I was going to ralk about ESP and telepathy, power of the mind etc. Apparently though something needs to be addressed. I do watch TV and probably more than I should, and apparently several of my recent posts have titles or content similar to names of various tv episodes that are also extremely recent. I just found out about this a few hours ago and got an earfull from 3 different sources. So time to clear things up. Most importantly I haven't seen or heard of any of these shows, but I'm immediately set to watch the whole seasons of all of them. In what was a moment of brain melting agony reserved only for the extremely awkward moments of new girl, I found out finder, a show based on an episode of burn notice that I had thought was cancelled has actually been out for a few weeks now, don't trust the b in apartment 23 isn't cancelled either, touch a new show has an episode literally titled 1+1=3 that aired on I think the 22nd which may or may not be before my post I can't remember though it's irrelevant considering it's a very old idea I've heard before the recent conversation, and another show based on a a chess master called endgame titled it's pilot "opening moves" coincidentally the same name as my first blog post on E.E.E. And then there's the show "awake" which deals with deeply conceited ideas of life which would fit perfectly in with this blog. I'll clarify conceit by referencing you to the wikipedia page on conceit and quoting the first line from it as of the time of this writing.
"In literature, a conceit is an extended metaphor with a complex logic that governs a poetic passage or entire poem.
By juxtaposing, usurping and manipulating images and ideas in
surprising ways, a conceit invites the reader into a more sophisticated
understanding of an object of comparison. Extended conceits in English
are part of the poetic idiom of Mannerism, during the later sixteenth and early seventeenth century."
Just so you're not too confused conceited can also mean what you probably think it does it's all a matter of context and perspective. I'd also suggest booth at the end as a series that might fit in here or in relation if you're looking for something.
I've also noticed this seems like it's going to be a year of "Grimm" in which you're going to see remakes or first runs of movies and series on every brothers Grimm story ever, and I'm going to go ahead and include the already running grimm series that started last halloween and the season just doesn't seem to end. I'm not going to list every show I watch on a regular basis, but for the most part if it's a good series I'll watch it or do watch it, and in a rare case like new girl I can't help myself. I don't know what it is but there hasn't been a single episode where I haven't felt like I've lost a brain cell watching it, or a face palm awkward moment that literally brings me pain in the form of a headache. That's not to say it's not equally rewarding but still.
I will say though that every show has some built in philosophy, it may not be intended or it might, it might not even be readily recognizable but every show has it and it's all just a matter of finding it. If I find a show with a philosophy I can connect with I become a lifetime watcher, shows like house and dexter for example, long running series that I can connect with in a lot of ways but what hooked me at first was the concept of it all the point of origin the synthesis of it all, the very spark if you will. Learning to understand and identify those moments and ideas and concepts lets you know in every show if you're going to be coming back. Most people do it on a subconscious level all I'm suggesting is you try to think the same way your subconscious does to some extent and understand why you think the way you do.
Last and definitely the least if a title of a post looks similar or is exactly the same as the title of an episode of some series and I don't explicitly say that's where I got it from please feel free to assume it's a coincidence and brush it off instead of going off on a tangent to me about it because I really don't care that much and I'm certainly not about to change a title over it.
Edit: Thinking about it further I realized I was overlooking the glaringly obvious idea that has already been established that it's entirely possible this entire world, universe, reality w/e is entirely a figment of my imagination. Which could some how explain everything. Just putting that out there as narcissistic as it may seem or god complex anyway I forget the exact term. Of course going deeper I could be sleeping and this is all an elaborate dream which isn't out of the question it's only a matter of seeing if I ever wake up. I've had dreams before where tech still worked properly and my otherwise standard "reality checks" fail to tell me the world as I know it is fake until it gets a little too strange to keep maintaining disbelief. More food for thought.
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Saturday, March 24, 2012
Ignorance
Ignorance is not bliss, it's what gets people killed as quite often it's what you don't know about that will hurt you the most. This isn't a matter of knowledge is power, it's a matter of how an ignorant population makes decisions that are unequivocally bad for themselves and others that are overruled by popular voted of these fools. Being forced into subjugation though is beyond this post. When it comes down to it most people simply don't know they're at the bottom or even below average. Most people think they're above average even if they're at the VERY BOTTOM of the list. Quite obviously someone has to be at the bottom, so take a moment to really evaluate yourself. Public education has always been and likely always will be complete garbage, most if not all intelligent people I've ever known learned most of what they know on their own from outside resources not forced upon you by the "education system". That's not to say anything too negative about it, it's quite necessary and obviously put's us in a good starting position but it doesn't encourage individual thought or creativity. There's no room for error and you spend your entire time memorizing various things without focusing on understanding them.
I remember a teacher I had once that taught us about ships and different aspects of them. At the end of the week he challenged us to make a ship ourselves out of tinfoil and see which ship would hold the most bolts. I took in what he'd been teaching and combined it with other things I'd already learned and made curved edges that would trap air helping force the boat up more than just buoyancy would do by itself with surface tension. It might not have looked like a regular ship or anything like what the rest of the class made, various canoes and standard looking ships, but in the end I held up 3x as many bolts as the second place. I loved the experiment because it encouraged creative problem solving. He didn't say here's how to make a boat make it just like this and see what happens or who did it best, instead he said find a way to hold as many bolts above water as possible, here's some info I think you might find helpful. He was one of the few teachers that taught me to solve problems and create answers rather than recite answers to problems already solved before.
