On My Right to Read and Singers

Recently, I've been reading some non-fiction, mainly philosophy or political (which are one in the same, really). For my birthday/Christmas (they've close so the gifts received are simultaneous) I attained a copy of the six hundred page monster that is Adolf Hitler's Mein Kampf . I'm kind of on a Hitler thing at the moment (before that it was Che Guevara) and I've read many books about his life, views and promiscuity. Now that I read Mein Kampf, which is semi-autobiographical, I can see where he's stretched the truth to achieve his means. On that note I will say that Hitler was quite an awesome man. He's certainly no one anybody should emulate, but his power to gain popularity through a book? His legendary oration? These are all the skills of a super hero. Here old Ben Parker comes into play for, "With great power, comes great responsibility." Hitler did not shy away from his responsibility, he just thought of himself as a bit too great. I believe that he did what most would do, he attained riches and power through a certain lifestyle and he tried to impress that lifestyle on others. But his eyes were clouded by hate and vengeance, so he ultimately failed.

I'll save my full thoughts on Hitler for a later date, my point of this post was to rant about my outrage at my lack of freedom of readership. People give me weird looks when I read this, even my history teacher is questionable? I'll admit that a white-boy with a soon to be shaved head (world's greatest shave) in a community of mixed ethnicity may look a bit sus, people should realize that I'm merely trying to gain his perspective, and I'd be a fool to enact his desires. If I hated other races I'd lose 95% of my friends, and how many good songs have been written by or about on white people? Like, every single one: Brown Eyed Girl (originally Brown Skinned Girl) Vanilla Ice Cream. You cannot beat these songs. I digress yet again. I should be able to read whatever the hell I want without receiving weird looks. Okay, maybe The Story of Ois pushing it, but nobody knows what that is.

My second point of posting is to state my thoughts on music. I like all music, and I'm forever trying to broaden my tastes. I currently struggling with the heaviest of metal, but I'll persevere. Anyhow, a few months ago, I was listening to Rihanna, I had two of her songs thanks to some compilation CDs, and I was thinking that her music was pretty space (that's the new word for "cool", kiddies). However, a quick wiki search of her revealed that she doesn't write her own songs. I was shocked by this. I'd never given it much thought until recently when I realized that one just goes into the studio and sings what's on the paper. The artist doesn't have the connection to the song that they would if they'd written it, that magical bond is shattered, so the singer just becomes a sort of whore.

On coming cinema and stuff I draw'd

I like movies. I watch them a lot. My class cannot have a trivia game based solely around film, lest they fall to my prowess. I've noticed some moving in the cinematic cesspool and I thought I may as well comment on them, seeing as I just got my net back.

The Karate Kid Remake
They (Because Hollywood is run by the corporations) are planning to remake the Karate Kid, an eighties favourite of mine. I have the collector's edition, which contains the first three. Though, nostalgia aside, I fear for this movie. While the original actor of the title character, Ralph Macchio states that it "is an honour" to have his film remade, I'm worried for the plot inconsistencies. The lead actors are Jaden Smith, son of Will, playing the young martial arts student Daniel LaRusso. Unfortunately, Jackie Chan was chosen to play the timeless Mr Miyagi. While I like Jackie (mostly for his Chinese films), the story wouldn't make sense if it were a Chinese (Aussie) man teaching Daniel, then it would have to be called Kung Fu Kid. Still, I'm going to watch the movie. In fact, I'll watch the series tonight.

Anime Lookalike

Has anyone noticed that Tom Cruise in his role for Valkyrie looks an awful lot like Roy Mustang in Full Metal Alchemist: The Conqueror of Shamballa? It makes sense, they were both trying to overthrow a Fuhrer.






