Well, I realize its been nearly 2 weeks since my last post, and all I have to defend myself is the fact I've been up to my neck in college work, including creating a final website. You can see what I have so far here.
Something soon, I PROMISE!
3/29/08
3/12/08
Big Brother Is Watching You: Web Privacy
As a lot of you know, I'm a college student, majoring (hopefully) in web design and computer programming. For one of my courses, I was asked to discuss privacy on the web. What I wrote I really liked, so... I want to share it. So here you go:
The biggest catch to the internet, from either a developer's standpoint or just a casual user's standpoint, is that there is no such thing as absolute privacy. The paper trail you leave is a mile long, tracking your actions across cyberspace. Depending on how secure the sites you create or visit are, you leave behind as little as your IP, or as much as your name, address, credit card numbers, and even more.
The idea of internet anonymity is a pipe dream. No matter what advances are made, this will not change, simply because it is far too profitable, either on the personal level or beyond, to mine for personal data, either to use for personal gain, or to sell or distribute to advertising/spam/otherwise destructive agencies.
One of the main problems with internet privacy is the concept of the cookie. A cookie is a piece of information, stored on the user's PC, that contain information about a user's use of a given site or domain. This may include information for login authentication, saving an online "shopping cart", and site preferences. These can be sniffed out and hijacked with a packet sniffer. A site can fool the browser into sending a cookie to a site that is not supposed to get them. Or worse yet, scripts can be made and utilized that just outright steal a user's cookies. Of course, then there's always bad programming, which can lead to insecure sites, which can lead to isues with cookies.
Another issue is the concept of the Internet Service Provider (ISP). ISPs are businesses, pure and simple. They're not above such breaches of privacy as combing all incoming and outgoing data, throttling speeds for certain programs or protocols (I'm looking at you, Comcast!), or collecting extraneous information for whatever use they may have. On top of all this, they are left to their own discretion when it comes to information they may or may not surrender to the government during inquiries. There is no legal precedent for what they have to surrender, its quite easy to deny the government information based on the idea that an ISP refuses to undermine its user's privacy. Google did it, although they're not an ISP, but then again, Google is bigger than a fair share of ISPs. The government does not control ISPs at the business level, so whatever information is surrendered is surrendered voluntarily. However, ISPs can't know what you're sending, if its encrypted right. At least, not without violating their own Terms of Service and/or laws. Its a nifty and powerful bit of knowledge to have.
Spyware is, without a doubt, the most ANNOYING detriment to internet privacy and computer health. I mean, just look at this image. That is not a healthy PC, and frankly the fact it loaded the browser that far surprises me. (On a side note, I find it funny that an AOL program is considered Spyware, and I agree with this wholly. But another discussion for another time.) Spyware is nasty, software installed on a PC (without the user's informed consent), that monitors user behavior, and manipulates it into malicious things like tracking user across the net, collecting personal information, change computer settings, or solving CAPTCHAs for rogue servers, bots, or users. This is easily defeated, however, by utilizing anti-spyware programs like Spybot. However, some gets really rooted into the system, and can be a pain to remove from memory, then from the PC itself.
Add to these concepts things like phishing (fraudulently getting personal information by faking being a trustworthy entity in or on a site, forum, messenger, etc) and social engineering (a sociology idea turned to a net practice, a series of techniques used to manipulate users into giving away information or performing actions they normally would not do.) and the internet is hardly what anyone would consider a secure place. Its more of a wild frontier, really, and if you take the wrong steps, it will swallow you (or your personal information) whole.
The biggest catch to the internet, from either a developer's standpoint or just a casual user's standpoint, is that there is no such thing as absolute privacy. The paper trail you leave is a mile long, tracking your actions across cyberspace. Depending on how secure the sites you create or visit are, you leave behind as little as your IP, or as much as your name, address, credit card numbers, and even more.
The idea of internet anonymity is a pipe dream. No matter what advances are made, this will not change, simply because it is far too profitable, either on the personal level or beyond, to mine for personal data, either to use for personal gain, or to sell or distribute to advertising/spam/otherwise destructive agencies.
One of the main problems with internet privacy is the concept of the cookie. A cookie is a piece of information, stored on the user's PC, that contain information about a user's use of a given site or domain. This may include information for login authentication, saving an online "shopping cart", and site preferences. These can be sniffed out and hijacked with a packet sniffer. A site can fool the browser into sending a cookie to a site that is not supposed to get them. Or worse yet, scripts can be made and utilized that just outright steal a user's cookies. Of course, then there's always bad programming, which can lead to insecure sites, which can lead to isues with cookies.
Another issue is the concept of the Internet Service Provider (ISP). ISPs are businesses, pure and simple. They're not above such breaches of privacy as combing all incoming and outgoing data, throttling speeds for certain programs or protocols (I'm looking at you, Comcast!), or collecting extraneous information for whatever use they may have. On top of all this, they are left to their own discretion when it comes to information they may or may not surrender to the government during inquiries. There is no legal precedent for what they have to surrender, its quite easy to deny the government information based on the idea that an ISP refuses to undermine its user's privacy. Google did it, although they're not an ISP, but then again, Google is bigger than a fair share of ISPs. The government does not control ISPs at the business level, so whatever information is surrendered is surrendered voluntarily. However, ISPs can't know what you're sending, if its encrypted right. At least, not without violating their own Terms of Service and/or laws. Its a nifty and powerful bit of knowledge to have.
Spyware is, without a doubt, the most ANNOYING detriment to internet privacy and computer health. I mean, just look at this image. That is not a healthy PC, and frankly the fact it loaded the browser that far surprises me. (On a side note, I find it funny that an AOL program is considered Spyware, and I agree with this wholly. But another discussion for another time.) Spyware is nasty, software installed on a PC (without the user's informed consent), that monitors user behavior, and manipulates it into malicious things like tracking user across the net, collecting personal information, change computer settings, or solving CAPTCHAs for rogue servers, bots, or users. This is easily defeated, however, by utilizing anti-spyware programs like Spybot. However, some gets really rooted into the system, and can be a pain to remove from memory, then from the PC itself.
Add to these concepts things like phishing (fraudulently getting personal information by faking being a trustworthy entity in or on a site, forum, messenger, etc) and social engineering (a sociology idea turned to a net practice, a series of techniques used to manipulate users into giving away information or performing actions they normally would not do.) and the internet is hardly what anyone would consider a secure place. Its more of a wild frontier, really, and if you take the wrong steps, it will swallow you (or your personal information) whole.