Down the road toward the end of high school I had a teacher that just knew how to explain things in a way I could understand perfectly. He had a way of engaging the entire class, it was the only class I'd had since 4th grade in which the students wanted to participate. One day he presented a problem to the class and I sat there knowing the answer and looking around only to notice I was the only one. Everyone else didn't get it, they simply accepted the problem as truth and correct. That was around the time I realized that clearly the schools had failed to teach the majority of people the relevant and necessary information to have a high functioning youth of tomorrow worth having. The problem was as follows.
If 1+1=3
and 2+2=3
then 1+1+2+2=6
I was invited to replace the teacher and explain to the class how the answer given was wrong. First and foremost the answer though technically right is wrong because the steps used to arrive at the answer were wrong. This is always true, that if the process used to get to an answer is wrong then the answer itself even if it would otherwise be right is also wrong. I added then that if the first two statements had been true then there was a lack of progression and likely then that any sum of variables would inevitably equal 3. Though if given that the numbers were variables while ignoring that no to variables can have the same value then perhaps the answer could be somewhat right. Though breaking it down I showed it would likely be that the end answer would've instead been either 12 or 18 in all likelihood. I actually went on quite a tangent taking up the entire class without repeating myself on any particular section I clearly showed it was wrong in so many different ways, though I imagine it appeared as though I were simply hammering it in until you gave up but the truth is the truth and I was simply so shocked that nobody else had any clue that it was wrong.
I've only been further disappointed by the world over the time as I somehow landed in an english class in which the final test (this is college mind you) was a case of knowing the difference between there, their, and they're. I simply glanced at it filled in the circles and was done in less than 5 minutes getting a perfect score. I came back like 4 hours later after I realized I'd left my jacket or something in the class and I was visiting a friend at the dorms so it was right there. There was still half the class in there still working on the test. I later found out the second highest score in the class was a 76%. My faith in the world took a very serious hit that day. Trust in me when I tell you that if we don't find some way of better educating the masses not only more efficiently but more effectively, we will all pay for it in the end and as will every generation to come.
I remember a teacher I had once that taught us about ships and different aspects of them. At the end of the week he challenged us to make a ship ourselves out of tinfoil and see which ship would hold the most bolts. I took in what he'd been teaching and combined it with other things I'd already learned and made curved edges that would trap air helping force the boat up more than just buoyancy would do by itself with surface tension. It might not have looked like a regular ship or anything like what the rest of the class made, various canoes and standard looking ships, but in the end I held up 3x as many bolts as the second place. I loved the experiment because it encouraged creative problem solving. He didn't say here's how to make a boat make it just like this and see what happens or who did it best, instead he said find a way to hold as many bolts above water as possible, here's some info I think you might find helpful. He was one of the few teachers that taught me to solve problems and create answers rather than recite answers to problems already solved before.
Down the road toward the end of high school I had a teacher that just knew how to explain things in a way I could understand perfectly. He had a way of engaging the entire class, it was the only class I'd had since 4th grade in which the students wanted to participate. One day he presented a problem to the class and I sat there knowing the answer and looking around only to notice I was the only one. Everyone else didn't get it, they simply accepted the problem as truth and correct. That was around the time I realized that clearly the schools had failed to teach the majority of people the relevant and necessary information to have a high functioning youth of tomorrow worth having. The problem was as follows.
If 1+1=3
and 2+2=3
then 1+1+2+2=6
I was invited to replace the teacher and explain to the class how the answer given was wrong. First and foremost the answer though technically right is wrong because the steps used to arrive at the answer were wrong. This is always true, that if the process used to get to an answer is wrong then the answer itself even if it would otherwise be right is also wrong. I added then that if the first two statements had been true then there was a lack of progression and likely then that any sum of variables would inevitably equal 3. Though if given that the numbers were variables while ignoring that no to variables can have the same value then perhaps the answer could be somewhat right. Though breaking it down I showed it would likely be that the end answer would've instead been either 12 or 18 in all likelihood. I actually went on quite a tangent taking up the entire class without repeating myself on any particular section I clearly showed it was wrong in so many different ways, though I imagine it appeared as though I were simply hammering it in until you gave up but the truth is the truth and I was simply so shocked that nobody else had any clue that it was wrong.
I've only been further disappointed by the world over the time as I somehow landed in an english class in which the final test (this is college mind you) was a case of knowing the difference between there, their, and they're. I simply glanced at it filled in the circles and was done in less than 5 minutes getting a perfect score. I came back like 4 hours later after I realized I'd left my jacket or something in the class and I was visiting a friend at the dorms so it was right there. There was still half the class in there still working on the test. I later found out the second highest score in the class was a 76%. My faith in the world took a very serious hit that day. Trust in me when I tell you that if we don't find some way of better educating the masses not only more efficiently but more effectively, we will all pay for it in the end and as will every generation to come.
