, and allocate to it what is the most important. But what is the most important? Again, simplify; your name and contact information are probably two of the most important items that you can put on a business card. Your Contact information is obvious, how else is your contact supposed to get a hold of you? The name of your business can say a lot about your business and give the customer an idea of what you do. Our name “Gateway Printing” for example, just by looking at the name, you can tell what we do.

Simplicity is a good start, but then comes how you position it on your card or ad. When we read a book, we start at the top of the page and read down and across from left to right. That should be how a business card is set, your most information on the top and everything else below. But you also want to format it in such a way that customers read the most important information first. Your name should be large and bold, again your name can say a lot about what you do. However you don’t want it so big that it overpowers everything else on the page, your contact information should be large enough to see, but not so much that customers know how to contact you and don’t know who you are. Our eyes are always attracted to the largest object on a page.

Business cards, signs, ads, and storefronts all tell who you are and what you do. There is a balance to what you display on these items, as humans, we lose our attention when there is to little to hold it, or too much that it overwhelms us. Simplicity is always the best policy, remember “Keep It Simple Stupid” and customers will be more apt to come see what you have to offer.

The Gateway Printing Co.

174 Main Street, Wareham, MA

http://www.gatewayprinting.org/

            

"Act of Valor" - A Review

Here is the last of my archived articles, a review of the 2012 war film, "Act of Valor". A story about a Navy SEAL team who uncover and attempt to stop a terrorist attack on the United States. I have been a fave of war films as long as I can remember, my favorites being the World War II films from the 50s, 60s, and 70s. What is unique about this film is that the main characters are played by actual Navy SEALS, so while they don't give the best performance, it does provide a higher sense of realism that we don't see very often.

Thank you, and enjoy:

Another late movie review, but with a busy work and school schedule, and a computer that doesn't like to run tumblr very well, sometimes this can't be helped. “Act of Valor” is honestly one of the best movies that I have seen this year, I haven't read any other reviews on it yet but I would defiantly give it an A grade. 

It was one of the mots unique war movies that I had ever seen, and I have seen plenty of war movies going all the way back to when I was a child. What made this movie so unique was how  realistic they decided to make this movie. Unlike our sugar coated Hollywood war movies with huge explosions and bullets flying in every direction (and somehow no one gets hit), the movie's battle scenes had smaller explosions, and bursts of bullets rather than a rain storm of them; there was also more stealth, rather kicking open the door. This created more intense scenes and left you hanging on the edge of your seat more. Granted I still like my Hollywood sugar coated war and action movies with the big explosions and ridiculous gun battles, but this is something unique.

The plot and the characters are pretty basic. Terrorist plot to bomb America is unraveled and the Navy Seals have to go and stop them. The characters are played by actual disciplined Navy Seals, and though they aren't the best when it comes to voicing dialogue for film, they were talking in the way that, I assume, would be most likely how they would talk on a mission. But in a way that is charm of this movie, you get a better idea of what actually happens in actual military situations. Hollywood tends to over dramatize it, which is not necessarily a bad thing and granted this movie also probably has some of that in it, but a movie based entirely around brining realism to the screen.

While it wasn't received well by critics, it's defiantly worth watching, especially if you are like me and highly enjoy war movies. It is unique, has really good action scenes, and good drama, the end might even get you to shed a tear at the end of the film when they have the funeral for the fallen SEAL. Again, as a fan of war movies, I am kind biased in favor of them, even some of the ones that aren't very good; with the exception being "Peal Harbor", which I review later. Overall, like with all movies, watch it with an open mind and make your conclusions.

Your Project and Your Printer

As I mentioned a while back, I currently work from my family's print shop; doing graphic arts, padding forms, and folding thousands of small forms. We started this year doing an email news letter as a big push for the business, and below is an article that I wrote for it under a column apply named "The Printed Rambler."

Even in a world where we do almost everything online, there is still a need of printers. Having a physical catalogue that you can flip through is more tangible than one in a browser. You can pick it up, put it down, and pick it back without any hassle. Not that there is anything wrong with online material, but there should be a balance, because not everyone is the same.

Thank you and enjoy:

Imagine for yourself this situation, you wanted a cake baked and when you showed up at your local bakery, you gave the baker all the ingredients for it. The flour, sugar, butter, eggs, etc., while you might think that this is helpful, the unfortunate truth is, it really isn’t. They might not be the right ingredients they need, or the correct measurements. The problem is, this might make a mess that they have to clean up, and you will have a longer wait for your cake.

