If you read through some of that Opera article you’ll notice that it will also depict the be headings of Jesus, Buddha and Poseidon. Guess that’s ok. But Mohammad? OH NOES! Why is it ok to offend “the sensibilities” of every other religion except Islam?
Ok, so I don’t have a dog yet. But if it wanted to, should animals be allowed to vote? Yes I know that isn’t fair to compare non-citizens to animals. Forgive me. How about this one: Should Iranians, North Koreans and Canadians (had to throw that in there) be allowed to vote in our federal elections? Maybe we could just ship the votes to these countries since we seem to care so much what they think of us.
Yesterday (September 20th, 2006) our U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation “that would require voters to show valid photo identification in federal elections.” Many on the Democratic side of the isle voiced their objections and compared the bill to “segregation-era measure aimed at disenfranchising Southern blacks.”
WTF?
Could someone please explain to me how this would disenfranchise anyone? To drive a car you are supposed to have a valid picture ID (via driver’s license). The same is true for opening a bank account and cashing a check. Buying a game with your credit card? You’re “supposed” to be asked to show valid picture ID. You can’t even get into a night clubs, PORN stores, Strip clubs or some College Frat parties without some form of valid ID. Alcohol and smokes even! But voting? “Sure, why not. Let’s let anyone do it.” Hell, why even have an age limit any more?
In the 2004 federal election, the U.S. Census Bureau found that 64% of Americans were registered to vote. In contrast 72% of of people polled in November 2004 stated that they were registered to vote. Of the 72% registered, 89% said they voted in 2004. It appears that it must be “cool” to say you voted. A Johns Hopkins University study found that 1,500 dead people voted in recent elections. Talk about your die-hard voters. The mere fact that 1,500 dead people were able to vote should show us that maybe there is a problem with the current system.
I realize that politics have turned into nothing more than petty bickering between the Republican and Democratic parties. All the while, some pretty important issues are being ignored while many of our paid and elected (by dead people?) officials are grand-standing. I feel that the right to hold fair and orderly elections is not just a nice thing to have, but part of the foundation this country that allow us to continue with the freedoms we currently posses.
The reason that this issue is such a big deal today is because November elections are coming up and people want to appeal to their base. If you really stop and look thoughtfully at the issue, there are some solutions to the “problems” having such a law would cause. Some say that if you require a picture ID, then people are not going to be allowed to pay for them and thus not be able to get them to vote. Put my tax dollars to use America. Pay for the cards for everyone. Ask the individual States to help pay for the cards and have a State/Federal voting card. There you go. Anyone who wants to vote will have a picture ID and can vote. And if you complain that it would be too expensive to pay for every-one’s card, realize that just over 1/2 of the country is registered to vote as it is, so it may be less people than you think. And on top of that, you are going to have lazy ass people who aren’t going to be willing to take the time to get a card so that is even less! This could work. Do you want someone elected into an office because non-citizens were allowed to vote?
Once again, this isn’t about keeping people oppressed. It’s about verifying the validity of our electoral system. It’s about American Citizens being able to vote into office those who they think are most qualified to lead. (or in may cases, lesser of two very very evils)
I’ve found an article online that lists a number of female teachers who have had some form of sexual contact with their students. It is a long list and interesting list. What I find obvious and unacceptable is the fact that the judges of some of these teachers are now admitting that these teachers were given a lighter sentence because they were female. (Most without any jail time!) Male or female, what they did was wrong. Where’s all the feminists screaming equal rights on this one?
I suppose that the crimes these female teachers have committed are considered less severe because of the gender of the students effected. Do we automatically assume that since the children (by defined by the law) are males are not as emotionally effected by the crime as their female classmates? That men are more sexually primed and motivated than women? Because the sexual activity is not as “intrusive” to males compared to females? Because men are considered sexual predators more often than women?
I realize that life is not “fair”, but this seems like a no brain-er to me. If you abuse your status as a teacher and take advantage of someone under the age of 18 (regardless of whether the actions are consensual) you should have the same punishment as everyone else. Is there a difference between a teacher having sex with a minor and a stranger, neighbor or even a family member having sex with a minor?
You see, I’m a WWII buff. I’m not really a buff per say, but I enjoy almost everything WWII related. The weird thing about my new pixelated lover is that I hate real time strategy games. (RTS) Why? Because I have very little micro managing skills. I just go crazy when trying to build troops, fight back attacks, and cook muffins. Damn difficult I tell you.
So here I am, sitting at home looking at this new WWII game that comes out. Excited I am… until I realize it is a RTS game. Why should I get it? Command and Conquer is old news and Total Annihilation is no more. I’ve got WOW to keep me company. Why would I need another game to fill my time?
Then I read the IGN review of the game. Wow, it looks cool.