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Kill One Save One Thousand
The main problem I've always had with that saying is what if you're saving the wrong people? That's not to say you shouldn't still kill them but it would seem like you're killing them for the wrong reasons. Then again does it really matter why you're killing to begin with? In the end you're still making a permanent change in the world however insignificant it might be overall. That's not to say all deaths are insignificant, merely that statistically speaking most murders don't change the world on a global political, social, economical, or other scale.
Who's to say this should be painted in one light or another either. It's not a purely good or evil action ever, and even which side is stronger is both highly conditional and extremely subjective. I also wonder how many times a given person has been or can be saved? What if you're killing one of those thousand that is supposed to be saved? All coming back to the end of it all remains the fact that it shouldn't matter how or why you kill. The point being that you're going to do it one way or another, justification is frivolous and if you need it to be at peace then what are you doing killing in the first place?
Of course all of this may just be me out on my own, share your thoughts on murder in general in the comments. Would you do it, why you would do it, how you'd do it, how you'd cope if you needed to or reasons why you wouldn't. How it changes you, or the world, just any thought in relation to the subject.
Who's to say this should be painted in one light or another either. It's not a purely good or evil action ever, and even which side is stronger is both highly conditional and extremely subjective. I also wonder how many times a given person has been or can be saved? What if you're killing one of those thousand that is supposed to be saved? All coming back to the end of it all remains the fact that it shouldn't matter how or why you kill. The point being that you're going to do it one way or another, justification is frivolous and if you need it to be at peace then what are you doing killing in the first place?
Of course all of this may just be me out on my own, share your thoughts on murder in general in the comments. Would you do it, why you would do it, how you'd do it, how you'd cope if you needed to or reasons why you wouldn't. How it changes you, or the world, just any thought in relation to the subject.
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Paranormal Things Part 1
We've all had a feeling at some time that had no reasoning behind it, you just know you shouldn't be in that place at that time. The hair on your neck stands up, or a sudden focusing of your attention, a shot of adrenaline, or any number of other signals that let you know something just isn't right. I was walking down a street and had that feeling, I got out of there and the next day I read about a shooting that happened there later that day. I've walked into rooms that just made me horribly uncomfortable for no reason, or felt something touching me even though there was nothing. Most recently which is to say a little over a year ago I was just standing around when I had the most powerful sense of fear I'd ever experienced and it went away as soon as I moved a few feet, looking back I noticed I'd been standing on a flash shadow, or whatever you choose to call them. This wasn't one of the atom bomb shadows you may have heard of. This got me thinking while I was remembering it how powerful emotions can embody themselves in a given location or a particular object.
While discussing this a friend mentioned "warehouse 13" the tv show to me which had me somewhat interested in the idea though that's off topic.What I'm getting at though is emotional bonds that transcend traditional acceptances of reality leading to things like haunted houses or cursed objects. That's not to say all such things are based on such or that powerful emotions always cause this or anything along those lines just that some times these things happen. Share your personal experience with something paranormal if you will.
Side Note:
Anyone else secretly hoping the world will end this year?
I honestly don't think it will in the slightest, even though I kinda wish it would and I don't really know why.
While discussing this a friend mentioned "warehouse 13" the tv show to me which had me somewhat interested in the idea though that's off topic.What I'm getting at though is emotional bonds that transcend traditional acceptances of reality leading to things like haunted houses or cursed objects. That's not to say all such things are based on such or that powerful emotions always cause this or anything along those lines just that some times these things happen. Share your personal experience with something paranormal if you will.
Side Note:
Anyone else secretly hoping the world will end this year?
I honestly don't think it will in the slightest, even though I kinda wish it would and I don't really know why.
Monday, March 19, 2012
Philosophy of Life
On the idea of how I view my life and the world I live in commonly refereed to as a "life philosophy" I don't have any particular quotes or ideals I follow. I do take a lot from the Buddhists though on happiness in wanting what you have and not what you don't. Though I fall through in that because I have so few possessions my love for each one is strong and losing those items any or all of them would have an impact on me to say then that my possessions possess me is not a stretch. The idea is to control or own your property and not let it control you and in that regard I do somewhat fail. I do try to live each day and learn something about myself and reflect on what I already know instead of trying to learn something new. This way I become a master of things instead of a jack of all trades. Self reflection has taught me a lot actually. It can't be said that I'm learning new material though because if you know the variables and have an expected outcome of adding them together then the result isn't anything new it's more a reaffirmation of your understanding of existing material.
If this is something you'd like to try you don't have to spend a long time doing it. Consider a topic you'd like to understand better, grab a large apple and think about it. By the time I've consumed my apple I tend to have either moved to a new topic or reached a greater understanding. For something requiring more time and though for complex ideas I have a marble "thinking ball" which has no special properties it's just something to toss around while I think and if you engage yourself physically while thinking on something your ability to remember goes up dramatically. This acts as a kind of focus while some small part of my mind is coordinating my movements the rest of my mind completely focuses on the thought drowning out distractions.
What sort of philosophy do you follow? Do you live by any rules, laws, or quotes?