            When you walk into your local print shop, it’s always good practice to have an idea of the layout you want for your job, such as a drawing (doesn’t need to be fancy), and well as any text or images you want as well. But laying out the whole thing yourself in a computer file thinking it would make the process easier and faster isn’t always the case. Just like the issue with the bakery, this may also make a mess they have to clean up. Low resolution photos, to many fonts, poor design, non-compatible programs, the list can go on and on.  Again, like the bakery, these issues could have you ending up with a longer wait time for your job to be completed.

            So next time you plan your order, be it for business cards, invoices, or brochures, is the time you spent laying it out really worth it? Discuss your project with Gateway Printing and we will work with you to design and produce your project to a successful completion.

Info:

The Gateway Printing Co.

174 Main Street, Wareham, MA

http://www.gatewayprinting.org/

A Quick Point

It has been pointed, some of my previous posts have spelling and grammatical errors. I will be going back to correct those. They were done a few years ago and I only edited them a small amount. So, at some point in the future, they will be fixed.

Thank you.

Idiocy and Ignorance at it's Finest

This is the third and final part on on my three part series on religion (but not the last). In this one we look at the ignorance and arrogance of religious groups against literature. Regimes, and governments ban books, films, and other forms of media, under the idea that they are protecting moral fabric of their society, because they fear what they contain. The Nazi’s banned books because they feared they might under mine their fragile power base. This can also apply religious groups as well; if your belief in God is so strong and instilled this faith in your children, how can a simple fantasy novel destroy it?

True faith comes from something deep within and can years, a life time, to achieve. Human creations can destroy it or undermine it. It is a powerful and deeply personal part of one’s life. So your faith has to be paper thin, if you think “Harry Potter”, or violent games, or “Dungeons & Dragon” will ruin it. I know that is is an old argument, and at the moment doesn’t have much relevance; however is crops up from time to time. People will always be trying to ban something because it “de-roots” their beliefs. So once again, enjoy!

Sometime ago I decided to take a look a the website: “Chick Publications”, a company known for it's very right wing, fundamentalist Christian views. They trash other religions as false and leading people down a path away from salivation. I happen to be Catholic (as mentioned earlier) and Catholicism is one of major targets of this company, making false accusations that can easily be explained away with a understanding of history and common sense. But this organization is most famous for their attacks on the popular “Harry Potter” series. They claim that it promotes Witch Craft and Devil worship. Those who have read the books know that this is false and very far from the truth and in fact the series promotes values that are actually very compatible with Christian beliefs.

Our journey to debunking the beliefs that “Harry Potter” is causing the destruction of Christian values begins with a look  at a summary of a book they have advertised on their site. It starts out with quotes from young kids saying how much they would love to go to “Hogwarts” and learn how to do magic and cast spells on their teacher. What kid wouldn't? It is adventure and excitement, traveling to new mysterious places and meeting new friends along the way. And what kid wouldn't want to bewitch their teacher so that they would get no homework? That fact that he uses theses quotes to say how the books are destroying our values and promoting witchcraft, shows how detached they are from reality.

They then try to go into how the books are promoting witchcraft and the religion Wicca and compares it to Devil worship. First of all in my understanding of Wicca is that it's origins come from pagan beliefs in ancient Europe before the spread of Christianity and even predate it by a few thousand years. Also their use of Animal sacrifices was bring about good conditions for harvest, similar to the ancient human Sacrifices of the ancient Mayan and Aztec cultures, which had no knowledge of Christianity. Not to mention that their are no animal or human sacrifices in “Harry Potter.” As well as being a huge difference between the beliefs and practices of Wicca versus the witchcraft and wizardry or “Harry Potter”, look it up, it's on wikipedia.

The true values of “Harry Potter” is loyalty, courage, love, friendship, forgiveness, and to stand against evil. These are values that are more than compatible with Christianity. It has also got nearly an entire generation more interested in reading and writing, hopefully inspiring many people. Those at Chick Publications might want to look at the believe in and reevaluate it based on actual research, reading the books, and having historical perspective. But sometimes that is like asking a brick wall to move, it's just not going happen, ignorance can be a terrible thing.

