Forgiven

Some people need it. I just got off the phone with my girlfriend a few minutes ago and she was telling me about a talk she had today with a certain acquaintance of hers who lacks the ability to forgive. What kind of world do we live in where even many Christians don’t forgive? Come on, brothers and sisters, what are good for if we can’t exercise some of our most basic beliefs?

No Surprise There

I said I’d send out the word if my birthday list ever got updated, and I shall do so now. But first off, I’d like to take note that my birthday is turning out kinda weird this year. I have accidentally discovered what two people are getting me this year. First off, my girlfriend got me “Reefer Madness: The Movie Musical” I discovered this after she told me a few weeks ago about getting me a present off of Wal-Mart and saying it was one of the movies I’d posted. I told her later that if she’d gotten me “Reefer Madness” from Wal-Mart, then it was the wrong version…in a very gentlemanly manner of course. So then she tried to cancel it, BUT it was too late. No surprise. Then it got to my house and I read through the sweet little message she packed along with it. Sadly, I still had to send it back. And sending it back turned out to be an epic of unnecessarily grand proportions, so I won’t be going into further detail about that.

Second person I blundered into figuring out the present was the boss man. A few weeks ago (again) we stopped by Northgate Mall and he took a solo side trip to Electronics Boutique. I thought that was odd since I’m the only one who wants to go there anymore. After we left, he told me that he couldn’t find the present he was looking for. Hmm, what could be at E. Boutique that I could possibly want? Could it be a dance pad? Lucky guess.
















One kinda like that, matter of fact, which goes to Playstation, PS2, Xbox and PC, which is actually rather useless to me considering that I have none of those systems and I can’t be dancing in front of my PC because there’s not enough room. The good news about figuring out my presents is that I can at least correct the givers from making humiliating mistakes like this…Although I really appreciate the thought. That’s what’s most important.

So after we found a dance pad online that could just simply hook up to my TV and play Dance Dance Revolution that way, I discover he wants to change the gift again. Once again, I was too nosy and found out what my gift was and once again, I can correct someone. I must be on a roll here because it didn’t stop there either. This past Thursday, my boss proposed a different present: an all expenses paid trip to Six Flags Marin World. Sounds like fun right? Well yeah, but I unfortunately had to decline the offer.

Reasons I had to refuse:
1. Expenses paid including tickets and transportation for an estimated three people, which would easily add up to about $90. Which I know he can’t afford right now.
2. I went to Marine World when I was kid and it had more to offer for me, like shows and stuff. Now, those shows have been replaced mostly with rides.
3. Everything there is seriously overpriced. So I guess this goes into the first reason.
4. It’s only going to be for a few hours at the most. A dance pad like his first offer would last much longer.
5. I’m just really not in the mood to do it. I mean yeah, it’s fun and all, but no.

So after I explain to him over and over for about half an hour why I don’t want to go, it becomes quite clear to me that he wants to go more than I do and that this is just an excuse for him to do so. Pardon me if I sound selfish here, but considering that it’s my birthday, can’t I have some say in how it’s celebrated? Just a thought. All things considered, I love the guy like a brother and everything, but in his family’s money situation he doesn’t have to get me anything. Seriously, if his mom pays me the money she owes me, it’ll be more than a gift. It’ll be a miracle.

So anyway, I guess that about wraps it up. If anyone’s interested, the Dance Pad option is still up for grabs as far as I know. You can find the best price for it here. Pretty sweet looking, huh? And before I forget, the most optional on the list is this microphone. Best looking microphone deal I’ve seen, but I’ve already got a mike. I’m just looking for a cooler one. And yunno, no one really has to get me anything on the list for my birthday. I like getting stuff like everyone else, but I kinda think that expecting too much for your birthday is what ruins a birthday. I’m not a bratty child anymore and I realize that there are only two days left until my 22nd birthday. If anyone were to get something that soon, that would be phenomenal, but they don’t have to. Anyways, thank you for your time, and wish me a happy birthday.

Stroke the Mane

When I saw this article on Yahoo, I just HAD to blog on it. I’ve always had a soft spot for all things “Harry Potter,” which is why when I logged into Yahoo to check my boss’ e-mail for him today, I was quite surprised when my eyes came across this little article. Seems that Harry Potter himself, Daniel Radcliffe, will be strutting more than just his stuff on stage in London:

Daniel Radcliffe will strip off his Harry Potter eyeglasses and robes for his London stage debut next year.

Really? I’ll bet ‘tween girls in London will be picking up fake IDs left and right just to get into this performance.

The 17-year-old actor, who plays the bespectacled schoolboy wizard in the Hollywood adaptations of J.K. Rowling's novels, will star as a troubled stableboy in Peter Shaffer's "Equus."

The play delves into the psyche of a boy named Alan Strang who blinds six horses with a metal spike. The production is scheduled to open next March in the West End theater district, said spokesman Peter Thompson.

"It is an extraordinary play, and he's very much looking forward to the role," Radcliffe's spokeswoman, Vanessa Davies, said Friday. "He is maturing as an actor and beginning to take on new and challenging roles."