If this is something you'd like to try you don't have to spend a long time doing it. Consider a topic you'd like to understand better, grab a large apple and think about it. By the time I've consumed my apple I tend to have either moved to a new topic or reached a greater understanding. For something requiring more time and though for complex ideas I have a marble "thinking ball" which has no special properties it's just something to toss around while I think and if you engage yourself physically while thinking on something your ability to remember goes up dramatically. This acts as a kind of focus while some small part of my mind is coordinating my movements the rest of my mind completely focuses on the thought drowning out distractions.
What sort of philosophy do you follow? Do you live by any rules, laws, or quotes?
Saturday, March 17, 2012
What Makes A Man
It can be either a question or a statement. Existentially all men eventually wonder what really makes a man. Later on all men seem to have some answers as to what can make a man or what a man is yet none seem to have a complete picture. So I pose to you a thought on what a man is. I believe it a culmination of things both physical and metaphysical. A man is not the things he has or the people he surrounds himself with and while defined by his actions it's unclear if they're a result of his true intentions and don't necessarily represent what he has done, currently does, or will do.
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Future of Industrial Education
Education will likely soon have to evolve, College will become mandatory as grade school is, and in that future we will likely enter in with a specific job area in mind. So to that I propose what a degree in game development should likely be.
what makes a good game development degree? by class
animation
concept art / drawing
modelling, and rigging for animation
modeling should have an advanced class for learning flow and speeding up processes, using tools and plugins
animation should have focus classes, body , face, lip synch, mocap
programming, popular game languages such as C++, D, etc
game engine choice
an advanced degree such as masters would include how to make your own engine
programming and engine choice would be a pre-req for learning engine scripting, aka how to work in an engine
modeling would be a pre-req for texturing, mapping, meshes etc
weight and uv maps, lighting by specular, occlusion etc
user interface design, aka controller inputs, HUD's on screen
a writing class for story development
management class for project coordination and working in teams
asset efficiency class, managing objects and their sizes so you don't waste resources, making the game run faster and smoother
development methodologies, such as procedural generation, voxels, etc not just as level design but as overall game design
rule based vs event based particle flows, object fracturing, etc
networking
balancing weapons and their damage vs armor vs ammo, etc
genre development, teaching theory on genre's and showing how they work, what certain games did right or wrong
creative thinking classes to merge genre's, brainstorm game ideas, think outside the box on stories or game aspects
class for learning to break things down into smaller tasks
game asset development, starting with tools such as max, maya, lightwave etc
then creating small objects like guns and importing them into integrated development environments like unity, ogre, udk, and scripting them making them work in game
euclidian?
then final part would include compiling, debugging, and testing
what makes a good game development degree? by class
animation
concept art / drawing
modelling, and rigging for animation
modeling should have an advanced class for learning flow and speeding up processes, using tools and plugins
animation should have focus classes, body , face, lip synch, mocap
programming, popular game languages such as C++, D, etc
game engine choice
an advanced degree such as masters would include how to make your own engine
programming and engine choice would be a pre-req for learning engine scripting, aka how to work in an engine
modeling would be a pre-req for texturing, mapping, meshes etc
weight and uv maps, lighting by specular, occlusion etc
user interface design, aka controller inputs, HUD's on screen
a writing class for story development
management class for project coordination and working in teams
asset efficiency class, managing objects and their sizes so you don't waste resources, making the game run faster and smoother
development methodologies, such as procedural generation, voxels, etc not just as level design but as overall game design
rule based vs event based particle flows, object fracturing, etc
networking
balancing weapons and their damage vs armor vs ammo, etc
genre development, teaching theory on genre's and showing how they work, what certain games did right or wrong
creative thinking classes to merge genre's, brainstorm game ideas, think outside the box on stories or game aspects
class for learning to break things down into smaller tasks
game asset development, starting with tools such as max, maya, lightwave etc
then creating small objects like guns and importing them into integrated development environments like unity, ogre, udk, and scripting them making them work in game
euclidian?
then final part would include compiling, debugging, and testing
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
The Sound of Thunder
The sound of thunder filled the air as he picked up his axe, a warrior for the masses they called him. Known for his flying fingers of fury all knew that tonight would be special. Indeed it was a special night as he began is great journey it was clear he was not alone. On first strike the ancient gods of metal descended upon him with a challenge of glory and he eagerly accepted. His voiced seemed to echo throughout the land an all came to see this mighty warrior take on the gods in acoustic combat. His pick glowed with an awesome power and his voice was taught in the ancient bard ways. He spoke of a hero as his hands began to smoke, as he recalled the hero's journey as though it had happened all in just a day his fingers moved so fast no mortal could keep watch. Building anticipation toward the final chapter in which the hero's story would end, though how was unknown to the masses, it was a story they'd never heard before. Then a strange thing happened, his hands seemed to stop if only for a moment and there was a power emanating from the strings themselves. He moved with an undefinable grace as the story leaned to emphasize the importance of what one man on a quest can truly do. As such the music seemed to change from speed to power all eyes were on him and his band of adventurers, it all came down to the only moment that truly mattered. The gods had long since forfeited as they too had become entranced by the harmony before them. Suddenly his hands burst into fire and it seemed as though a mighty dragon appeared from the stage to do battle with our warrior touting his own tale. With a mighty strum the bard did lay the first blow and his followers joined as the spectators rejoiced at the ensuing finale. Engulfed in flames all around them the adventurers pressed onward, when all was said and done the dragon lay smitten beneath them, and they were greater than the gods among the men if only for a moment. Though they did not know the dragon was not yet dead, it had one last breath to take, and it was one of revival as it came to life once again. Once again the warrior alone came back for one last showdown with this beast, a duel if you will. He once again took up his axe and with a single vicious blow fueled by lighting from the storm that had been brewing he laid to rest the beast he'd created that night.