3/5/08
Bury My D20 at the Temple of Elemental Evil
Yesterday morning, a gaming legend died. The creator of Dungeons & Dragons, Gary Gygax, passed away of a heart attack, he was 69.
D&D and the games that have come out of it have been a major part of my adult life. Between the countless weekly gaming nights and the over 1,000 hours I've spent in the Neverwinter Nights series, D&D really has been a defining thing in my adult life. Some of my best memories involve me sitting at a table, character sheet in front of me, a Mountain Dew in one hand, a D20 in the other. D&D really opened my eyes to a new type of gaming. Before that, I just was stuck on console and PC gaming, bound by the imagination of the creators. D&D opened up my imagination, and opened up my life.
I didn't want to ramble on about Mr Gygax, because nothing I can ever say can do the man justice, nor can I outspeak the masses of D&D fans.
D&D and the games that have come out of it have been a major part of my adult life. Between the countless weekly gaming nights and the over 1,000 hours I've spent in the Neverwinter Nights series, D&D really has been a defining thing in my adult life. Some of my best memories involve me sitting at a table, character sheet in front of me, a Mountain Dew in one hand, a D20 in the other. D&D really opened my eyes to a new type of gaming. Before that, I just was stuck on console and PC gaming, bound by the imagination of the creators. D&D opened up my imagination, and opened up my life.
I didn't want to ramble on about Mr Gygax, because nothing I can ever say can do the man justice, nor can I outspeak the masses of D&D fans.
3/4/08
The "Stoned Monkey Artist" Theory
There's been a set of questions plaguing me lately. About art, both the word and the picture forms. The first has become a driving point, a point of true madness for myself. Its very simple:
"Is creativity dead?"
That is to ask "is there anything new left to create?" It seems that these days there is nothing left to make. Nothing left to do. No new trails to blaze, that the creative landscape has been uprooted, plowed, and paved over. A hundred years ago, Metropolis was not yet thought up, and now it is all but reality. Robots are real, cyborgs are slowly becoming feasible. Next stop, Ghost in the Shell. So what is left? What is still new enough that no one has gone down the route and come back with word that the other side is already being assimilated.
Which leads to the next:
"Is art dead?"
This is more of a question of culture. Has the world moved beyond the art and the artist? The internet has shown that more people style themselves as "artists" than the amount of people that consider themselves a part of any major religion. Has the mass of inane copycats and deranged outcasts (who are in themselves a group, which they all belong to. It boggles.) who have nothing better to do that force their cynicism and madness upon the masses taken over art and killed it with a sock full of hot nickels?
The last, I admit is a bit more selfish.
"Am I, in part, to blame?"
I admit, I've gone through the loner phase, the goth years, the punk, the anarchist, the god-complexed megalomania. Now here I sit in a sort of quarter-life crisis. 1/4 the way through life, and I'm struggling to find who I am and what I want. Who do I want to be? The artist, the writer, the starving struggling soul trying to find life and love among the wastes? This is a question (or a variation thereon), I believe everyone asks themselves. And I believe there is no correct way for everyone to find the answer, it all comes down to the individual.
There is no handbook on becoming an adult, just there is no handbook on what constitutes art, or what makes an artist. The journey is the answer, really. There are no easily-defined pieces or anything like that. Art takes time, patience, and dedication. And in the end, I think becoming an adult worth more than their weight in horse shit takes the same.
A friend of mine made an interesting statement while I wrote this. He liked me to Terrence McKenna, the man who theorized that our primitive ancestors evolved the way they did because of psilocybin. While I admit that I don't do much research for this blog, its just me editorializing and giving my opinions, I do know and read enough to formulate my own beliefs and not feel completely ignorant.
On that note, I don't think psilocybin caused all this. Nor do I think its all an act to impress the opposite sex. If anything, it is mankind coming to term with the fact we are indeed alone, the sole intelligent, sentient, and cultured lifeform on this planet. This is also why I believe religion came about. But thats another rant for another time.
"Is creativity dead?"
That is to ask "is there anything new left to create?" It seems that these days there is nothing left to make. Nothing left to do. No new trails to blaze, that the creative landscape has been uprooted, plowed, and paved over. A hundred years ago, Metropolis was not yet thought up, and now it is all but reality. Robots are real, cyborgs are slowly becoming feasible. Next stop, Ghost in the Shell. So what is left? What is still new enough that no one has gone down the route and come back with word that the other side is already being assimilated.
Which leads to the next:
"Is art dead?"
This is more of a question of culture. Has the world moved beyond the art and the artist? The internet has shown that more people style themselves as "artists" than the amount of people that consider themselves a part of any major religion. Has the mass of inane copycats and deranged outcasts (who are in themselves a group, which they all belong to. It boggles.) who have nothing better to do that force their cynicism and madness upon the masses taken over art and killed it with a sock full of hot nickels?
The last, I admit is a bit more selfish.
"Am I, in part, to blame?"
I admit, I've gone through the loner phase, the goth years, the punk, the anarchist, the god-complexed megalomania. Now here I sit in a sort of quarter-life crisis. 1/4 the way through life, and I'm struggling to find who I am and what I want. Who do I want to be? The artist, the writer, the starving struggling soul trying to find life and love among the wastes? This is a question (or a variation thereon), I believe everyone asks themselves. And I believe there is no correct way for everyone to find the answer, it all comes down to the individual.
There is no handbook on becoming an adult, just there is no handbook on what constitutes art, or what makes an artist. The journey is the answer, really. There are no easily-defined pieces or anything like that. Art takes time, patience, and dedication. And in the end, I think becoming an adult worth more than their weight in horse shit takes the same.
A friend of mine made an interesting statement while I wrote this. He liked me to Terrence McKenna, the man who theorized that our primitive ancestors evolved the way they did because of psilocybin. While I admit that I don't do much research for this blog, its just me editorializing and giving my opinions, I do know and read enough to formulate my own beliefs and not feel completely ignorant.
On that note, I don't think psilocybin caused all this. Nor do I think its all an act to impress the opposite sex. If anything, it is mankind coming to term with the fact we are indeed alone, the sole intelligent, sentient, and cultured lifeform on this planet. This is also why I believe religion came about. But thats another rant for another time.
2/27/08
Fuck You, I'm Gonna Watch Johnny Quest
Every night, I sit down to do homework, and I wind up turning on the tube. After about 20 minutes of flipping channels, I wind up just sickened to the point where I wind up on a channel like Boomerang. Cartoons. Shit I haven't watched since I was 10, and hoped I'd never have to deal with again.