Next up on, a review of the 2012 film “Act of Valor”, a poorly reviewed film that I did enjoy. After that a review of the video game “Destiny”, and after that my favorite subject “Tolkien”!

Do apes have souls?

Continuing on with previous article, religion is once again the subject; I have one more that I had written a while ago which will posted at some random occasion. After that it will back some reviews on films and video games.

This piece probably relates back to another debate had between atheism and religion. What seems to be prevailing idea of most atheists is that people of religion believe in fairy tales and think science some sort of evil lie meant to turn them away from God. On the contrary, the Catholic Church is well known in history as the founder of many universities, many priests and monks have made great strides in botany and astronomy, as well doing the complex calculations to develop our current calendar system. While there are Christians the do reject science outright, it’s not a prevailing amongst Christians.

The theory of evolution has been subject of contention between the religious community and scientific communities. As I explain in the following paragraphs, theology and the theory of evolution can coexist quite well.

I recent years, with new scientific discoveries, Charles Drawin's Theory of Evolution has picked up steam. It has sparked a debate between those who believe in this theory and religion, specifically with Christians; Evolution vs. Genesis aka Creationism. The debate has been over which one is true and explains the creation of humanity. It has been debated whether or not it should be taught in schools, and fanatics on either side, activists, religious leaders, teachers, parents, and students have argued whether or not it should be taught; but that is not what we are here to discuss. As I mentioned before I am Roman Catholic, and thus I believe God created everything (hate me or not, call be an idiot, I really don't care, you are more of an idiot for continuing that bigotry). As a Catholic not only am I taught God is creator, but I also to think and interpret the Bible, not look at liberally. The stories in the Bible are ancient, and thus the people who wrote the testaments to explain certain things. So, I present to you my interpretation of the Bible, how evolution and religion can coexist and how, if looked at a different way, evolution is mentioned within the Bible.

In the beginning God created everything, he sparked the Big Bang setting the Universe into motion, guiding the atoms that would form the building blocks of galaxies, planets, suns, the phenomena of the cosmos, and life. God guided these elements to form the universe as we know it, including our world Earth. According some religious theorist the Earth was created 6,000 years ago; and according to the Bible the Earth was created in seven days, but the question no one ever seems to ask is, how long is a “God day”? The answer is: no one knows, it could be millennia long, but I can assure you that it is probably longer than 24 hours. So with his creation, God was pleased, and then decided to populate it with life.

God would them direct the atoms to form living creatures, microscopic at first, coming out the rock and ash of the planet. Over time he guided it and molded it so that it would form into the various of life that would populate his new world. The one species that he specifically guided was humanity, so that it would fit with his image. He took the most evolved human and placed him in the Garden of Eden and then we have the story of Adam and Eve. Perhaps after their exile, there genetic material was spread to other, less evolved humans creating what we are today.

Another way to look at the genesis story is not explain the origins of humanity, but of it's greatest creation, Civilization (and no not the game, though it is awesome). The Garden of Eden is said to be located in the Fertile Crescent between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers in the Middle East. This region is the home of the first civilizations. Perhaps God kicked us out of the first civilization and we forced to create our own, building the great civilizations of Babylon, Egypt, Greece, China, Rome, Japan, Britain, France, and America. God may have not created us in his image physically, but mentally, our ability to think and create.

So, can Religion and Evolution coexist? Yes.

A Religious Understanding

This is another older piece I wrote a while back (I’m trying to go through some of my backlog that has yet to be posted). To put this essay into context, in the past I have had debates with friends of mine on “Facebook”, who are atheists, on the subject of religion, they can get daily heated. I’m Roman Catholic, and while I will never profess myself to be overtly religious, I do believe in the teachings, but have a different opinion than most Christians.

This particular essay came from one of those debates, and it goes into how I see my own religious beliefs. Surprisingly, my atheists friends had no negative opinion on this, and now I leave it up to the rest of you to form your opinions.

Thanks, and enjoy! :

I won't deny that Christians have not been violent, history has shown Christians use their religion as an excuse for violence, persecution, and war. The Crusades, for example, were at their heart a trade dispute. They have been as violent as members of religions. I also admit that I have not read the Bible all the way through, I have read passages, but even with that I think I can get a clear picture of what it is trying to tell me.