Quite obviously this is more than a story, filled with metaphors or possibly one giant metaphor. Take it as you will, interpret it as you will, and try to think deeper into mans struggle if you aren't into the musical side of it
I'm not going to lay out the philosophical standpoints of it today, think of it not as a test but a realization of how far you've come since you started reading. How might you have looked at this a month ago, and how do you look at it now? If you've been reading I doubt it'll be the same
Quite obviously this is more than a story, filled with metaphors or possibly one giant metaphor. Take it as you will, interpret it as you will, and try to think deeper into mans struggle if you aren't into the musical side of it
I'm not going to lay out the philosophical standpoints of it today, think of it not as a test but a realization of how far you've come since you started reading. How might you have looked at this a month ago, and how do you look at it now? If you've been reading I doubt it'll be the same
Sunday, March 11, 2012
The Glass
Is it half full, half empty, neither, both, does it really matter? What kind of liquid is in the glass? Is it even a liquid at all? What if it's a solenoid or gas? What if I put eggs in it then boiled it till cooked? Would you drink it?
I prefer when looking at a glass considered divided, between it's state of empty and full evenly, to look at its most recent state. Was it being filled or was it being emptied? Consumed / drank or poured into? I believe that to be the most accurate method without finding precise values which would determine true state.
I know you're like wtf visual aids in a philosophy blog how dare you!
At least it's relevant.
Maybe it'll get me more views, what do you think?
Final question, what kind of person are you?
I prefer when looking at a glass considered divided, between it's state of empty and full evenly, to look at its most recent state. Was it being filled or was it being emptied? Consumed / drank or poured into? I believe that to be the most accurate method without finding precise values which would determine true state.
I know you're like wtf visual aids in a philosophy blog how dare you!At least it's relevant.
Maybe it'll get me more views, what do you think?
Final question, what kind of person are you?
Friday, March 9, 2012
Good Intentions
They say the road to hell is paved with good intentions. This was never more true than with the advent of nuclear weapons technology born from a search for alternative energy. We all set out with best intentions most of the time, and yet even so people find ways to interpret things under the worst light making us look like monsters. It's entirely possible if not likely that we are in fact all monsters. It's not just a matter of a our primal urges that we suppress but those devious thoughts we don't tell others about, in which we derive our satisfaction from the suffering of the world. A single rebel desiring the change the status quot because of the corruption in government and to prevent the evil perpetrated against him and his family ends up becoming a dictator himself after a war that destroys his country and its inhabitants. So often we become the evil we try to stop.
It's not uncommon for us to inadvertently kill someone by trying to help them in some way or another. Giving a drug addict money or forcing them off their drugs cold turkey can both end up getting them killed even though we only wanted them to get something to eat or to keep the drugs from killing them.
Then there's the situations in which we end up killing ourselves trying to help others. Ever tried to save someone from drowning only to have them almost end up drowning you?
I'd elaborate on the above if it weren't for the fact I"m finding keeping posts short and sweet makes you happier. So I'll finish by saying that even if you mean well, you should always be ready for when it backfires because it usually will and you never know how bad it may be.
It's not uncommon for us to inadvertently kill someone by trying to help them in some way or another. Giving a drug addict money or forcing them off their drugs cold turkey can both end up getting them killed even though we only wanted them to get something to eat or to keep the drugs from killing them.
Then there's the situations in which we end up killing ourselves trying to help others. Ever tried to save someone from drowning only to have them almost end up drowning you?
I'd elaborate on the above if it weren't for the fact I"m finding keeping posts short and sweet makes you happier. So I'll finish by saying that even if you mean well, you should always be ready for when it backfires because it usually will and you never know how bad it may be.
