This time of year both bothers and yet delights me. I am happy to see my friends and family whom I have missed so much, and presents are always nice. However I hate people during this time. Everyone is rushing and pushing and yelling and screaming. I can understand how the grinch got to be such a meiser. People are miserable over the holidays. They have to take care of their kids who are off from school, and buy millions of dollars worth of presents for people they mostly dont really like. the Grinch had the plan, hide out in a cave away from the clutter and the chaos of Whoville, at least not untill after new years.
I took my little sister to the Camden Aquarium on Wednesday, thinking it would be a nice place, not too crowded (because its a weekday and it's the middle of winter) and it'd be educational. No such luck for me, while it was educational (mainly because I watch too much animal planet and was practically a human textbook) it was terribly overcrowded with pqarents dragging their children out to get them out of the house. I mean people were everywhere! Squished closer together then the penguins were in their tiny enclosure. Not to mention the fact that I was not impressed with the seeming lack of quality of life for many of the animals (especially the seals and penguins). I feel I can't risk taking my sister out again untill after everybody actually goes back to work. Unfortuneately she'll be in school by then.
I feel like I can't bring myself to go to aquariums or zoos anymore because it depresses me. I miss seeing wild animals roaming around in my back yard. They at least were happy. Animals behind bars is just... well, depressing. Don't get me wrong, I'm not some crazy commie-hippy-environmentalist. I'm not vegen and I don't protest leather or meat. But I don't like seeing animals in cages. Big open pastures and fields are good things. And so are giant tanks with diversity and interesting things for the animals, not just some fish in a tank, or a sloth in a fake tree.
Saturday, December 31, 2005
Thursday, December 08, 2005
Last Day
We have finally arrived at the last day of class. No longer shall we have the driving force to continually update our blogs. The question is, how many of us will? How many of us will continue using these blogs to express our opinions? Will any of us continue to comment on those of others? This may be the true test of the influence of this class on individuals, if we are all still writing entries 3 months from now. This is also an opportunity to continue to communicate, not only with each other but with our professor.
Then again, maybe no one will continue to write here. Perhaps the lessons learned here can be continued on other blogging sites. On our livejournals or on our myspace blogs. The important thing is that something was learned or inspired. As Dr. Barlow said at the beginning of class, it’s just about being able to communicate your point. No matter what it be about. You can talk about music, politics, school, hell even chewing gum, as long as you can say what you want and have people understand it. That’s the power behind writing, and the new found power of the internet. You can express yourself, un-edited, and un-censored.
After exposing yourself to this new world of communication, the options are endless. You can publish anything you want. Publish your own music, publish your biography (because that’s all a diary/journal really is), publish your own fictional novel, publish your political column, or publish your own art. The world is lain at our feet, and our generation has an opportunity to make a difference. We are looked down on and unappreciated by so many of our aging population, and who runs our country? Our media? We should use our assets to prove that we wont just sit, hands-crossed and be told to be quiet. Express your Freedom of Speech!
Then again, maybe no one will continue to write here. Perhaps the lessons learned here can be continued on other blogging sites. On our livejournals or on our myspace blogs. The important thing is that something was learned or inspired. As Dr. Barlow said at the beginning of class, it’s just about being able to communicate your point. No matter what it be about. You can talk about music, politics, school, hell even chewing gum, as long as you can say what you want and have people understand it. That’s the power behind writing, and the new found power of the internet. You can express yourself, un-edited, and un-censored.
After exposing yourself to this new world of communication, the options are endless. You can publish anything you want. Publish your own music, publish your biography (because that’s all a diary/journal really is), publish your own fictional novel, publish your political column, or publish your own art. The world is lain at our feet, and our generation has an opportunity to make a difference. We are looked down on and unappreciated by so many of our aging population, and who runs our country? Our media? We should use our assets to prove that we wont just sit, hands-crossed and be told to be quiet. Express your Freedom of Speech!
Thursday, December 01, 2005
Wisdom Teeth Blues
There comes a time in every individuals life (usually around the age of 18) when they have to make a choice. To remove their wisdom teeth or not to remove them. Usually a parent will initiate the conversation with a dentist. Sometimes we are lucky enough not to need the surgery. You may have enough room in your jaw for them to grow in. You may only have one or two of them. Or you may be among the majority of the population and have all four which need to be removed.
I had been having some troubles with my jaw, some pains and such, and someone mentioned to me that it was probably my wisdom teeth. I agreed and brought the topic up with my mother. She told me to wait until our next dentist appointment to ask the doctor. So I did. When the appointment came around the dentist took some x-rays agreed that it was time for them to come out and referred me to a dental surgeon. I talked with the surgeon, who took more x-rays and explained the complications that could happen (through a video tape) and told me to make an appointment.
My mother scheduled the appointment for the day after thanksgiving. I had been told not to eat anything for 10 hrs before the procedure, because the sedative they used tended to make patients nauseas. I knew all the things that could go wrong, I knew that the surgeon could accidentally sever the main nerve to my lower jaw. I knew that she could also damage my sinus cavity. But I was told my teeth were positioned so that I wasn’t at a risk or either of those. I knew that I was being put under through an IV (the most frightening part of the whole ordeal). However never once did they actually tell me what they were going to do. I have had oral surgery before, and I was always told exactly what was being done to my mouth. I was told about the location of incisions, the tools, everything that the doctor would be doing.
