Month: November 2007

  • "Geek"


    WARNING: The post below is a long one and may require a large time commitment. Proceed at your own risk.

    I think the term "geek" has outlived its usefulness. I don't think it's offensive or anything, just outdated. When the term was first coined, I'm sure it only applied to those Tolkien-reading, D&D-playing UNIVAC operators. Now that number in the "geek" subculture has swelled, the term has become too broad. It's similar to the word "soldier". It is handy when making a broad generalization about someone ("Ted, he's a soldier"), but it doesn't really offer much description ("Ted, he's a member of the tactical assault team in the one-thousand twenty-third infantry battalion"). With the ever growing amount of geek paraphernalia, one individual whom "normal people" would consider a geek simply does not have time to dedicate themselves to every geeky pursuit. That is why geeks find their own niche and fully engross themselves in it. Anime geeks become otaku/fujoshi, video game geeks become gamers, Star Trek geeks become Trekkies/Trekkers, etcetera. The word "geek" itself is still useful, so long as you append a subject to it, which gives rise to such terms as movie-geek, indie rock-geek, Star Wars-geek, etcetera.
    The term "gamer" presents an interesting challenge. The growing popularity of video games has resulted in a growing number of non-dedicated gamers. They play video games, but they still have an otherwise normal life. They may even have a tan from that dreadful mass known as the sun (the bane of geeks in every faction). They play only the most popular and "cool" series such as Halo, Grand Theft Auto, and Madden. I'm not saying there is anything wrong with that, mind you. I fully endorse the playing of any and all games (well, maybe not Driv3r). I just wouldn't consider these fellows as members of the "geek" subculture. I'll still let them call themselves gamers, but they are not the obsessive kind of gamer. I refer to the more obsessed gamers, such as myself, as hard-core gamers. Even this designation, however, has its splits. You have your RPG-gamers, simulation-gamers, classic-gamers, and more. These are the gamers that dedicate most all of their time inundated in their electronic passion. I suppose we should add some more descriptors to separate these groups, such as hard-core RPG-gamers with Square-Enix preferences. I doubt that'll catch on.
    I also don't like the term "geek" because the popular crowd who uses it as a negative term seems to have diluted it with overuse. It seems to have become an acceptable put-down among themselves when doing something that rides far on the fringe of what a true geek would consider geeky. For such minute things as liking sushi or knowing what a lightsaber is, popularity-sheep would jokingly call themselves geeks. They also have a penchant for using the terms "geek" and "nerd" interchangeably. There is a difference, but I'll save that rant for another time.
    What do I consider myself? Hmm… how about a…
    Hard-core simulation-gamer and shoujo-anime otaku with side-dealings as an internet junky and Star Wars-geek.

  • What career would you pursue if money was not an issue?

    If money wasn't an issue, I would probably consider a career in stand-up comedy. The only problem I see with that is the high failure rate. There are probably a lot of stand-up acts out there, but very few make it big. It would probably be fun, but I don't think it would be worth the struggle.
    Another career I would consider is some sort of stock worker. That is about the laziest job ever. You basically sit around and wait for work to come. When you do get work, it's finished quickly and you are back to lazing about.
    (Sorry about the low-quality posts lately. I have, in fact, been rather busy with other things. Hopefully, I will be back to full capacity in short time.)

       

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  • One of my Favorites

    Rather busy today, so I give you that.

  • Is the death penalty a reasonable way to punish criminals for their actions?