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Profound or Meaningful Lyrics
So lately I've been getting into songs with real meaning. Profound
lyrics or songs with deeper meaning, or pure and simple genius
figured I'd share some of what I've found to be top tier and hope you'll do the same
Deadsy- Tom Sawyer (I know it's a Rush song)
Distrubed- Ten thousands fists, Another way to die, Land of Confusion (by genesis blah blah ), etc
Kansas- Dust in the wind
Led Zeplin- Kashmir
Thursday- The lovesong writer
Godspeed You! Black Emporer- The dead flag blues
Behind blue eyes (the who and limp bizkit)
gimme shelter(rolling stones and puddle of mudd ft fergie)
Metallica- One
it's sad to say, but song writing like this has taken a serious downturn in recent years / decades
there are many shining examples of how horrible things have become, and then people ask me why I like "old" music, to which I respond classical is "old" and "classy" therefore it's earned its place not to mention any of the intricate details behind grand masters of art work they are, because you need to face facts, a great classical is on par with mona lisa,
and 80's metal isn't "old" and it had substance, rythm, and generally sounds good, welcome to the jungle, back in black, you shook me all night long, enter the sandman, bands like twisted sister, scorpion, iron maiden, ozzy, their music lasts, I honestly had completely forgotten about "chingy right thurr, and get low" within a year and I didn't really enjoy them to begin with. I recently played GNR to a 20 something that had never heard it before, and I couldn't believe they'd never heard any of their stuff ever, it was shocking, how could they have survived this long? I shudder to think what would happen if I introduced them to steppenwolf, ccr, or the temptations...
then there's the somewhat old music, the 40's to 70's where we had some great lyric based songs that I still love to hear, some nice funky disco towards the end of the 70's, elvis, little richard, hermans hermits, the drifters, grand funk railroad, the beatles, beach boys, mamas and papas, kingsmen, eagles, champs, barret strong, ben e king, buddy holly, richy valens, smokey robinson, bobby darrin, booker t and the mg's, chuck barry, everly brothers, frankie valley and the four seasons, munkees, marvin gaye, james brown, jerry lee lewis, I could go on... but I think you get the idea, this last century was like a golden age of music, but since the beginning of the new millenia and thereby century, it's mostly been garbage with a few gems and fresh half eaten burgers and plenty of recycling.
so for those that say I'm stuck in the past (musically speaking) I say why on earth would you want to live in the present? of course I hear britney spears, laday gaga, w/e and want to blow my brains out but to each their own.
not to say I don't enjoy their music to a degree, but lets face it, you haven't brought out your old cd to listen to "hit me baby one more time" in a while have you? and do you really think you'll be listening to poker face and just dance in a decade? benny bennassi does a lot of awesome techno but it too will end up with the likes of darude's sandstorm
this has turned into a rant, I'm going to put on some nightwish and dream what future music will sound like if it starts producing quality again
to just make one last push into how far we've fallen... Rebecca black - friday
replies:
Mr McMillan: All music is on a Down side right now. If I want to listen to music that's not going to drive me crazy 24/7 I have to go back to the 80's and 90's....Seems like music had real meaning then.
ohyesitwill: Exactly the kind of music i love to listen. Some rap musics make me feel like that but unfortunately they are very rare compared to all these shit we can hear today.
gayrobot: I wasn't even born in the eighties but man it is some awesome music!
Favourite 80s songs would have to be The Sun Always shines on tv by A-ha and Don't you Want me - Human League.
ahrimanthorn:
figured I'd share some of what I've found to be top tier and hope you'll do the same
Deadsy- Tom Sawyer (I know it's a Rush song)
Distrubed- Ten thousands fists, Another way to die, Land of Confusion (by genesis blah blah ), etc
Kansas- Dust in the wind
Led Zeplin- Kashmir
Thursday- The lovesong writer
Godspeed You! Black Emporer- The dead flag blues
Behind blue eyes (the who and limp bizkit)
gimme shelter(rolling stones and puddle of mudd ft fergie)
Metallica- One
it's sad to say, but song writing like this has taken a serious downturn in recent years / decades
there are many shining examples of how horrible things have become, and then people ask me why I like "old" music, to which I respond classical is "old" and "classy" therefore it's earned its place not to mention any of the intricate details behind grand masters of art work they are, because you need to face facts, a great classical is on par with mona lisa,
and 80's metal isn't "old" and it had substance, rythm, and generally sounds good, welcome to the jungle, back in black, you shook me all night long, enter the sandman, bands like twisted sister, scorpion, iron maiden, ozzy, their music lasts, I honestly had completely forgotten about "chingy right thurr, and get low" within a year and I didn't really enjoy them to begin with. I recently played GNR to a 20 something that had never heard it before, and I couldn't believe they'd never heard any of their stuff ever, it was shocking, how could they have survived this long? I shudder to think what would happen if I introduced them to steppenwolf, ccr, or the temptations...
then there's the somewhat old music, the 40's to 70's where we had some great lyric based songs that I still love to hear, some nice funky disco towards the end of the 70's, elvis, little richard, hermans hermits, the drifters, grand funk railroad, the beatles, beach boys, mamas and papas, kingsmen, eagles, champs, barret strong, ben e king, buddy holly, richy valens, smokey robinson, bobby darrin, booker t and the mg's, chuck barry, everly brothers, frankie valley and the four seasons, munkees, marvin gaye, james brown, jerry lee lewis, I could go on... but I think you get the idea, this last century was like a golden age of music, but since the beginning of the new millenia and thereby century, it's mostly been garbage with a few gems and fresh half eaten burgers and plenty of recycling.
so for those that say I'm stuck in the past (musically speaking) I say why on earth would you want to live in the present? of course I hear britney spears, laday gaga, w/e and want to blow my brains out but to each their own.
not to say I don't enjoy their music to a degree, but lets face it, you haven't brought out your old cd to listen to "hit me baby one more time" in a while have you? and do you really think you'll be listening to poker face and just dance in a decade? benny bennassi does a lot of awesome techno but it too will end up with the likes of darude's sandstorm
this has turned into a rant, I'm going to put on some nightwish and dream what future music will sound like if it starts producing quality again
to just make one last push into how far we've fallen... Rebecca black - friday
replies:
Mr McMillan: All music is on a Down side right now. If I want to listen to music that's not going to drive me crazy 24/7 I have to go back to the 80's and 90's....Seems like music had real meaning then.
ohyesitwill: Exactly the kind of music i love to listen. Some rap musics make me feel like that but unfortunately they are very rare compared to all these shit we can hear today.
gayrobot: I wasn't even born in the eighties but man it is some awesome music!