I wanted to watch CNN, but between Wolf Blitzer having the mass appeal of a turnip, Larry King remaining blissfully out of touch with my generation, Dr Sanjay Gupta having a "Sears & Roebuck" doctorate and the medical knowledge of a retarded chimpanzee, and James Carville just scaring the everliving shit out of me with his face, I don't dare risk it. The nightmares would never end.
Of course, Fox news is no better. 3 words: Hannity and Colmes. If you don't find those massochistic enough, I present Geraldo Rivera and Bill O'Reilly. "No-Spin Zone", my ass. More like the "Off-Kilter Zone."
I'd watch MSNBC, but lets face it, they're a buncha pussies. Hell, NBC itself isn't much better. Between Chris Hansen and his constant pedophile hunt (which makes me wonder, being that there's always been pedos, but all of a sudden they're the big thing?) and Matt Lauer, who's only claim to fame is being attractive, I nearly want to just shoot my TV. Ok, they do have Tom Brokaw, but he's just a special correspondent, now. Sadly, he doesn't carry the network like he used to.
Now, CBS. Home of some of the best anchors ever. Cronkite, Murrow, Rather. Where's the hard-hitting journalism? Where's the edge of the seat Edward R. Murrow-esque reporting? Long gone, sadly. Though they save a little face, and that face is Bob Woodruff. I admit it, I'm biased, myself, in favor of CBS. But even they're known to be a bit leftist.
So what is a guy like me to do? I'm neither liberal nor conservative, not fully left nor right. Neither fully Democrat nor fully Republican. Where can I get unbiased media coverage on the TV?
Ah, fuck you, I'm gonna watch Johnny Quest.
I wanted to watch CNN, but between Wolf Blitzer having the mass appeal of a turnip, Larry King remaining blissfully out of touch with my generation, Dr Sanjay Gupta having a "Sears & Roebuck" doctorate and the medical knowledge of a retarded chimpanzee, and James Carville just scaring the everliving shit out of me with his face, I don't dare risk it. The nightmares would never end.
Of course, Fox news is no better. 3 words: Hannity and Colmes. If you don't find those massochistic enough, I present Geraldo Rivera and Bill O'Reilly. "No-Spin Zone", my ass. More like the "Off-Kilter Zone."
I'd watch MSNBC, but lets face it, they're a buncha pussies. Hell, NBC itself isn't much better. Between Chris Hansen and his constant pedophile hunt (which makes me wonder, being that there's always been pedos, but all of a sudden they're the big thing?) and Matt Lauer, who's only claim to fame is being attractive, I nearly want to just shoot my TV. Ok, they do have Tom Brokaw, but he's just a special correspondent, now. Sadly, he doesn't carry the network like he used to.
Now, CBS. Home of some of the best anchors ever. Cronkite, Murrow, Rather. Where's the hard-hitting journalism? Where's the edge of the seat Edward R. Murrow-esque reporting? Long gone, sadly. Though they save a little face, and that face is Bob Woodruff. I admit it, I'm biased, myself, in favor of CBS. But even they're known to be a bit leftist.
So what is a guy like me to do? I'm neither liberal nor conservative, not fully left nor right. Neither fully Democrat nor fully Republican. Where can I get unbiased media coverage on the TV?
Ah, fuck you, I'm gonna watch Johnny Quest.
2/24/08
History's Middle Children
So I was watching Fight Club last night, the first real night off I've had since the beginning of the month due to college, and a line struck a chord with me. "We're the middle children of history, man. No purpose or place. We have no Great War. No Great Depression. Our Great War's a spiritual war... our Great Depression is our lives. We've all been raised on television to believe that one day we'd all be millionaires, and movie gods, and rock stars. But we won't. And we're slowly learning that fact. And we're very, very pissed off."
I sat for a while, at 5:30am, with a bowl of Peanut Butter Captain Crunch and mulled it over. That line is the truest thing I have ever heard. We really are the middle children of history. Everything after the "baby boomers" really are.
Think about it. World War II was over 60 years ago. Even Vietnam was easily a decade before I was born. Vets are having grandchildren now. The Great Depression? My grandmother was born after it, even. Though, that's not to say we don't have our own sot of war. We're fighting ourselves.
Just take part of the chorus to "Smells Like Teen Spirit" by Nirvana: "With the lights out its less dangerous/Here we are now/Entertain us/I feel stupid and contagious/Here we are now/Entertain us"
That is truth in its harshest form. We've been at war since we were born. At war with a generation of Communist witch hunters, hippies, and people who were all about drastic, radical change. All we wanted was to have our own. Our own role, our own lives, our own world. Not this ball of shit that we're basically cleaning up. My generation has to pay for the Baby Boomers' Social Security. My generation's going to be the one paying for a war we never believed in, yet had to fight and die for.
We don't want to claim that. Not to mention the ONLY people who can claim Iraq are those in the Bush Administration. Hell, BOTH Bush Administrations. This isn't my generation's legacy. Nor is the internet. Or the information boom. They're byproducts. All that came out of the Cold War.
So the question is: What DO we claim?
Answer? Columbine. Virginia Tech. Jokela. North Illinois University. That is our war. We're fighting ourselves and the tree-hugging, limp-wristed, bleeding-heart bullshit we were raised with, and the cut-throat, dog-eat-dog capitalist bullshit that runs the country. We were being raised with flowers and sunshine, while the dogs licked their chops and waited to bite us in the ass.
So we fought the only monster we could see. Ourselves and those who raised us. Honestly, look at it. For this generation, there is no Communist threat, no terrorist threat, those are relegated to those who sired us. Islam isn't our threat. We are our threat.
The capitalist regime we've been brought up with and in opposition to has given us the idea that if we don't fit on a magazine cover, don't wear trendy clothes, smell like a designer, we're dead wrong and will have no greater meaning. How many of us know what Abercrombie and Fitch is? Now how many of us know who Sacco and Vanzetti are, what they stood for, and why they died? Or who actually went to a school where they were taught who Che Guevarra was? Yes, he wasn't a great person, but what he fought for was much larger than him.
We're overstimulated, overmedicated, overtaxed, overstressed, and overly sick of it. How many government agencies control us, in terms of finance, education, jobs, and just the small ins and outs of life? I know that for college alone, I have gotten so many groups of people giving contradictory answers about my financial aid, my student loans, the classes I take, and what my degree entails. Not to mention the doublespeak by the organizations, federally funded, mind you, who deal with my case, as I am a disabled student. In any given week, they flip flop more than a fish on the end of a hook. Then look at how much I have to bust ass to get scholarships, grants, student loans, then have to do my homework in the 20 minutes I have left.