He's just not that into you

I want to see this movie. It has a good cast, featuring Scarlett Johanssen (need I say more?) and Justin Long (from a favourite of mine, Waiting...). The director, Ken Kwapis, has knowledge of the field, though he's no Amy Heckerling. Also, from the depths of heatwave induced boredom, I draw'd this:

On Heath Ledger

I post this one year from the day that Heath Ledger died of a drug overdose. I just saw that statement on the news and I thought I may pen my feelings about him. Glancing at Wikipedia, I notice that I've seen all of his films post 1998, his career seems to have coincided with my interests throughout my life. While his breakthrough film, Two Hands, was fantastic in my opinion, I feel that Brokeback Mountain brought him into the ranks of other fantastic Australian male actors, such as Crowe and Jackman.

His movie A Knight's Tale, while being childish, holds a special place in my heart as it was the favourite of a now departed friend. I'm in two minds about his award nominations, though I think it is more due to the argument of actors receiving praise after death. On one hand, its a great tribute, but are we not bias and is it not more deserving to a living actor?

Still, may he rest in peace.

On the Play Station 3

As many are aware, I am quite in wanting of a PS3. Usually, I would call buyers of this item afoul labeling them "race traitors" for straying from the pure Nintendo path, yet it has become almost a necessity with the advent of the Blu-Ray DVD. With a PS 3, I will be able to play blu-ray films when it becomes the primary medium, play games and surf the internet (though I will never). This is all for the low low price of six hundred dollars. So obviously, I will not be buying this product all that soon, though it will always stay in the back of my mind.

Unfortunately, my dreams of a PS3 induced euphoria are slightly cracked now, when I found out that the device cannot play the games of its predecessor. It can play PS1 games, but not PS2. I was outraged at this, the only reason I would consider it an entertainment system would be if I could play the many JRPGs of years passed, namely Final Fantasy and Kindom Hearts.

On atheism being secular

I am somewhat of an anti-atheist. I'm not against atheist all together, but during their gathering I see people wearing T-shirts that proclaim "God does not exist" and the like. I mean how many Hindu's sport "Dharma for life mother fuckers"? No body, why do most devout atheists wear these, well, offensive tees? Do they think themselves better than the rest of the god heeding populace? Often, those shown in media are quite narrow minded in their conviction of others. This can be forgiven because the media would obviously only highlight those with the more extreme views.

Some people label atheism as being "secular". For those of you who don't know, secular means to be separate from any forms of religion. I disagree on this point because I see atheism as a "para-religion". I attach the prefix "para" to create the effect of being next to (ie. parallel or paramedic) as opposed to being against (paranormal). Atheism is its own set of beliefs about life and about god, so it is a religion. I further justify this statement, myspace lists "atheism" in one of its choices for religion when setting up a profile.

It is conceptions like this that prohibit myself from being called an atheist. So I guess I'm just stuck with Equivalent Exchange to believe in:

"Mankind cannot gain anything without first sacrificing something in exchange. To obtain, something of equal value must be lost. This is the law of equivalent exchange, fundamental in alchemy." - Alphonse Elric

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On cigarettes and being cool

I'll say this straight off: smoking looks cool. It looks cool and it creates a air of awesomeness for a male to smoke, whilst bringing a female the visage of a vixen. However smoking kills. Does the end justify the coolness? No way.

Many people, mostly fictional characters, which I designate as cool smoke. In anime there is the entire Bebop crew, NGE's Kaji and Soul Eater's Fraken Stein. Then there is Barack Obama. He was cool before he smoked, and I think a cigarette looks out of place in his mouth. Also, if you think that his smoking crux is recent news, then you are mistaken dear reader, a friend of mine had a display picture of Barack Attack "lighting up" on MSN for months. I've heard smoking being described as "a symbol of their humanity...their weakness". I disagree with that statement completely, smoking brings nothing but death, and for what? Why should humans be forced to be designated "weaknesses"? As ruling species, we should be master of our own domains, without weakness. Of course, that is merely a wishful ideal.

