Head cold, medicine makes me drowsy.
Have some funny.
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
It's like ray-ee-ainnn on your wedding day
Fairly apathetic today.
Head cold, medicine makes me drowsy.
Have some funny.
Head cold, medicine makes me drowsy.
Have some funny.
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
The shit has hit the fan
It was only a matter of time before Zevon made it into on of my posts. Sorry for missing a Monday again, family stuff involving children and hospitals.
So, last week, this was published. In it, Stephen King makes many valid, middle of the road points that, unfortunately, are going to end up being completely ignored by the extremes of both sides of the gun control argument. I understand if you don't want to pay to read the essay (although all proceeds go to charity, and yes, I honestly believe they do. One advantage for having grown up with King as a hometown hero, I know exactly what he's done for philanthropy.). You'd be missing out on some well thought out opinions from an average guy though. In lieu of that though, here are some probably not as well thought out opinions from another average guy.
I have no issue with people owning rifles. Hunting is very much a way of life here, and the only reason I myself don't hunt is simply because I don't have the stomach for it. On that note, you don't need a fucking semi-automatic killing machine with a 20 round magazine to hunt. If it takes you more then a handful of bullets to bring down whatever it is you're hunting, you're either doing it wrong, or you should really not be hunting something that big. Related note: Hunting for sport is bullshit. If you have no intention of eating it, or at the very least donating the meat, don't hunt.
I have some issues with people owning handguns. I find them to be fascinating, but I question their usefulness. Protection is the only reason I can come up with for owning one, although I suppose if you were a professional marksman you would need one. But, if you take the proper precautions to keep the handgun safely stored, it's going to be very difficult to get it in case of an emergency where you might need it. Or at least very time consuming. Even then, do you really need more then 10 bullets in the magazine? Should only take one to kill someone, 2 if you're a bad shot, and if you need more then that, you really shouldn't have a gun anyways. "But Dave," you say, "what if there are more then 5 assailants?" Well, then you're already fucked then, aren't you? More bullets are not going to help. You are not John McClane.
As far as armed guards in schools, well, where's the harm? Would give parents peace of mind. Budgeting for them will be tricky though, especially in school's that are already struggling with maintaining a budget. Schools in Maine are going to have a very difficult time with this one, especially since our governor is trying to push more and more of the budget onto towns, thereby raising taxes and causing all kinds of other issues. Doesn't detract from it being a good idea, just means it's a little tricky to implement.
And yes, I'm aware there is far more to this debate then what I've presented here, but again, I'm just trying to point out a moderate point of view. The middle is an awful place to be politically, but alas, some of us just don't fit into an easily defined place.
So, last week, this was published. In it, Stephen King makes many valid, middle of the road points that, unfortunately, are going to end up being completely ignored by the extremes of both sides of the gun control argument. I understand if you don't want to pay to read the essay (although all proceeds go to charity, and yes, I honestly believe they do. One advantage for having grown up with King as a hometown hero, I know exactly what he's done for philanthropy.). You'd be missing out on some well thought out opinions from an average guy though. In lieu of that though, here are some probably not as well thought out opinions from another average guy.
I have no issue with people owning rifles. Hunting is very much a way of life here, and the only reason I myself don't hunt is simply because I don't have the stomach for it. On that note, you don't need a fucking semi-automatic killing machine with a 20 round magazine to hunt. If it takes you more then a handful of bullets to bring down whatever it is you're hunting, you're either doing it wrong, or you should really not be hunting something that big. Related note: Hunting for sport is bullshit. If you have no intention of eating it, or at the very least donating the meat, don't hunt.
I have some issues with people owning handguns. I find them to be fascinating, but I question their usefulness. Protection is the only reason I can come up with for owning one, although I suppose if you were a professional marksman you would need one. But, if you take the proper precautions to keep the handgun safely stored, it's going to be very difficult to get it in case of an emergency where you might need it. Or at least very time consuming. Even then, do you really need more then 10 bullets in the magazine? Should only take one to kill someone, 2 if you're a bad shot, and if you need more then that, you really shouldn't have a gun anyways. "But Dave," you say, "what if there are more then 5 assailants?" Well, then you're already fucked then, aren't you? More bullets are not going to help. You are not John McClane.
As far as armed guards in schools, well, where's the harm? Would give parents peace of mind. Budgeting for them will be tricky though, especially in school's that are already struggling with maintaining a budget. Schools in Maine are going to have a very difficult time with this one, especially since our governor is trying to push more and more of the budget onto towns, thereby raising taxes and causing all kinds of other issues. Doesn't detract from it being a good idea, just means it's a little tricky to implement.
And yes, I'm aware there is far more to this debate then what I've presented here, but again, I'm just trying to point out a moderate point of view. The middle is an awful place to be politically, but alas, some of us just don't fit into an easily defined place.