Is it any wonder we keep shooting up the schools?
Back to Nirvana.
Load up on guns.
Bring your friends.
I sat for a while, at 5:30am, with a bowl of Peanut Butter Captain Crunch and mulled it over. That line is the truest thing I have ever heard. We really are the middle children of history. Everything after the "baby boomers" really are.
Think about it. World War II was over 60 years ago. Even Vietnam was easily a decade before I was born. Vets are having grandchildren now. The Great Depression? My grandmother was born after it, even. Though, that's not to say we don't have our own sot of war. We're fighting ourselves.
Just take part of the chorus to "Smells Like Teen Spirit" by Nirvana: "With the lights out its less dangerous/Here we are now/Entertain us/I feel stupid and contagious/Here we are now/Entertain us"
That is truth in its harshest form. We've been at war since we were born. At war with a generation of Communist witch hunters, hippies, and people who were all about drastic, radical change. All we wanted was to have our own. Our own role, our own lives, our own world. Not this ball of shit that we're basically cleaning up. My generation has to pay for the Baby Boomers' Social Security. My generation's going to be the one paying for a war we never believed in, yet had to fight and die for.
We don't want to claim that. Not to mention the ONLY people who can claim Iraq are those in the Bush Administration. Hell, BOTH Bush Administrations. This isn't my generation's legacy. Nor is the internet. Or the information boom. They're byproducts. All that came out of the Cold War.
So the question is: What DO we claim?
Answer? Columbine. Virginia Tech. Jokela. North Illinois University. That is our war. We're fighting ourselves and the tree-hugging, limp-wristed, bleeding-heart bullshit we were raised with, and the cut-throat, dog-eat-dog capitalist bullshit that runs the country. We were being raised with flowers and sunshine, while the dogs licked their chops and waited to bite us in the ass.
So we fought the only monster we could see. Ourselves and those who raised us. Honestly, look at it. For this generation, there is no Communist threat, no terrorist threat, those are relegated to those who sired us. Islam isn't our threat. We are our threat.
The capitalist regime we've been brought up with and in opposition to has given us the idea that if we don't fit on a magazine cover, don't wear trendy clothes, smell like a designer, we're dead wrong and will have no greater meaning. How many of us know what Abercrombie and Fitch is? Now how many of us know who Sacco and Vanzetti are, what they stood for, and why they died? Or who actually went to a school where they were taught who Che Guevarra was? Yes, he wasn't a great person, but what he fought for was much larger than him.
We're overstimulated, overmedicated, overtaxed, overstressed, and overly sick of it. How many government agencies control us, in terms of finance, education, jobs, and just the small ins and outs of life? I know that for college alone, I have gotten so many groups of people giving contradictory answers about my financial aid, my student loans, the classes I take, and what my degree entails. Not to mention the doublespeak by the organizations, federally funded, mind you, who deal with my case, as I am a disabled student. In any given week, they flip flop more than a fish on the end of a hook. Then look at how much I have to bust ass to get scholarships, grants, student loans, then have to do my homework in the 20 minutes I have left.
Is it any wonder we keep shooting up the schools?
Back to Nirvana.
Load up on guns.
Bring your friends.
2/9/08
Screw Heath Ledger
Damn, its been a while since I was on here last. Busy, busy. So let's get right into this.
Odds are, if I piss anyone off, its going to be with this one simple statement: Fuck Heath Ledger. Why do I say this? Oh, I know what you're thinking. "Oh, but Meatmarket, he was a talented actor! It was stress!"
Nope, not buying it. First off, if you're an actor and "stressed out", odds are you have more than enough money to retire for a bit. Actors like Heath Ledger make millions per role. Specially with shit like Brokeback Mountain getting awards. The income from that movie alone was enough for me and my entire family to retire happily. Letting the "stress" get to you, to the point of taking Xanax, Prozac, sleeping meds, and all that other shit, that is not something an actor HAS to deal with. Those of us with minimum wage jobs can somehow find a way to take a bit of time to ourselves to chill out and regain perspective, I'm rather sure someone with more money than most small businesses can manage.
Do I feel bad he died? I dunno, really. I'm not someone for sympathy to spare. I barely have enough to cover the people I know with problems. I can name the roles the man had that I liked on one hand. In fact, the Joker is the only role I've had any amount of like for him in. Considering that movie isn't even out yet, thats saying a bit.
Yet everyone goes on and on about how sad it is he died. I got news for you all, people die from "accidental" overdoses, every day. Difference is they aren't highly publicized celebrities. Oh, and allow me to burst your bubble a bit: Accidental overdose is a term used when someone ODs, and no evidence of suicide (IE: Suicide note, suicide call, 911 call, etc) can be found. It doesn't mean the OD wasn't suicide, there's just no visible evidence. Easily done, just don't leave a note or call anyone. Pop the pills and lay down. You don't wake up.
Do I think he killed himself? I don't care. Its another actor I don't care about dying and being overpublicized for it. The results of his autopsy somehow interrupted results on the Democratic and Republican primaries. Some actor's cause of death is somehow more important than the possible candidates for the US PRESIDENCY. What the fuckaroonie is that?
Seriously, though. I may hate 90% of the candidates for both parties (especially Mitt Romney. Fucking Hells, I hate that man), but I can honestly say I give LESS of a shit about why some actor died. I want to know which shit sandwich or giant douche I have to choose between. Bonus points if you know where that's from. I'm trying hard not to shift into politics, I'll save that for another time.
The pisser is this happens every time a celebrity dies. Remember when Tammy Faye died? It was all over the damn TV. Not that I have the same cold-hearted attitude with her. She, at least, was a charitable spirit and all-around good person. Her husband was a dick, but she was a great person, more than capable of casting off the stereotypical Christian televangelist mold. Hell, she wasn't even a homophobe! She walked the walk, unlike almost every other damned televangelist out there. The issue I have is that celebrity death often overtakes news that may be more pressing. Hell, any entertainment news. The last Harry Potter book overtook news on the Iraq war.
The only thing worse than the overexposure of Heath Ledger's death was the double homicide/suicide case of Chris Benoit. Every time I turned the TV on, I lost 50 IQ points while idiots yelled "ROID RAGE!" Major league sports have had steroid users for decades, how many of them do you hear about killing their families? And how many were debated over for well over TWO MONTHS?
Then before that, it was Jerry Falwell. Except with him, I was happy to hear it, and missed 90% of the news coverage because I was in line to piss on his grave.
Or worse, Anna Nichole Smith. Seriously, how long was that on TV? I think they stopped talking about it last thursday. I didn't care the day she died. Its no different now.