Favourite 80s songs would have to be The Sun Always shines on tv by A-ha and Don't you Want me - Human League.
ahrimanthorn:
I agree with your sentiments bi0t0xin
about songs with lyrics that actually have meaning. Bob Dylan of course
is always a good place to go if you want some lyrical content then he
rarely disappoints. Sometimes though I think its O.K to listen to
something just because it has a catchy tune. I listen to quite a lot of
classical music and often find myself moved by the emotion the music
alone evokes without any need for words at all.
.
Two songs I would recommend though that have powerful lyrics are Linkin Parks Hands Held High http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozpuYRM6DsY and
Flypside’s U.S History http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_HfsvHkfhc
.
Two songs I would recommend though that have powerful lyrics are Linkin Parks Hands Held High http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozpuYRM6DsY and
Flypside’s U.S History http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_HfsvHkfhc
commenting in my own thread: sometimes a song just hits you the right way and it's like you're
getting high, it's a sign of a great song.
Friday, March 2, 2012
Abuse of Power (part 1 of ?)
This could be an endless series of power trips. From the police and all their shenanigans lately to all the different corrupt systems, educators beating their students, unwarranted suspensions, and oh so many other abuses of public systems. So to get things rolling a little personal experience is necessary, because we've all got stories I'll share one that sticks out to me after a long night of youtube action.
My 5th grade teacher, quite possible the single worst teacher I've ever had. And before I explain in detail how she was such a bad teacher a little more personal history on me to explain how it made little to no sense. I'd been in trouble a couple times before, I accidentally brought the wrong backpack to school one time in the 1st grade and got suspended for having a hammer in it, because that's a deadly weapon in the hands of an innocent and peaceful 1st grader. That same grade I also got in a fight and kissed a girl and got suspended for all that. To support my side of the fight I'd point out it was against 3 bullies two in my class and a third grader that wanted to beat me up because they apparently were selling lunch boxes they'd gotten from lost and found and I'd told on them, so when I got free I'd nailed one of them right in the eye and so we all got suspended but I got an extra 3 days for it. After that I was absolutely clean, no problems with anyone of any sort or kind in the 2nd, 3rd, or 4th grade in which time I'd already been placed in an advanced class for students with exceptionally good grades and was like 3rd in my class of 30, which I say simply because I'd literally had the exact same 30 people with me from kindergarten until 4th grade were we got separated. In 4th grade we had a nice little thing where we got "paid" for good grades, the kids with the highest scores got paid the most and we all had our own little check books which we were taught to balance, and every week we'd have an auction and bid on "cool things" at the time which were just really cheap little toys and things. At the end of the year there was a big auction, and I'd kinda been saving for good things I really wanted without knowing about this big auction, and so since I had the most cash I walked away like a king with a brand new bike, video games, and all sorts of awesomeness at the time. I was an exemplary student to say the least.
Then the first week of 5th grade my teacher puts me in the back of the room for no reason that I was ever aware of. She insists I take Ritalin the then popular ADD drug which she insisted I needed. Keep in mind she's a teacher not a doctor of anything and certainly not any sort of medical professional capable of making that decision. Somehow in this time while my mother fights her on this I'm getting straight E's and failing the class other than the science class which was with a different teacher anyway in which I was getting an A. According to my homework I'd been getting all the right answers and yet still somehow I was failing and couldn't figure out why. This whole time I'm separated from the rest of the class in the very back of the room facing the back wall I wasn't even allowed to look at the front board or the rest of the class. Finally my mom caves against the advice of my brand new councilor and I get on drugs that just zombify me. I still sit in the back of the class facing the wall all by myself, nobody else had to do anything like it the whole year, and mystically my grades were straight A's even though I was literally so zoned out of my mind I couldn't do the homework, seriously I could sit there for hours on end all day and not move a muscle just drooling. On the playground I wasn't playing soccer anymore or football with the other kids I was looking like a drug addict just sitting on the ground against the wall zoned out of my mind. This teacher was on the mother of all power trips.
Needless to say my mother didn't abide that, after 3 months came and went and my grades were so perfect except my now failing science she was tired of me being lifeless and took me off and told the teacher she was taking me off and it was suddenly like a small war. The principal up to that point hadn't done much to get involved but once he got a letter from moms brand new lawyer you bet he stepped in and straightened things right out, though by now it was almost the end of the school year. So while I stayed in the class under the same wall facing conditions it was very clear I wasn't that teachers student anymore and I was going to pass. We moved out of the city before 6th grade started and that as they say was that.