Media shows us people smoking and attracting the opposite (or the same) sex, I doubt this would be the reality. In the case of Cowboy Bebop, I imagine Spike and Faye would be a chorus of coughs every time they made love (they did make love - SxF forever). Smoking makes you stink of smoke. A recently tobacco-sober former heavy smoking friend of mine is repulsive to be around because all of his clothes smell nigh, reek, of smoke. On top of that, smoking is expensive, with no advantages. It as long been dismissed as a social catalyst, and can really burn the hip pocket. Most hobbies cost money, but smoking requires almost constant funds to be spent and gives nothing in return. At least with video games one's mind can be stimulated.

To end this conaluted post, I quote Fort Minor's Cigarette:

"it's just like a cigarette, nobody's really fooled
I don't want the truth, I wanna feel f***ing cool"



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On Richard Dawkins

Reading over I guy I know's blog, I saw a topic which I thought I might cast my two cents on.

Richard Dawkins

In a sentence: I don't like him. Aside from looking like the devil incarnate in the above picture, I hate his ethos. But it was not always like this. Throughout the course of my life I have watched many of his programs and read one or two of his books, the latter medium being read in a compulsion to give some sort of reason to his frankly offensive methods. I digress, for those of you who are unaware Richard Dawkins is an achieved biologist and a staunch atheist. The latter of the two is a title he has flaunted in recent years, much to my distaste.

I don't consider myself an atheist, at least not yet. I was raised in a christian world, though I don't see a reason to discriminate against those of other religions, gods or no. This is where Mr. Dawkins and I diverge. While I find some of his books on behavior absolutely fascinating, I find his close mindedness off putting. In his books it's okay, his arguments against the god complex are thorough, sustained and completely logical, but his documentaries are not.

In I can recall one scene wherein he enters a deeply religious shop owner's workplace and begins to badger him about his faith. He asks things such as "But why do you believe in something that does not exist?". He then goes on to pester the man about why he converted to Islam, even though it is so "violent". Through the course of the documentary, this process is repeated with different interviewees and as little as twelve minutes in, I felt as though I wanted to punch him in the face. I am not at all deeply entrenched in any form of religion. In fact I'm often the first one to poke fun at each faith's idiosyncrasies (this does not go over well at funerals, trust me). Though I find the path he is taking completely misguided. Writing his beliefs in a book are all well and good, for it is the choice of the reader to continue reading said literature. Yet going up to people on the street and pestering them about their lifestyle sickens me. It reminds me of another ism in my culture evangelism.

Ah, evangelism. Personally, I think this is why Dick Dawkins took up his cause. It has it's good sides, its followers obstain from murder and a generally nice, not to mention spur some of the greatest media in the world (see: Skillet and NGE). Though its major drawback is the faithful are very set in their ways and will be firm with those who think differently. I remember one interview from an Andrew Denton piece where he confronts tree elderly choir siblings with the question "but what about people who were born homosexual? Do they deserve to go to hell?" to which one of the gentlemen calmly answers "No! Homosexuality is a lie told to them by Satan and they must find the truth for their soul to come to heaven." I find this response as offensive as anything Dawkins spews out, and I can concur with him on his reason to be against it. Yet his method of combating such people is, in effect, perpetuating the same act. He is attempting to convert people to atheism with aggression, I'm not sure, but I believe that can be called evangelizing. Does he not realize that Atheism is becoming one of his hated "religions"? He is becoming his own enemy on his search for "a better world". He is also displaying stereotypes of white supremacy, ignorant white man and the snobby Brit. Therefore, through the act of himself becoming his own foe, all of his arguments should be disarmed.

Also on the subject of snobby Brits, dearest woman down the street, if you are reading this, know that neither I, nor any member of my family scratched your car. We merely place a note on it requesting its removal from our laneway. Bringing the police into the matter was uncalled for and only further strengthened out point. The act of knocking on my door (which is older that the sum of our ages, by the way) quite violently at seven in the morning and yelling at me heralds an apology at the very least. Though its obvious you were not, some of us were trying to watch Ninja Turtles.

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