Now let's look at another side to this deal. Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. One of the best comedic writers of all time. When he died, I didn't even see it on the news. I heard through a friend of mine, and was redirected to a tiny article on Yahoo News that gave me little more information on the passing of one of my favorite authors than the jacket of one of his books gave about his life.
Then when Augusto Pinochet died in 2006, I only caught the last 30 seconds of a blurb on TV, and it was seemingly never mentioned again.
So let me finish with this, as its late. Dictators and brilliant authors die, you're hard pressed to see it on the news for a plurality of minutes, but the Crocodile Hunter gets offed in the way EVERYONE had expected for fucking YEARS, and it stays in the headlines, over war and important deaths, until the body is dust.
Odds are, if I piss anyone off, its going to be with this one simple statement: Fuck Heath Ledger. Why do I say this? Oh, I know what you're thinking. "Oh, but Meatmarket, he was a talented actor! It was stress!"
Nope, not buying it. First off, if you're an actor and "stressed out", odds are you have more than enough money to retire for a bit. Actors like Heath Ledger make millions per role. Specially with shit like Brokeback Mountain getting awards. The income from that movie alone was enough for me and my entire family to retire happily. Letting the "stress" get to you, to the point of taking Xanax, Prozac, sleeping meds, and all that other shit, that is not something an actor HAS to deal with. Those of us with minimum wage jobs can somehow find a way to take a bit of time to ourselves to chill out and regain perspective, I'm rather sure someone with more money than most small businesses can manage.
Do I feel bad he died? I dunno, really. I'm not someone for sympathy to spare. I barely have enough to cover the people I know with problems. I can name the roles the man had that I liked on one hand. In fact, the Joker is the only role I've had any amount of like for him in. Considering that movie isn't even out yet, thats saying a bit.
Yet everyone goes on and on about how sad it is he died. I got news for you all, people die from "accidental" overdoses, every day. Difference is they aren't highly publicized celebrities. Oh, and allow me to burst your bubble a bit: Accidental overdose is a term used when someone ODs, and no evidence of suicide (IE: Suicide note, suicide call, 911 call, etc) can be found. It doesn't mean the OD wasn't suicide, there's just no visible evidence. Easily done, just don't leave a note or call anyone. Pop the pills and lay down. You don't wake up.
Do I think he killed himself? I don't care. Its another actor I don't care about dying and being overpublicized for it. The results of his autopsy somehow interrupted results on the Democratic and Republican primaries. Some actor's cause of death is somehow more important than the possible candidates for the US PRESIDENCY. What the fuckaroonie is that?
Seriously, though. I may hate 90% of the candidates for both parties (especially Mitt Romney. Fucking Hells, I hate that man), but I can honestly say I give LESS of a shit about why some actor died. I want to know which shit sandwich or giant douche I have to choose between. Bonus points if you know where that's from. I'm trying hard not to shift into politics, I'll save that for another time.
The pisser is this happens every time a celebrity dies. Remember when Tammy Faye died? It was all over the damn TV. Not that I have the same cold-hearted attitude with her. She, at least, was a charitable spirit and all-around good person. Her husband was a dick, but she was a great person, more than capable of casting off the stereotypical Christian televangelist mold. Hell, she wasn't even a homophobe! She walked the walk, unlike almost every other damned televangelist out there. The issue I have is that celebrity death often overtakes news that may be more pressing. Hell, any entertainment news. The last Harry Potter book overtook news on the Iraq war.
The only thing worse than the overexposure of Heath Ledger's death was the double homicide/suicide case of Chris Benoit. Every time I turned the TV on, I lost 50 IQ points while idiots yelled "ROID RAGE!" Major league sports have had steroid users for decades, how many of them do you hear about killing their families? And how many were debated over for well over TWO MONTHS?
Then before that, it was Jerry Falwell. Except with him, I was happy to hear it, and missed 90% of the news coverage because I was in line to piss on his grave.
Or worse, Anna Nichole Smith. Seriously, how long was that on TV? I think they stopped talking about it last thursday. I didn't care the day she died. Its no different now.
Now let's look at another side to this deal. Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. One of the best comedic writers of all time. When he died, I didn't even see it on the news. I heard through a friend of mine, and was redirected to a tiny article on Yahoo News that gave me little more information on the passing of one of my favorite authors than the jacket of one of his books gave about his life.
Then when Augusto Pinochet died in 2006, I only caught the last 30 seconds of a blurb on TV, and it was seemingly never mentioned again.
So let me finish with this, as its late. Dictators and brilliant authors die, you're hard pressed to see it on the news for a plurality of minutes, but the Crocodile Hunter gets offed in the way EVERYONE had expected for fucking YEARS, and it stays in the headlines, over war and important deaths, until the body is dust.
1/30/08
I'm Not a Dummy For Dummies: Update
Ok, after a bit of feedback (mostly given over instant message), I have to make a couple clarifications.
1) "For Dummies" and "Complete Idiot's Guide to" books are not all bad. The names just seem a bit like saying "you're a damn retard!" and they're very over-published. It gives an air of "the world is a buncha idiots, so here you go, books aimed for idiots".
2) Some books shouldn't have "For Dummies" books. Yes, I use a few, namely for Linux, C++, HTML, and other such. Mostly for pointers and tricks, not for complete teaching. The market is quite full of these books.
And to close, if I offended anyone.... Well... This is an opinion blog. I'm not here to play nice guy, I'm here to state what I feel and observe. So like it or leave it.
1) "For Dummies" and "Complete Idiot's Guide to" books are not all bad. The names just seem a bit like saying "you're a damn retard!" and they're very over-published. It gives an air of "the world is a buncha idiots, so here you go, books aimed for idiots".
2) Some books shouldn't have "For Dummies" books. Yes, I use a few, namely for Linux, C++, HTML, and other such. Mostly for pointers and tricks, not for complete teaching. The market is quite full of these books.
And to close, if I offended anyone.... Well... This is an opinion blog. I'm not here to play nice guy, I'm here to state what I feel and observe. So like it or leave it.
1/29/08
I'm Not a Dummy For Dummies
The more I look at the bookstores, the more intelligent I feel. Hordes of Stephen King clones, do-it-yourself everything (if I'm not doing it myself.... how am I doing it?), self-help for every possible neurosis, and the latest sappy tearjerker du jour. I see all this, and realize two very important things. First of all, the intelligence and capability of the 21st century man is comparable to a squid, and secondly that I don't stand a fucking chance of getting published.