The Christian Bible is divided into two sections, "The Old Testament" (aka Torah), and the other is "The New Testament". First section is the history of the Jewish from the beginning of the world to the time of the Romans. The Second part is the history and teachings of Jesus Christ and his apostles. Again I have not read all of this, however from what I can tell is that a lot of it is allegory, and metaphors and not to be taken literally at face value. God doesn't want someone to cut off his arm, but remove that which causes the problem. 

While the Bible is an integral part of Christianity, if not at the heart of the religion, it's more than the book that, in my opinion, that defines the religion. It is how people act upon the words written in the book. The problem is a lot of people use it as way to persecute others and commit terrible acts, but the same could be said about any other religion. So in some way, yes on the surface, Christianity is no different than other religions, there are good and bad people who shape our image of the religion. Unfortunately, a lot of times the bad is what makes a louder bang. In a lot of ways you could compare religions to the loyalty to operating systems, on the surface Mac OS and Windows are not two different from one another, but when you ask someone why they chose Mac or PC, there are down to the smallest part, features the people like over the other one and many times they grew with one particular OS in their household, same with religion.

The one thing that I am not the most familiar with is the history of the early Jews and how they came to worship the one God. Maybe it did form out of previous polytheistic religion or it was some great revelation. All I know is that I believe in God, but that doesn't stop of me from wanting to uncover all the mysteries and accepting science, I am probably one of the few Christians who accept evolution. I happen to think science is a means of figuring out how God did it. I think God is a great writer weaving together a great story and we are the characters and we don't know how it is going to end or how it began, we are figuring it out a long the way. I guess that is one way of thinking about it.

"Red Tails": A Review

Here is an old one from my Tumblr account of the same name (linked below). This directly quoted, so it might sound a little dated, however, if you do plan to watch this film, take a minute and read the following review. Thanks, and enjoy!

A Review of "Red Tails" :

About a month or so ago I went to see the new George Lucas production “Red Tails”, a film about the Tuskegee Airmen, a squadron of black airmen during World War II. While the film was historically accurate, it is hard to explain whether the movie itself is good or bad. While “Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy” felt it had so much thrown at the audience, “Red Tails” had to little. The movie is enjoyable, historically accurate, and the battle scenes are amazing; but it was lacking in the way in the way it was directed “on the ground” and especially failed in the laughable dialogue.

While Lucas has made a cool World War II film, he really should have gone over how the characters speak and act and especially look at their dialogue before filming. I think the best example of this is the main villain of the film. The villain, know as “Pretty Boy” is the first major character of the film to make an appearance, he is the leader of nearly every German fighter squadron the main characters run into. Easily this character could have been played by a card-board cut out with a voice box. He only has about five or six lines in the entire movie and only barks out orders or says how much hates the Red Tails and is shocked that they are black. There is no development to this character, no personality, no back story, and his only emotion is “Angry German Face.” Though he is probably one of the most amusing characters in the entire film.

The white American bomber pilots fared a little bit better than the German pilot, but not by much. While they did have more lines and something of a personality, their lines are about as corny as some fifties TV shows (not that I really wish to rip on those shows as they’re still better than anything on TV today), or that guy who blows himself up in the original “Night of the Living Dead” (”Golly Mr. Cooper!”).  But they’re lines include “I’m sure glad the Red Tails were here”, I think you picture the voice that went with that. But again, these characters could have again been easily played by a Card Board cut out.

The Black pilots of the Red Tails were probably the most well developed, but suffered from another problem, over use of stereotypes. While not every one of those characters suffered from this problem, that ones that did played it up ten times. Though you have to keep characters in a historical film accurate with the times that they are in, you don’t need to make blatant; such as the constant and almost comical references “Black Jesus.” I think of these characters, the most well developed were the Squadron Commander, who was in Washington D.C. fighting to keep his squadron from being disbanded due to the racism of the time, the flight leader who had to face down a drinking problem and emotional issues, and Lightening, the pilot who kills “Pretty Boy” and has relationship with one of the women in the near by Italian city.

Overall the while the movie had a good story and action sequences, it really lacked in character development and personality. It is definitely worth seeing, though by now it should be coming out soon on DVD and Blue Ray. This movie where you might just want to shut your brain off and enjoy it, it’s still better than watching “Star Wars : Episode 2.”

Up next: A discussion on how Evolution and Christianity can coexist and some more movie reviews as well as an analysis of Table Top vs Video Game RPGs.

https://www.tumblr.com/blog/mentalrambler