Friday, January 25, 2013
With a taste of a poison paradise
Today, I finally started playing Path of Exile. This is the Diablo clone I've been waiting for, without even realizing I had been waiting for it. I've been content with my Sacred, my Titan's Quest, and my Din's Curse. I was even moderately pleased with Diablo 3, although I see no reason to play it anymore. Torchlight just doesn't do it for me, something about it just isn't complex enough for my tastes. But, I'm not here to discuss PoE, but instead something that my short time with the game today reminded me about.
Online game communities are cesspools. PoE is an online game, much like Diablo 3, and like Diablo 3 the first thing I did was turn off the chat. Over the course of half an hour, I saw things written that were just despicable, and I'm not talking about the kid that kept saying fag this or fag that. (For the record, that is despicable, however easily reported. They have a "Hate Speech" designation and everything.) It was a constant barrage of "STFU retard", "l2p hur hur hur","go kill yourself" and "I thought there'd be more tits in this game."
This is why the "Real World" doesn't accept us. Why should they? Log into game like League Of Legends, World of Warcraft, or god forbid you wander into an FPS game lobby, and you're inundated with hate speech, sexism and immaturity. You can't act like that in the outside world without consequences, but that makes it okay to act like that in games?
If I hear "Deal with it, it's the internet" one more fucking time, I'm going to scream. Take some responsibility. Take ownership. Say something to the person who offended you. Don't settle for the community being that way because "Dur, internet anonymity". It's up to each and every one of us somewhat "mature" gamers to make a stand, otherwise this will never end. Even some companies are doing this, although it feels like too little, too late on that end.
I will not walk away from my hobby because of the bad apples. I will however continue to be ashamed of my hobby because of it.
Online game communities are cesspools. PoE is an online game, much like Diablo 3, and like Diablo 3 the first thing I did was turn off the chat. Over the course of half an hour, I saw things written that were just despicable, and I'm not talking about the kid that kept saying fag this or fag that. (For the record, that is despicable, however easily reported. They have a "Hate Speech" designation and everything.) It was a constant barrage of "STFU retard", "l2p hur hur hur","go kill yourself" and "I thought there'd be more tits in this game."
This is why the "Real World" doesn't accept us. Why should they? Log into game like League Of Legends, World of Warcraft, or god forbid you wander into an FPS game lobby, and you're inundated with hate speech, sexism and immaturity. You can't act like that in the outside world without consequences, but that makes it okay to act like that in games?
If I hear "Deal with it, it's the internet" one more fucking time, I'm going to scream. Take some responsibility. Take ownership. Say something to the person who offended you. Don't settle for the community being that way because "Dur, internet anonymity". It's up to each and every one of us somewhat "mature" gamers to make a stand, otherwise this will never end. Even some companies are doing this, although it feels like too little, too late on that end.
I will not walk away from my hobby because of the bad apples. I will however continue to be ashamed of my hobby because of it.
Thursday, January 24, 2013
But your lovin' don't pay my bills
THQ is no more. It has gone the way of Acclaim, SSI, and the Dodo. Yesterday, their assets (primarily IP's and studios) were sold off to the highest bidders. THQ has provided some of my favorite franchises over the years, and although I question some of their missteps (Games for Windows Live AND Steam required to play Dawn of War 2?), it's still too bad when a company that has been publishing games as long as they have shuts down. As a fan of the industry, I just thought I'd offer my take on the new owners and my hopes and fears for various franchises.
SEGA: I am an old school SEGA fanboy. Their acquisition of Relic was a brilliant move, and will help cement their hold on RTS gaming outside of anything with Craft in the title. SEGA's Total War series is huge, and with the buzz about them working on a Warhammer Fantasy game, it makes perfect sense for them to acquire the company that has put out some of the best Warhammer 40k titles in the last decade. I'm indifferent to Company of Heroes. I understand it's a solid game, I'm just not into WW2 games.
Ubisoft: I do not like Ubisoft. Between their draconian DRM setups, their half-assed console ports to the PC, and their desire to over monetize games with excessive amounts of DLC, their acquisition of the South Park game has moved it from my "OMG MUST HAVE!" list to my "Meh, if I find it cheap for the console." list.
Deep Silver: I know less about this company then I care to admit, but I am aware that they are a major Euro distributor, and overall they seem to nurture smaller studios whenever they can. Their acquisition of Volition has me hopeful for the future of both the Saint's Row and Red Faction franchises, and I'm sure Metro will be treated with all the due respect it deserves coming from them. But then, I could be misinformed. It does happen.
The only bit of news that hasn't been confirmed as of this writing is the future of the WWE license. THQ has been putting out WWE titles for the better part of 20 years. Although no longer a fan of WWE, I would be remiss as a gamer to ignore that it is still a reasonable successful brand, and the annual game is usually a good seller. I am disappointed that Vigil wasn't acquired by anyone, as Darksiders is a genuinely fun game, and my understanding was that it was a reasonably successful franchise.
Bet you thought all I did was rant.