I like to go to the library, its kind of like finding religion. I go in with all this anger and general lost feeling, and I leave with some semblance of direction and hope, or at least the hope I'm not wasting my time with the books I checked out. That and I feel somewhat more secure in myself, knowing I didn't need "Choosing a Dog For Dummies". (Yes, it really exists, look at this.) I think at this point, I can easily add another bit to my squid analogy. The 21st century human being has as much spinal content as a squid. Every possible neurosis has a "For Dummies" it seems. Where's "Hypochondriacs For Dummies"?
This is not to say the "For Dummies" books are all bad. I've perused a few, myself. Notably for programming and the random publishing information. I find that a few are genuinely useful and actually have helped me in certain skills or in my understanding of things. But the rest... The rest are so useless that the only use they really have is kindling. (Kind of like Dianetics. I've actually used that book as kindling, and I must say, it burns rather nice.)
Another thing that disturbs me is the idea that any level of celebrity means you're automatically entitled to a biography, be it by yourself of a third party. I don't see exactly how the biography of Cher or the Backstreet Boys is of any literary value. Sure, its entertainment, but dear god, think of the paper that had to become that tripe! It could have been something better, like used to wipe an inmate's ass! There are more books on the Backstreet Boys than there are fans of the Backstreet Boys. Seriously, though, do we need another biography of Princess Di or OJ Simpson? More so by their bodyguard's brother's drug dealer?
Now for how this affects me and my craft, directly. I can't write with a target audience of sentient sea sponge in mind. That's the majority of what sells, sadly. The majority of what gets published. Not to mention the fact that everything HAS to fall into categories that are as close to single-word as they can manage. Sci-fi, horror, romance, mainstream, its like we dumb everything down to the point where innovation is so hard to do, and then indoctrinate future writers with "its all been done before, don't even think your stuff is in any way new or groundbreaking. Now sit down and write another For Dummies guide. How about Masturbation For Dummies? That been done yet?"
You laugh now, but keep an eye out next time you're in a bookstore. I'll have the last laugh yet.
I like to go to the library, its kind of like finding religion. I go in with all this anger and general lost feeling, and I leave with some semblance of direction and hope, or at least the hope I'm not wasting my time with the books I checked out. That and I feel somewhat more secure in myself, knowing I didn't need "Choosing a Dog For Dummies". (Yes, it really exists, look at this.) I think at this point, I can easily add another bit to my squid analogy. The 21st century human being has as much spinal content as a squid. Every possible neurosis has a "For Dummies" it seems. Where's "Hypochondriacs For Dummies"?
This is not to say the "For Dummies" books are all bad. I've perused a few, myself. Notably for programming and the random publishing information. I find that a few are genuinely useful and actually have helped me in certain skills or in my understanding of things. But the rest... The rest are so useless that the only use they really have is kindling. (Kind of like Dianetics. I've actually used that book as kindling, and I must say, it burns rather nice.)
Another thing that disturbs me is the idea that any level of celebrity means you're automatically entitled to a biography, be it by yourself of a third party. I don't see exactly how the biography of Cher or the Backstreet Boys is of any literary value. Sure, its entertainment, but dear god, think of the paper that had to become that tripe! It could have been something better, like used to wipe an inmate's ass! There are more books on the Backstreet Boys than there are fans of the Backstreet Boys. Seriously, though, do we need another biography of Princess Di or OJ Simpson? More so by their bodyguard's brother's drug dealer?
Now for how this affects me and my craft, directly. I can't write with a target audience of sentient sea sponge in mind. That's the majority of what sells, sadly. The majority of what gets published. Not to mention the fact that everything HAS to fall into categories that are as close to single-word as they can manage. Sci-fi, horror, romance, mainstream, its like we dumb everything down to the point where innovation is so hard to do, and then indoctrinate future writers with "its all been done before, don't even think your stuff is in any way new or groundbreaking. Now sit down and write another For Dummies guide. How about Masturbation For Dummies? That been done yet?"
You laugh now, but keep an eye out next time you're in a bookstore. I'll have the last laugh yet.
1/26/08
I Stole Your CD, and I Want My Money Back
Time to talk about piracy. Far be it from me to sit there and rant on about how evil it is, how it hurts the artists, and how you should go to jail. If that were the case, I'd be in the cell with you. But lets talk about the other side of piracy, how it actually helps the industry.
If it exists, you can steal it on the internet. Lets face facts, that is the truth. Anything from classical to the new KMFDM, its there and ripe for the taking. And odds are, someone you know is stealing it by the gig. If you aren't doing it yourself, that is. Now ask the stuck up money grubbers in charge of the major networks, labels, and anything even remotely related to any form of art... And you're a thief. A no good money-stealing thief. But they don't seem to care about the fact they're stealing just as much, more actually, from the artists. Most living musicians make their money on live shows and merchandising, not off the actual cd/digital sales. Last I saw, it was in the ballpark of 1%. One whole percent. Where's the other ninety nine? Well, go to the homepage of your favorite record label, and look at their CEOs. Odds are, that ninety nine percent is in their wallet.
So, with that in mind, how is piracy hurting the artist? In all reality, it isn't. Or at least it isn't enough to call for the end of cd sales like many right wing nutjobs will cry out. If you, or your pirate friend (ok, lets cut the shit, if you're reading this, odds are you're the damn pirate) are anything like a lot of pirates, you're using piracy as a "try it before you buy it" mechanism. Who wants to waste $20 on a cd that turns out to be a sub par piece of crap? And then turns around and goes platinum, just because enough people weren't sure of how craptacular it was, and bought it. The trend has become 1) pirate downloads cd, 2) pirate listens to cd and decides if 3a) its worth buying, and buys it or 3b) its not worth putting money on and giving the record sales that number to add to promotion and deletes it. Computer software does this, its called shareware. If you like it, you buy it. But the main point is you get to give it a trial period to form an opinion. Singles on the radio is not the same. More so when you listen to music that doesn't receive radio play, like I do. If its good enough to keep, odds are money will go into it, either in cd sales or live events, merchandise, and other venues where the artists get a larger share or better feedback.
Let's step away from music for a moment and look at the movies. $8 is a low price for a ticket nowadays. The last movie I saw in theaters, I put down a $10 bill before I even saw the concession stand. Then I had to sit in a sticky theater full of screaming children that ran up and down the aisles, deal with sound that was out of sync, and video that bounced more than a stripper's ass. All just to see a two hour movie that I couldn't pay attention to. Now I have to wait six months for it to hit DVD, just so I can pay $20 more to finally see the entirety of the movie I paid $10 for six months ago.