So I bought it. It’s basically your little army men growing up on steroids. Here are some of the reasons I think it is a great game:
1) Destructible environments - Holy Cow this is cool. EVERYTHING is destructible! (Ok, maybe not bridges but I can’t say that for sure yet.) Got some Germans in a building? Blow the fucker up! Don’t want to go around the wall? Blow a hole in it. I am just at awe at how much you can shape the environment in this game. If you call in an artillery strike, the leftover craters can be used as cover for your troops! Why haven’t games done this before… oh so right? Time to clean up my drool and get to the next one. Seriously, this kicks ass.
2) Destruct… umm… Attention to detail - Your units look, sound and play their part. This includes the AI of your team and the enemy. If you put your machine gunners pointing in one direction, they will mow down anything that comes in their path. If someone comes up from behind them and starts firing, they turn around and mow them down… but since they are caring this heavy-ass machine gun, it takes time for them to pick it up and place it back down for use. The whole time they are turning around, you are praying that they won’t get picked off. The little things like the time it takes to pick up and put down a machine gun or mortar group tells you that this is going to be one heck of a game. When you throw a grenade, you see a timer counting down over the location of the grenade. This helps in knowing when to send your guys back into the thick of things. Same with satchel charges.
3) Graphics - The game looks great. Zoom in and see just how detailed your little army men are. See how detailed the world is. It’s great. Oh, and the world is all 3D so you can spin and zoom the camera in just the perfect position to watch your mortar fire land on some unlucky enemy’s head. *SPLAT* Be sure to watch the guys after you kill them. That’s part of the details I guess.
4) Sound - I am a sound nerd. (Yes, I bought a pair of headphones for $90. Can I have them back please Yetuc?) Sound is important to me. YAY and stuff. I can’t stand it when a game sounds like a dog underwater humping a watermelon. Thankfully, this game doesn’t sound like molested fruit. It is intense. As you move over the board while in combat, you can hear the sound come and go relative to where the camera is. There are also various different phrases your men will use to let you know just how they are feeling. For example “Sniper in a bit of a shit storm here!” and “Tie your fucking shoelaces private.” Ah the language. But there is a lot in this game. If you have a little kid, make sure that you’re wearing headphones or you will soon hear “We’re taking fire GODDAMNIT!” Doubt that would go over well at the In-laws eh? Great sound.
The game is fun. It isn’t easy and it makes you rethink how RTS can be played. This game is truly revolutionary to the genre. Now throw that cash down soldier and pick you up a copy! Maybe we could play a little Multiplayer!
Filed under:Gaming — Captain Kitten Killer @ 9:49 am
Prey was recently released for XBOX 360 and PC. Looks pretty cool. I found this kick ass trailer that I think you all should see! Ok ok. That was sarcasm. This is a trailer of the 1998 version of Prey. Wow, less than 10 years ago, this was really really cool. But much like Duke Nukem Forever, we all thought it was vaporware. But much like Jesus on that Easter morning, this game has risen from the dead. Sure, it can’t make the blind see or deaf hear (or save your soul from the eternal fires of hell where you will be forced to watch Three’s Company and Murder She Wrote on a 10″ TV that shocks you every time you yawn, blink or wet yourself), but it does let you shoot aliens and defy the laws of gravity. And I think we can all agree that Jesus could do that too if he wanted too.
So here is the trailers for both the 1998 and 2006 games.
Filed under:Random — Captain Love Pirate @ 9:59 am
I have nothing really important to say, as I sit here in my class. ECSS 2.201. We’re on 15-minute break. 4 have gone by. (the professor always takes at least 20, anyways.)
I just REALLY, REALLY wanted to break the string of posts from KK. He was really starting to talk to himself there.
So, I bring you: a review of North DAllas: the Weather.
It’s dry. Well, it was dry, when we moved here. When we ride our bikes to school, there’s this large, open field right by our apartment that cuts about 10 minutes off our time. There was already a path through it, so it’s not like we were breaking new ground by travelling it. In fact, it seems to be the preferred shortcut of Target shoppers, judging by the number of shopping carts lining the area.
The thing is: Except on the path, where the dirt had been compacted, the entire thing was dry and cracked. Think about movies of the clay in a desert. You thought it was fake? It wasn’t. The GROUND had crags deeper than my leg. I got trapped in one once because I didn’t think it was that deep. I was wrong.
Anyways, I was actually riding my bike one day when it started raining. Now, normally I’d pedal faster to get home. Except I was on this field. And as the rain hit the ground, the GROUND SWELLED. I mean, I watched it grow in front of me like some chia pet on steroids. It was the craziest thing. But, by the time I got to the other side, the rain had stopped, and it was 110 degrees again. The ground started cracking again, before my eyes. And not the same way, either. It decided that it was time to redecorate the house, if you’ll pardon the analogy.
But, two weekends ago we got about 3 days of rain, and last weekend it was a slow, steady rain all day (the best kind around places like this.) Since the two weeks ago, it’s only gotten up to about 93 on the days it really tried. In fact, before I start getting a sweat going riding in when I come in early mornings (Gotta hate those 11:00 am classes) it’s CHILLY.
So, have I broken his chain yet?
I have?
Good. MAybe I’ll come back with something more substantive later today.