    I may be liberal on many issues, but I still support the death penalty. I say that a life sentence in prison is the equivalent of torture. It's great for getting information out of a guy and maybe even reforming someone, but doing it for a lifetime is a waste. The death penalty is a relatively quick action, and moves people in and out in an orderly fashion (did I just make a rhyme?). It also sends a message out to other would-be murderers. I mentioned this in a previous post, but I think that the death penalty sends this message out well. It keeps criminals on their toes. The message is basically, "hey, if you whack a guy, you're going up on the cross!" I'll grant you that crucifixion has probably died out, but that certainly isn't the only form of killing someone publicly. Lethal injection is a bit of a sissy way to kill someone. I'll bet there are death row inmates right now saying that they would prefer a firing squad. I know I would, should I ever decide to garrote somebody with a shoestring. It's more macho. Lynching is also a bit dated, not to mention all of the racial implications it has developed over the past several decades. Maybe we should string up a few white guys until black people (okay, okay... African-Americans) are content, then phase it out. It is rather time-consuming, unless you cleanly snap the neck. The electric chair is a novel idea, but I was never much a fan of it. Remember, these are my thoughts, and I'm entitled to them. As I mentioned before, I like the firing squad idea. If I want to go out, I want to mess up some people's psyches on the way out. That's the problem with a firing squad. It damages the people who do the firing mentally. Maybe we could pardon a few of the more sadistic killers if they agree to stay in prison and shoot people for the rest of their days. It wouldn't really be torture for them, since they seem to enjoy it. My two favorite ideas I'm rather proud of. The first I propose is the explosive solution. In short, we blow them up in a field somewhere. Quick, easy, and the safety preperations give the inmate a few moments to contemplate religion before he gets turned to goo. My other idea involves a rapid depressurization chamber. You can put a guy in there, then rapidly pull the air out so it becomes a partial vacuum and watch as the body goes poof. Well, maybe not watch, but you would certainly have to clean up afterwards. I can see only two problems with my two ideas. They are expensive and they are messy. Well, can you really put a price on crime reduction?

       

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  • The big little list of anime women you probably thought about banging when you watched their series

    (Version de Jimbo)
    A friend of mine, Stephen, made one of these lists on his blog recently, so I thought I would add my own three-cents' worth. They are located here: Number One and Number Two. I agree with some, but not all of his recommendations, so here are some of my own contributions.

    Disclaimer: Let me just say that I do not mean to demean or insult the female gender in any way in this post. I realize that well over fifty-percent of my readership is female (oddly enough), and kindly request that you read this with an open mind.

    Haruka
    a.k.a. the eldest Minami sister
    Series: Minami-ke
    Obligatory picture with sexual overtones:


    Notes: While I do hold a soft spot for Chiaki, the youngest sister, for her emotionless moé factor, the loli-factor is a serious issue. That's why Haruka is the winner in the family. Not to mention, she has a penchant for stripping out of her school uniform as soon as she steps in the front door.
    Dirty-thought-o-meter: 7 / 10

    Kotori
    a.k.a. the crazy mind-reading lady
    Series: Da Capo
    Obligatory picture with sexual overtones:


    Notes:  I don't know why, but something about Kotori's hotness makes all of the other characters look like crap. It must be the beret. Yeah, that must be it
    Dirty-thought-o-meter: 8 / 10

    Chihiro
    a.k.a. The amnesia / eye-patch chick
    Series: ef - a tale of memories
    Obligatory picture that I wish I could've found with sexual overtones:


    Notes: I know the picture doesn't do her justice, but I simply could not find a good one of her. Something about all of her imperfections (13-hour memory, eye-patch, low self-esteem, et al) just makes her one sexy beast. In the words of the great Agent Smith, "... human beings define their reality through misery and suffering. The perfect world was a dream that your primitive cerebrum kept trying to wake up from."
    Dirty-thought-o-meter: 8 / 10

    Rider
    a.k.a. the sadomasochist chick
    Series: Fate / stay night
    Obligatory picture with sexual overtones:


    Notes: Seriously, I could've used any picture of her and it would've had sexual overtones. She is just that blazing hot. I mean, just look at what she's wearing! If she leans forward even a centimeter, it's an instant pantsu shot.
    Dirty-thought-o-meter: 10 / 10 (perfect score)

    Kallen
    a.k.a. the only tsundere character that will make it on this list
    Series: Code Geass
    Obligatory picture with sexual overtones:


    Notes: I'm not much of a tsundere fan, but Karen is one of the few exceptions. It must be her mad-crazy mech piloting skills. Yeah, it's definitely not the clothes </blatant lies>
    Dirty-thought-o-meter: 7 / 10

    Mizuho
    a.k.a. The yuri fodder (?)
    Series: Otome wa Boku ni Koishiteru
    Obligatory picture with sexual overtones:


    Notes: ... Wait...
    IT'S A TRAP!
    Dirty-thought-o-meter: 0 / 10

    That's about all I felt like typing now, but this was a bit fun. I might do another one of these lists sometime, assuming my comrade doesn't sue my pants off (warning: pants liable to explode).

  • The Smooth Polyester Noose

    I am not looking forward to the
    day when I graduate college and embark on my career. With a degree in
    Information Technology, it probably means that I will be a cubicle monkey. I
    have nothing wrong with that, mind you, but I don't really want to wear a tie
    everyday. I don't like the idea of walking around an office with a noose around
    my neck, regardless of how smooth and silky it is. Hopefully I will be able to
    get a job that allows jeans and just a button-down shirt without a tie. I would abuse that privilege so much by coming in
    with a Hawaiian shirt everyday (it's button-down!). The entertainment value of
    this plan will skyrocket if my boss ever announces some Friday to be Hawaiian
    shirt day. I would probably come in to work that day in a plain shirt with a
    tie, just so my boss could write me up. That would make for an interesting
    reference topic during my next job application. "Sure, he was a great
    employee, but he just wouldn't wear a Hawaiian shirt on Hawaiian shirt
    day." The future looks even grimmer as I steadily approach retirement age
    (fingers crossed for thirty-two). Either I will be promoted to some managerial
    position or quit to become a consultant. Either way, I will be forced to wear
    not only a tie but a suit jacket on top. I don't know about you, but an office
    packed with computers gets rather toasty, even in the winter. I don't think I
    can convince customers that my competitors believe in kitten defenestration
    while I'm sweating like a pig on a spit. Whose bright idea was it to make such
    uncomfortable clothes the standard "professional wear"? I say that we
    find that guy and have him lynched. No, not by a tie. While that would be
    entertaining, it probably wouldn't be very bright, or cost effective. Yes, have
    him lynched... right next to the guy who invented the security stickers for DVD
    cases. Birds of a feather...


  • I didn't feel like doing a post today, so instead I give you that. (sauce)

  • The Continued Adventures of School Career Day

    "Alright class, let's give Arthur's mother a round of
    applause for speaking today... Thank you, Mrs. Anderson. Next, we have Henry's
    father. Could you please stand up?"

    "I'm still mad at mom for letting you come."

    "Thank you for the applause, children of the future. As
    your teacher mentioned, I am Henry's father. Now, let me ask you. How many of
    you want to grow up and be famous?... Alright, I see a good number of hands up.
    Well, I'm something of a famous figure myself. If you ever went shopping with
    your folks, you may have seen my picture. You see, I am a very popular
    underwear model."

    "Dad... please don't..."

    "It all started when I was nothing more than a tyke. My
    parents, Henry's grandparents, had me take part in several diaper commercials.
    Your folks may know the old tune. J-Mart diapers, that's name! Change
    them fast: no mess, no pain!
    "

    (vacant stares)

    "Well, it's been off the air for years now. I had a
    series of odd jobs after high school, but I finally hit big when I was
    recruited by Fruit of the Loom at a local Speed-O convention. Ah, that was the
    beginning of my golden age. After my first shots got around, more and more
    companies wanted me modeling. Fruit of the Loom, Hanes, Ralph Lauren, Calvin
    Klein, Heinz; you name it, I posed for it. I was making so much money. Ugh, but
    then there was all the drugs and whores. I must've had the clap on three
    different occasions."