SEGA: I am an old school SEGA fanboy. Their acquisition of Relic was a brilliant move, and will help cement their hold on RTS gaming outside of anything with Craft in the title. SEGA's Total War series is huge, and with the buzz about them working on a Warhammer Fantasy game, it makes perfect sense for them to acquire the company that has put out some of the best Warhammer 40k titles in the last decade. I'm indifferent to Company of Heroes. I understand it's a solid game, I'm just not into WW2 games.
Ubisoft: I do not like Ubisoft. Between their draconian DRM setups, their half-assed console ports to the PC, and their desire to over monetize games with excessive amounts of DLC, their acquisition of the South Park game has moved it from my "OMG MUST HAVE!" list to my "Meh, if I find it cheap for the console." list.
Deep Silver: I know less about this company then I care to admit, but I am aware that they are a major Euro distributor, and overall they seem to nurture smaller studios whenever they can. Their acquisition of Volition has me hopeful for the future of both the Saint's Row and Red Faction franchises, and I'm sure Metro will be treated with all the due respect it deserves coming from them. But then, I could be misinformed. It does happen.
The only bit of news that hasn't been confirmed as of this writing is the future of the WWE license. THQ has been putting out WWE titles for the better part of 20 years. Although no longer a fan of WWE, I would be remiss as a gamer to ignore that it is still a reasonable successful brand, and the annual game is usually a good seller. I am disappointed that Vigil wasn't acquired by anyone, as Darksiders is a genuinely fun game, and my understanding was that it was a reasonably successful franchise.
Bet you thought all I did was rant.
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Can't talk to a psycho like a normal human being
I wonder if my passion for 90's alternative is obvious yet?
I don't actually have much to say today. No complaints. At least, none for the public. I've been doing this thing lately where I'm trying to cut down on the negativity involved in my life. Removing people from friend's lists, limiting the amount of time I spend with negative people, that sort of thing. I think it's working. I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm normally a cantankerous, sardonic bastard. It's pretty much my default setting. But I'm not stressed about anything.
See, that's actually the major downside to this information age we're in. Too much info. Remember when people kept shit to themselves? Now, with Facebook especially, other people's drama is pushed right into your face, and you can't escape it. All I want to do is reach out and slap people sometimes.
It's your own fault your boyfriend is an ex-con and a tool, and I won't be sympathetic. Oh? Some people called you a bad mom, so now you're going to blow up the interwebs with huge amounts of profanity to prove you're a good mom, all the while proving just how right they are? Not that anyone can understand what you're saying. Spelling and punctuation, it helps make you sound less stupid. Wait, your life sucks and didn't turn out the way you planned, so you're going to blame everyone but yourself, meanwhile spend all your time escaping to fantasy worlds, and then have the nerve to get pissed when I don't want to join you in your misery? Oh, and to those who keep posting misinformation: DON'T BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU SEE ON THE FUCKING INTERNET!!!!
Put the pitchforks down. I've been guilty of some of this myself. I'm not proud of it, and I try to keep it from happening, but ultimately, I'm an illogical, passion driven guy. I rarely think before speaking, but at least I admit to it, and I like to think I admit it when I've made a mistake. Oh, and if you recognized yourself in that little tirade, well, tough shit. Maybe this is the hint that you needed to start keeping your drama to yourself. Or, go start your own blog, so I can have the freedom to ignore it.
I don't actually have much to say today. No complaints. At least, none for the public. I've been doing this thing lately where I'm trying to cut down on the negativity involved in my life. Removing people from friend's lists, limiting the amount of time I spend with negative people, that sort of thing. I think it's working. I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm normally a cantankerous, sardonic bastard. It's pretty much my default setting. But I'm not stressed about anything.
See, that's actually the major downside to this information age we're in. Too much info. Remember when people kept shit to themselves? Now, with Facebook especially, other people's drama is pushed right into your face, and you can't escape it. All I want to do is reach out and slap people sometimes.
It's your own fault your boyfriend is an ex-con and a tool, and I won't be sympathetic. Oh? Some people called you a bad mom, so now you're going to blow up the interwebs with huge amounts of profanity to prove you're a good mom, all the while proving just how right they are? Not that anyone can understand what you're saying. Spelling and punctuation, it helps make you sound less stupid. Wait, your life sucks and didn't turn out the way you planned, so you're going to blame everyone but yourself, meanwhile spend all your time escaping to fantasy worlds, and then have the nerve to get pissed when I don't want to join you in your misery? Oh, and to those who keep posting misinformation: DON'T BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU SEE ON THE FUCKING INTERNET!!!!
Put the pitchforks down. I've been guilty of some of this myself. I'm not proud of it, and I try to keep it from happening, but ultimately, I'm an illogical, passion driven guy. I rarely think before speaking, but at least I admit to it, and I like to think I admit it when I've made a mistake. Oh, and if you recognized yourself in that little tirade, well, tough shit. Maybe this is the hint that you needed to start keeping your drama to yourself. Or, go start your own blog, so I can have the freedom to ignore it.
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