Let's add another dimension to that scenario. One that really isn't as uncommon as you'd think. Lets say I have a mental issue such as Social Anxiety Disorder. Now how can I go to a theater with 150 other people, dozens of screaming children, and all those other factors? Its simple, I really can't without severe medication or the symptoms of my disorder flaring up. So what recourse am I left to? Waiting six months for the DVD, having to plug my ears and turn my TV off not to have the movie spoiled for me? Yeah fucking right. I'm going to turn on my PC and download the movie. Why? Reasonable Accommodations. The Americans With Disabilities Act. Social Anxiety Disorder puts me under the label of disabled. The movie industry has to accommodate for people in wheelchairs by putting wheelchair-accessible seating in. They should have to accommodate for my problem somehow. Not too long ago they spoke of putting the DVDs out side-by-side with the theatrical release. Not bad, but I'd have to pay $20 for the DVD, while everyone else pays half that for the theater! How is that reasonable accommodations, making me pay twice as much just because I can't deal with theaters?
Then a third area of piracy. Software. Now, this is really where the "try it before you buy it" comes into play. A lot of software companies either release stuff for free or give a shareware license. Use it for a period, and if you like it, pay for it. Sensible enough. Most commercial programs have open-source alternatives for free, anyway. Now, there's another reason for piracy. A lot of programs, games most of all, go out of print. The company decides, for whatever reason, to just up and stop putting out a given game. So what are the options? Pay out the ass for a scratched up copy on Ebay... or piracy. I don't know about you, but paying $50 for a scratched up cd of a game that sold for $25 isn't exactly intelligent.
I'm pretty sure where anyone who isn't getting a share of the profits can see how piracy, in a certain light, makes sense. It is a system that fills in the holes that the consumer has found in the process. Holes that save the consumer a lot of disappointment or possible problems. Until a day comes where a better system comes along, we're either left with two options. Pay out and support a broken system, or don't put any money out and suffer ourselves.
If it exists, you can steal it on the internet. Lets face facts, that is the truth. Anything from classical to the new KMFDM, its there and ripe for the taking. And odds are, someone you know is stealing it by the gig. If you aren't doing it yourself, that is. Now ask the stuck up money grubbers in charge of the major networks, labels, and anything even remotely related to any form of art... And you're a thief. A no good money-stealing thief. But they don't seem to care about the fact they're stealing just as much, more actually, from the artists. Most living musicians make their money on live shows and merchandising, not off the actual cd/digital sales. Last I saw, it was in the ballpark of 1%. One whole percent. Where's the other ninety nine? Well, go to the homepage of your favorite record label, and look at their CEOs. Odds are, that ninety nine percent is in their wallet.
So, with that in mind, how is piracy hurting the artist? In all reality, it isn't. Or at least it isn't enough to call for the end of cd sales like many right wing nutjobs will cry out. If you, or your pirate friend (ok, lets cut the shit, if you're reading this, odds are you're the damn pirate) are anything like a lot of pirates, you're using piracy as a "try it before you buy it" mechanism. Who wants to waste $20 on a cd that turns out to be a sub par piece of crap? And then turns around and goes platinum, just because enough people weren't sure of how craptacular it was, and bought it. The trend has become 1) pirate downloads cd, 2) pirate listens to cd and decides if 3a) its worth buying, and buys it or 3b) its not worth putting money on and giving the record sales that number to add to promotion and deletes it. Computer software does this, its called shareware. If you like it, you buy it. But the main point is you get to give it a trial period to form an opinion. Singles on the radio is not the same. More so when you listen to music that doesn't receive radio play, like I do. If its good enough to keep, odds are money will go into it, either in cd sales or live events, merchandise, and other venues where the artists get a larger share or better feedback.
Let's step away from music for a moment and look at the movies. $8 is a low price for a ticket nowadays. The last movie I saw in theaters, I put down a $10 bill before I even saw the concession stand. Then I had to sit in a sticky theater full of screaming children that ran up and down the aisles, deal with sound that was out of sync, and video that bounced more than a stripper's ass. All just to see a two hour movie that I couldn't pay attention to. Now I have to wait six months for it to hit DVD, just so I can pay $20 more to finally see the entirety of the movie I paid $10 for six months ago.
Let's add another dimension to that scenario. One that really isn't as uncommon as you'd think. Lets say I have a mental issue such as Social Anxiety Disorder. Now how can I go to a theater with 150 other people, dozens of screaming children, and all those other factors? Its simple, I really can't without severe medication or the symptoms of my disorder flaring up. So what recourse am I left to? Waiting six months for the DVD, having to plug my ears and turn my TV off not to have the movie spoiled for me? Yeah fucking right. I'm going to turn on my PC and download the movie. Why? Reasonable Accommodations. The Americans With Disabilities Act. Social Anxiety Disorder puts me under the label of disabled. The movie industry has to accommodate for people in wheelchairs by putting wheelchair-accessible seating in. They should have to accommodate for my problem somehow. Not too long ago they spoke of putting the DVDs out side-by-side with the theatrical release. Not bad, but I'd have to pay $20 for the DVD, while everyone else pays half that for the theater! How is that reasonable accommodations, making me pay twice as much just because I can't deal with theaters?
Then a third area of piracy. Software. Now, this is really where the "try it before you buy it" comes into play. A lot of software companies either release stuff for free or give a shareware license. Use it for a period, and if you like it, pay for it. Sensible enough. Most commercial programs have open-source alternatives for free, anyway. Now, there's another reason for piracy. A lot of programs, games most of all, go out of print. The company decides, for whatever reason, to just up and stop putting out a given game. So what are the options? Pay out the ass for a scratched up copy on Ebay... or piracy. I don't know about you, but paying $50 for a scratched up cd of a game that sold for $25 isn't exactly intelligent.
I'm pretty sure where anyone who isn't getting a share of the profits can see how piracy, in a certain light, makes sense. It is a system that fills in the holes that the consumer has found in the process. Holes that save the consumer a lot of disappointment or possible problems. Until a day comes where a better system comes along, we're either left with two options. Pay out and support a broken system, or don't put any money out and suffer ourselves.
Social Networking
Ok, this is bugging me, badly. There's HOW many damn social networking sites? MySpace, Facebook, MyYearbook, Flickr, about a hundred others. Literally. I mean, just look at this list. Does anyone else find this ludicrous? Its just a bit out of hand.