I remember watching the DVD of “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.” In the interviews with the actors, Radcliffe told a story about one of his fans, “The towel girl,” who was crazy enough to show up outside his hotel wearing nothing but a towel and proclaiming her love for “Harry.” No doubt about it, she’ll enjoy watching him “mature as an actor” in this next little scene tidbit.

In one scene the actor playing Strang is required to simulate sexual ecstasy while riding a horse naked. But Davies said nudity was not the focus of the play.

Well, THAT’s good to hear. Although I still think Harry Potter girl fans will be lining up just for that part.

Richard Griffiths, who plays Harry's Uncle Vernon in the films, is lined up to play the psychiatrist who interviews the troubled youth.

This is just too funny for words. I can imagine the script already:

Psychiatrist: What happened between you and that horse?
Strang: I don’t know! I was just riding the horse and it felt great! It was like magic!
Psychiatrist: There’s no such thing as magic!

Global Animation

It’s that time again for me to stop and observe the world of animation from…well, the world itself. First off is China, a country which I blogged on a while back for their policy on banning live action/animation hybrids for the sake of promoting the country’s own animation. Now, it looks like we’re going to get a slightly closer look at the way things work in China:

China, a nation that require government approval for the production of most arts, announced it will accelerate censorship approval for animated works to enhance its domestic industry. The People's Daily Online reports that, beginning in August, censors will now announce approvals on a monthly basis rather than twice a year as had been done in the past. One government official stated that the new process will mean "investors and makers can make more reasonable decisions whether they will make an animation considering both political and commercial factors on the basis of the information shared."

Interesting. The tidbit that sticks out in my mind though is that part about arts in China requiring government approval. Why the heck should anyone have to go to their government with a movie or a painting or a TV show and ask them permission to make their own art? Seriously, I’m glad I live in the United States. And in other recent news, the country of Iran has it’s own animations that we’ve never heard of before:

The nation of Iran has made efforts to revise policy in hopes of preserving the animation field in the country and harnessing its "unique potentials." The Islamic Republic News Agency reveals that in the last three months fourteen animated films have begun production that "focus on various religious, literary and routine issues." The Center for the Development of Documentary and Experimental Cinema's Cultural Department has been assigned the task to protect the individuality of the art form while putting it to use in promoting Islamic heritage.

Fourteen animated films have begun production. Sounds fascinating. It’s usually good to focus on preserving one’s own religion, but in the case of Middle East Islam, I might make an exception. I just hope that none of these movies turns out to be “Nick Berg: The Animated Musical."

Blind Luck

In case anyone is unfamiliar with certain parts of my life which they probably have little to no business knowing about, my girlfriend suffers from a terrible condition that prohibits her of having the ability to see. Most people call this blindness, so it is only natural that I feel kinda excited about hearing this news:

Dr. Keith Mathieson from the University of Glasgow’s department of physics is all set out to combat the two common forms of blindness. And what he uses is a technology very similar to the digital cameras that we’re all familiar with.

Dr Mathieson said, “By implanting a device into the eye, we hope we will be able to fool the brain into believing the retina is still in working order.”

I’m sure this is something that many of us have thought of. But the difficult lies in wiring the device to the optic nerves. Now that the scientists have done it, this is great news for the many unfortunates around the world.

The current prototype implant has only 100 pixels, not enough for patients to recognize faces just yet. But looking at how technology is progressing, Dr. Mathieson is confident that achieving the 500 pixels necessary for facial recognition is very attainable.

“Beyond where we are today it might be possible to make smart chips which have memory in them which would allow action replay and slow motion”, said Dr. Mathieson.

With “action replay” and “slow motion”, I shudder at the thought that even the non-disabled might just want to be a part of this as well.

Sadly, her condition is more extreme than the common form of blindness and thus this would not be very helpful to her, I’m afraid. But It’s always good to see the different kinds of progress made here.

Europe - Thy Name Is Cowardice

The following is an e-mail I recieved from my grandfather. It's an article by Mathias Dapfner, a writer for the "Die Welt" newspaper, a man who is obviously a fellow hellbound infidel according to Islamofascists and surely only exists to spread hatred towards the Muslim people by pointing out that a portion of the Muslim community are pretty darn psychotic. Here it is for all to see and feel free to leave insults in the comments section that are aimed at me because you didn't like what someone else had to say:

A few days ago Henry Broder wrote in Welt am Sonntag, "Europe - your family name is appeasement." It's a phrase you can't get out of your head because it's so terribly true.

Appeasement cost millions of Jews and non-Jews their lives, as England and France, allies at the time, negotiated and hesitated too long before they noticed that Hitler had to be fought, not bound to toothless agreements.

Appeasement legitimized and stabilized Communism in the Soviet Union, then East Germany, then all the rest of Eastern Europe, where for decades, inhuman suppressive, murderous governments were glorified as the ideologically correct alternative to all other possibilities.

Appeasement crippled Europe when genocide ran rampant in Kosovo, and even though we had absolute proof of ongoing mass-murder, we Europeans debated and debated and debated, and were still debating when finally the Americans had to come from halfway around the world, into Europe yet again, and do our work for us.