    "Uh... Mr. Henderson... you can't-"

    "Please, let me finish teach.
    Sheesh, I'm getting all teary-eyed. Let me tell you, being a famous underwear
    model is a dead-end profession. I could've been something! But did anyone care
    about the name of some underwear wearer? No! All they tell you is shut up,
    strip down, and pose. *sniff* It's horrible. All of those... eyes! I did so
    many drugs. It helped me cope. Then, all of a sudden, I wasn't getting any new
    jobs. *hiccough* The bastards kicked me out! Now, just like before, I'm stuck
    doing odd jobs again. Nobody knows me. It's like I never existed. Oh God, what
    have I been doing with my life!? *sob*"

    "I always wondered the same
    thing, dad."

    "All pointless! I can't kick
    the drugs. My wife and kid hates me. Oh God, oh God, I should've been
    something! Where's my diamond-studded Hummer, huh!? Oh God..."

    "Wait, Mr. Henderson, step
    away from the window. What are you-"

    "All worthless! F@*& it
    all!"

    "Dad!... He jumped."

    "No real need to worry, Henry. We're only on the
    ground floor. Your father should, hopefully, be alright. Look he's getting up
    now, poor man."

  • Some Thoughts XVII

    Well, it seems that yesterday's post was a big hit among
    critics. I, honestly, thought it was mediocre, but what do I know. I hope to
    follow up on that success with another installment of the infamous "Some
    Thoughts" series, where I make a list of some of my thoughts and silly
    ideas that I simply did not feel like making into a paragraph long
    post.

    • You can't spell 'respect' without peers
      and Connecticut's two-letter abbreviation. Think about it.
    • What the heck are we stopping for? There had
      better be a big, gory accident up ahead or I will be pi-hissed.
    • I can't wait for the day when a former US
      president writes his memoirs and titles it "My Struggle".
    • Nowadays, I wouldn't be surprised if there were
      professional contest winners. People who go around and enter every contest they
      can and sell anything they win on eBay for only profit.
    • There are some games that simply are not as fun on
      a computer, and sudoku is one of them.
    • Reaching one-hundred years of age isn't that great
      since most that do get that old end up dying a few years later.
    • To me, there is nothing more relaxing than
      listening to the sound of rain hitting the window.
    • C'mon, it's called a SPEED
      bump, not a STOP bump!
    • When someone tells me to jump, I ask which way.
    • I think a lot, but it's rarely very
      thought-provoking.
    • If you get into a horrible, fiery car accident in
      front of a hospital and down the road from a fire station, could you consider
      yourself lucky?
    • It seems a movie can be rated PG-13 for
      "teen partying". I'm still trying to figure that one out.
    • The classics never die.

  • Colloquialism, for the loss



    You don't often hear commercials about store brand products.I don't really understand why. I mean, they're store specific and they'recheap. The job is almost done for them. What more reason do you need toadvertise them? I'm thinking of something like this...

    (Scene: Two women are standing arbitrarily in a bathroom.Maybe they could be dressed in string bikinis to appease the guys.)
    Woman A: I tell ya, Ijust can' get these gosh darn soap spots off ma shower door. All a' thosename-brand cleaners like Clorox, Lysol, and JoS. A. Bank are too dang expensive.
    Woman B: Girl, what'chuneed to do is go over and pick up some all-purpose cleaner from J-Mart.
    A: Store brand?
    B: Not just any storebrand, girrrrl. It's J-Mart store brand.
    A: Well, what's thedifference?
    B: You see, J-Mart brandis just as good as them store brands, but at half a' the cost. And it's better than all those other store brands on account it ain't got no lead, arsenic, or asbestos up inthere.
    A: Gosh, it pretty muchmakes the choice a simple 'un.
    B: Tha's right! Use onlyJ-Mart brand all-purpose cleaner. Now with the cleaning power of bleach!
    Disclaimer voice:Warning: spray bottle may contain pockets of chlorine gas. Not for use ininhabited households. Available only at participating J-Marts, while supplieslast.

    I would like to point out now that it is significantlyharder to make grammatical errors on purpose than by accident.