Social networking isn't all evil, even I will admit that. Its all a part of telecommuting, getting jobs and organizations over the internet. It makes some jobs a hell of a lot easier, makes getting your band out there a lot easier, and just getting a lot of amateur entertainment out there. Doesn't mean said entertainment doesn't suck like a cheap whore, but it does mean they're trying, which is a good thing.
It seems every time I turn on shows like Dateline, 20/20, or 60 Minutes, someone is rambling about one of them, usually MySpace. Usually they're talking about pedophiles or phishing. Now, don't quote me, but I'm relatively sure pedophiles existed before the advent of MySpace. Sure, they may not have had as easy an outlet, and relied on tactics like panel vans with "Free Candy!" written on the side, but I suppose they're just keeping up with the times like the rest of us. Kudos to them, they're entering the demographic of those of us who can use a computer. My cousin may ask me for help logging into her e-mail, but a 50 year old guy has NO problem getting onto MySpace to find a 13 year old girl. Astounding.
Then there's the phishing. First off, these people are so bad at what they do, you don't need a damn PHD to realize "holy shit, its a scam!" 30 e-mails or messages that all say "Click this link to see my nude pics!" Now, it isn't exactly rocket science. Unless you're so naive to say "Wow, maybe this time there'll be nudes, and my credit rating won't fall any further!" And if you are, click the little X in the upper right corner of your screen, shut down your computer, and throw it and yourself out the nearest window.
Yet all these news shows point out the stupidity of the user on a weekly basis, and every time, my grandmother acts like its somehow new. "Oh, you hear about the new pedophile thing on MySpace?" "No, grandmother, have you heard about this neat thing called Fortran?" Old fucking news.
Then there's the people who use these sites. Now, before I get ranting there, let me say that I use one of them, myself. Just one. I don't need 30 profiles to attract people I'll never meet who just want to pad their own friends lists. Unless I talk to someone on a near-daily basis, I'm not about to consider them a friend. Less so when they live on the other coast of the country. Hell, whatever happened to getting your ass out of the computer chair, walking out the front door (yes, I know the sun hurts your eyes, buy some damn sunglasses or a hat) and meeting people face to face? Note to all 4chan users: wash your clothes and shower first, you smell like ass and ejaculate.
So while all you unwashed rabble sit and click "refresh" on your MySpace page, waiting for that 15 year old Taiwanese girl to reply to your proposition for cybersex, I'm going to put on a nice coat and go hit on the girls you're neglecting. Hell, if thats the case, why am I complaining about these sites? Shit, keep surfing them, and I'll be busy with all the girls you leave unattended to.
Social networking isn't all evil, even I will admit that. Its all a part of telecommuting, getting jobs and organizations over the internet. It makes some jobs a hell of a lot easier, makes getting your band out there a lot easier, and just getting a lot of amateur entertainment out there. Doesn't mean said entertainment doesn't suck like a cheap whore, but it does mean they're trying, which is a good thing.
It seems every time I turn on shows like Dateline, 20/20, or 60 Minutes, someone is rambling about one of them, usually MySpace. Usually they're talking about pedophiles or phishing. Now, don't quote me, but I'm relatively sure pedophiles existed before the advent of MySpace. Sure, they may not have had as easy an outlet, and relied on tactics like panel vans with "Free Candy!" written on the side, but I suppose they're just keeping up with the times like the rest of us. Kudos to them, they're entering the demographic of those of us who can use a computer. My cousin may ask me for help logging into her e-mail, but a 50 year old guy has NO problem getting onto MySpace to find a 13 year old girl. Astounding.
Then there's the phishing. First off, these people are so bad at what they do, you don't need a damn PHD to realize "holy shit, its a scam!" 30 e-mails or messages that all say "Click this link to see my nude pics!" Now, it isn't exactly rocket science. Unless you're so naive to say "Wow, maybe this time there'll be nudes, and my credit rating won't fall any further!" And if you are, click the little X in the upper right corner of your screen, shut down your computer, and throw it and yourself out the nearest window.
Yet all these news shows point out the stupidity of the user on a weekly basis, and every time, my grandmother acts like its somehow new. "Oh, you hear about the new pedophile thing on MySpace?" "No, grandmother, have you heard about this neat thing called Fortran?" Old fucking news.
Then there's the people who use these sites. Now, before I get ranting there, let me say that I use one of them, myself. Just one. I don't need 30 profiles to attract people I'll never meet who just want to pad their own friends lists. Unless I talk to someone on a near-daily basis, I'm not about to consider them a friend. Less so when they live on the other coast of the country. Hell, whatever happened to getting your ass out of the computer chair, walking out the front door (yes, I know the sun hurts your eyes, buy some damn sunglasses or a hat) and meeting people face to face? Note to all 4chan users: wash your clothes and shower first, you smell like ass and ejaculate.
So while all you unwashed rabble sit and click "refresh" on your MySpace page, waiting for that 15 year old Taiwanese girl to reply to your proposition for cybersex, I'm going to put on a nice coat and go hit on the girls you're neglecting. Hell, if thats the case, why am I complaining about these sites? Shit, keep surfing them, and I'll be busy with all the girls you leave unattended to.
I hate first posts
I severely hate the whole "first post" thing. The introduction and all that bullshit. So just let me say my name is Meatmarket, and I swear like a goddamn sailor. Like it or leave it.
I don't intend to let this be one of those touchy-feely blogs. I hate that bullshit. I want to talk cold, hard facts and shit about my professions. As for what those professions are, I'm a student, amateur (read: unpaid) computer repairman, and freelance (read: unpaid and unpublished) author. I'll likely reference my work via link or whatever, if you want to read it. I don't care. Shit, I don't care if you read this at all.
As for the cold hard facts, I tend to discuss politics, the net, whatever the fuck comes into my life. Youtube bullshit, 4chan, net drama, all that. I invite you to disagree with me. Cuz... Yeah, its what interests me. Just consider me Current TV with more profanity, credibility, and nerve. And less faggots in Ambercrombie and Fitch telling you what to think.
I don't intend to let this be one of those touchy-feely blogs. I hate that bullshit. I want to talk cold, hard facts and shit about my professions. As for what those professions are, I'm a student, amateur (read: unpaid) computer repairman, and freelance (read: unpaid and unpublished) author. I'll likely reference my work via link or whatever, if you want to read it. I don't care. Shit, I don't care if you read this at all.
As for the cold hard facts, I tend to discuss politics, the net, whatever the fuck comes into my life. Youtube bullshit, 4chan, net drama, all that. I invite you to disagree with me. Cuz... Yeah, its what interests me. Just consider me Current TV with more profanity, credibility, and nerve. And less faggots in Ambercrombie and Fitch telling you what to think.
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