Rather than protecting democracy in the Middle East, European Appeasement, camouflaged behind the fuzzy word "equidistance," now countenances suicide bombings in Israel by fundamentalist Palestinians.

Appeasement generates a mentality that allows Europe to ignore nearly 500,000 victims of Saddam's torture and murder machinery and, motivated by the self-righteousness of the peace movement, has the gall to issue bad grades to George Bush... Even as it is uncovered that the loudest critics of the American action in Iraq made illicit billions, no, TENS of billions, in the corrupt U.N. Oil-for-Food program.

And now we are faced with a particularly grotesque form of appeasement. How is Germany reacting to the escalating violence by Islamic Fundamentalists in Holland and elsewhere? By suggesting that we really should have a "Muslim Holiday" in Germany?

I wish I were joking, but I am not. A substantial fraction of our
(German) Government, and if the polls are to be believed, the German people, actually believe that creating an Official State "Muslim Holiday" will somehow spare us from the wrath of the fanatical Islamists. One cannot help but recall Britain's Neville Chamberlain waving the laughable treaty signed by Adolph Hitler and declaring European "Peace in our time".

What else has to happen before the European public and its political leadership get it? There is a sort of crusade underway, an especially perfidious crusade consisting of systematic attacks by fanatic Muslims, focused on civilians, directed against our free, open Western societies, and intent upon Western Civilization's utter destruction.

It is a conflict that will most likely last longer than any of the great military conflicts of the last century - a conflict conducted by an enemy that cannot be tamed by "tolerance" and "accommodation" but is actually spurred on by such gestures, which have proven to be, and will always be taken by the Islamists for signs of weakness. Only two recent American Presidents had the courage needed for Anti-appeasement: Reagan and Bush.

His American critics may quibble over the details, but we Europeans know the truth. We saw it first hand: Ronald Reagan ended the Cold War, freeing half of the German people from nearly 50 years of terror and virtual slavery. And Bush, supported only by the Social Democrat Blair, acting on moral conviction, recognized the danger in the Islamic War against Democracy. His place in history will have to be evaluated after a number of years have passed.

In the meantime, Europe sits back with charismatic self-confidence in the multicultural corner, instead of defending liberal society's values and being an attractive center of power on the same playing field as the true great powers, America and China.

On the contrary - we Europeans present ourselves, in contrast to those "arrogant Americans", as the World Champions of "tolerance", which even (Germany's Interior Minister) Otto Schily justifiably criticizes. Why? Because we're so moral? I fear it's more because we're so materialistic, so devoid of a moral compass.

For his policies, Bush risks the fall of the dollar, huge amounts of additional national debt, and a massive and persistent burden on the American economy - because unlike almost all of Europe, Bush realizes what is at stake - literally everything.

While we criticize the "capitalistic robber barons" of America because they seem too sure of their priorities, we timidly defend our Social Welfare systems. Stay out of it! It could get expensive! We'd rather discuss reducing our 35-hour workweek or our dental coverage, or our 4 weeks of paid vacation... Or listen to TV pastors preach about the need to "reach out to terrorists. To understand and forgive".

These days, Europe reminds me of an old woman who, with shaking hands, frantically hides her last pieces of jewelry when she notices a robber breaking into a neighbor's house.

Appeasement?
Europe, thy name is Cowardice.

Birthday List

I realize I haven't updated my blog in ages and I feel the need to explain. Basically, I've been busy like hell lately, you wouldn't believe it. Fourth of July, working for the boss man, getting a new video camera, movie work...hell, today I was even hiking because it's my mom's birthday celebration today. I would lay out more details than this but I think I'm running low on time here and everyone that needs to know the details of my time knows already.

And so, I thought it would be best to update my blog with something quite easy: my birthday list. The folks who are going to want to know what I could use for my birthday always read this blog, so they'll definitely want to read this post. The rest of y'all can skee-daddle as you please, or keep reading on.

Priority Gift
To clarify, I will not use the common phrase "What I want for my birthday" but instead say "What I could use for my birthday." Considering that I'm getting older, it's probably best that i get used to getting less for my birthday earlier in my life. But anyway, what I could really use for my birthday is having my electric guitar and amp fixed up. The switch on my guitar that changes the acoustics doesn't want to send a signal out so much anymore to the amp and the amp doesn't work period. I think it's fried. Anyway, it's old.

Movies
(DVD preferred, no VHS substitute)

Reefer Madness: The Movie Musical: A satirical and musical remake of the 1930's propaganda film. Jimmy Harper, high school student, has it all: a great reputation, a great girlfriend and everyone loves him. Until the day his life comes crashing down with marijuana. Zombies, Hawaiian dances, salsa dancing and Jesus Christ with his own musical number. Hilarious film.

Rent: Another musical based on a popular Broadway play, modern day bohemians in New York city strive together to live in this tear-jerking love story. Three love relationships and a guy filming it all with a rockin' soundtrack. Can love truly save all of us? You'll see.

And that's all I can think of for now. I should probably keep this updated though in case I think of something else.