Share with me if you will a story in which someone has abused their power either in front of you or preferably to you. For example a cop searching your car without permission or refusing to identify themselves, or an arrest/ suspension for something utterly ridiculous. Any sort of power trip will do, just put it in the comments. Save incompetence for another post though that's something else entirely. How dare we let our society fall so far that our emergency responders PUT PEOPLE ON HOLD and then FORGET about them, or are simply too stupid to understand whats going on, or even hang up on us because we panic and can't control out language a little bit so they get all high and mighty. I'll save that for another post.
One final side note, my 5th grade teacher turned out to be married to the principal of my school while I was in 1st through 3rd grade, 4th and 5th were a different school like 100ft away from that one, they shared the same recess playground, and apparently I'd made his life a living hell somehow (go figure).
One more final side note, is it just me or does the lead singer of dragonforce look like michael shannon? halestorm look like michel rodriguez? any others?
My 5th grade teacher, quite possible the single worst teacher I've ever had. And before I explain in detail how she was such a bad teacher a little more personal history on me to explain how it made little to no sense. I'd been in trouble a couple times before, I accidentally brought the wrong backpack to school one time in the 1st grade and got suspended for having a hammer in it, because that's a deadly weapon in the hands of an innocent and peaceful 1st grader. That same grade I also got in a fight and kissed a girl and got suspended for all that. To support my side of the fight I'd point out it was against 3 bullies two in my class and a third grader that wanted to beat me up because they apparently were selling lunch boxes they'd gotten from lost and found and I'd told on them, so when I got free I'd nailed one of them right in the eye and so we all got suspended but I got an extra 3 days for it. After that I was absolutely clean, no problems with anyone of any sort or kind in the 2nd, 3rd, or 4th grade in which time I'd already been placed in an advanced class for students with exceptionally good grades and was like 3rd in my class of 30, which I say simply because I'd literally had the exact same 30 people with me from kindergarten until 4th grade were we got separated. In 4th grade we had a nice little thing where we got "paid" for good grades, the kids with the highest scores got paid the most and we all had our own little check books which we were taught to balance, and every week we'd have an auction and bid on "cool things" at the time which were just really cheap little toys and things. At the end of the year there was a big auction, and I'd kinda been saving for good things I really wanted without knowing about this big auction, and so since I had the most cash I walked away like a king with a brand new bike, video games, and all sorts of awesomeness at the time. I was an exemplary student to say the least.
Then the first week of 5th grade my teacher puts me in the back of the room for no reason that I was ever aware of. She insists I take Ritalin the then popular ADD drug which she insisted I needed. Keep in mind she's a teacher not a doctor of anything and certainly not any sort of medical professional capable of making that decision. Somehow in this time while my mother fights her on this I'm getting straight E's and failing the class other than the science class which was with a different teacher anyway in which I was getting an A. According to my homework I'd been getting all the right answers and yet still somehow I was failing and couldn't figure out why. This whole time I'm separated from the rest of the class in the very back of the room facing the back wall I wasn't even allowed to look at the front board or the rest of the class. Finally my mom caves against the advice of my brand new councilor and I get on drugs that just zombify me. I still sit in the back of the class facing the wall all by myself, nobody else had to do anything like it the whole year, and mystically my grades were straight A's even though I was literally so zoned out of my mind I couldn't do the homework, seriously I could sit there for hours on end all day and not move a muscle just drooling. On the playground I wasn't playing soccer anymore or football with the other kids I was looking like a drug addict just sitting on the ground against the wall zoned out of my mind. This teacher was on the mother of all power trips.
Needless to say my mother didn't abide that, after 3 months came and went and my grades were so perfect except my now failing science she was tired of me being lifeless and took me off and told the teacher she was taking me off and it was suddenly like a small war. The principal up to that point hadn't done much to get involved but once he got a letter from moms brand new lawyer you bet he stepped in and straightened things right out, though by now it was almost the end of the school year. So while I stayed in the class under the same wall facing conditions it was very clear I wasn't that teachers student anymore and I was going to pass. We moved out of the city before 6th grade started and that as they say was that.
Share with me if you will a story in which someone has abused their power either in front of you or preferably to you. For example a cop searching your car without permission or refusing to identify themselves, or an arrest/ suspension for something utterly ridiculous. Any sort of power trip will do, just put it in the comments. Save incompetence for another post though that's something else entirely. How dare we let our society fall so far that our emergency responders PUT PEOPLE ON HOLD and then FORGET about them, or are simply too stupid to understand whats going on, or even hang up on us because we panic and can't control out language a little bit so they get all high and mighty. I'll save that for another post.
One final side note, my 5th grade teacher turned out to be married to the principal of my school while I was in 1st through 3rd grade, 4th and 5th were a different school like 100ft away from that one, they shared the same recess playground, and apparently I'd made his life a living hell somehow (go figure).
One more final side note, is it just me or does the lead singer of dragonforce look like michael shannon? halestorm look like michel rodriguez? any others?
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