When I stepped into that room and they lay me down on that chair I began to panic from all the people doing all the things that I couldn’t identify. The nurses kindly told me about the nitrous oxide and what it was supposed to do to me, and about the strange cuff placed on my finger to monitor my heart rate. However there was no warning of the IV other than the sudden cold, wet, scrape of a sterilized piece of gauze against my arm. Even after the procedure I was not told what they had done to me, something I have come to accept as simply common courtesy. I was simply told that I would have some bruising on my lower right cheek because that tooth had been exceptionally difficult. They did not explain and my mother didn’t ask. I was to drugged up to even make the sentence before the doctor was gone. The nurse told me how to take care of the wounds and gave my mother the two bottles of pain relievers they had prescribed.
Perhaps it is just my own natural curiosity, or perhaps it is my want to know everything, but I feel I have been cheated of my own right to know what is going on with my body. I know that my wisdom teeth were removed, but the how is my question. I am going to be a librarian, why people become librarians is because they want to know as much as they can. Unfortunately I cannot turn back time to ask the doctor the questions I wanted answers to, so I bring this story to a close with this, don’t let doctors, or anyone push you around. Ask your questions, get your answers. It is your body, understand what’s happening to it.
I had been having some troubles with my jaw, some pains and such, and someone mentioned to me that it was probably my wisdom teeth. I agreed and brought the topic up with my mother. She told me to wait until our next dentist appointment to ask the doctor. So I did. When the appointment came around the dentist took some x-rays agreed that it was time for them to come out and referred me to a dental surgeon. I talked with the surgeon, who took more x-rays and explained the complications that could happen (through a video tape) and told me to make an appointment.
My mother scheduled the appointment for the day after thanksgiving. I had been told not to eat anything for 10 hrs before the procedure, because the sedative they used tended to make patients nauseas. I knew all the things that could go wrong, I knew that the surgeon could accidentally sever the main nerve to my lower jaw. I knew that she could also damage my sinus cavity. But I was told my teeth were positioned so that I wasn’t at a risk or either of those. I knew that I was being put under through an IV (the most frightening part of the whole ordeal). However never once did they actually tell me what they were going to do. I have had oral surgery before, and I was always told exactly what was being done to my mouth. I was told about the location of incisions, the tools, everything that the doctor would be doing.
When I stepped into that room and they lay me down on that chair I began to panic from all the people doing all the things that I couldn’t identify. The nurses kindly told me about the nitrous oxide and what it was supposed to do to me, and about the strange cuff placed on my finger to monitor my heart rate. However there was no warning of the IV other than the sudden cold, wet, scrape of a sterilized piece of gauze against my arm. Even after the procedure I was not told what they had done to me, something I have come to accept as simply common courtesy. I was simply told that I would have some bruising on my lower right cheek because that tooth had been exceptionally difficult. They did not explain and my mother didn’t ask. I was to drugged up to even make the sentence before the doctor was gone. The nurse told me how to take care of the wounds and gave my mother the two bottles of pain relievers they had prescribed.
Perhaps it is just my own natural curiosity, or perhaps it is my want to know everything, but I feel I have been cheated of my own right to know what is going on with my body. I know that my wisdom teeth were removed, but the how is my question. I am going to be a librarian, why people become librarians is because they want to know as much as they can. Unfortunately I cannot turn back time to ask the doctor the questions I wanted answers to, so I bring this story to a close with this, don’t let doctors, or anyone push you around. Ask your questions, get your answers. It is your body, understand what’s happening to it.
Thursday, November 17, 2005
A View, Not of my Own.
To write a paper on an opinion you do not carry is a tough charge. As so much of what we write is to express our own opinions. First you have to choose a topic. Something I am passionate about. The topic I chose is school uniforms.
There are many benefits to schools uniforms. It helps to unify the student body as a community as well as allowing teachers and administrators to concentrate on more important work in the school, rather than whether students clothes are in accordance with the dress code. This in turn will help to increase the proficiency of the teaching environment, ultimately helping the students. Another benefit to making mandatory school uniforms is that it helps to eliminate gang colors in urban schools. This will decrease the amount of violence in our schools.
As to the argument many have made that the uniforms will be expensive and/or poor quality, it is simply not true. In fact uniforms are well priced for all social classes and can help in deterring bullying in schools based on a persons’ inability to purchase the newest brands. Mandatory school uniforms also eliminate derogatory logos and language in the student wardrobe. This helps in preventing the fall of students into rougher, or more violent ways of life.
Implementing school uniforms also decreases the number of thefts of clothing or shoes as well as decreasing the number of violent confrontations due to clothes. It also reduces the distractions within the classroom, because if everyone is wearing the same thing as you, you have no reason to look around the room rather than at the board. Also uniforms make it clearly visible to teachers and administrators those young people who do not belong on the premises or who are not following rules. This makes punishing those students easier and quicker.
One of the largest arguments against uniforms is the claim that it is unconstitutional, taking away a students right to freedom of expression. There are compromises to be made however. Many systems are supporting that uniforms can be more relaxed rather than the all too famous catholic school uniform. Uniforms can be a simple pair of khaki pants and a knit shirt or even a pair of jeans. However jean size should be regulated and students should be required to wear pants the fit, rather than those which hang down below the waist and expose undergarments, or are too tight and revealing. Another way of dealing with arguments against uniforms is to allow students to wear buttons or pins which express their political or social views. However it should be made clear that any gang paraphernalia is not accecptable in any way.
To aid the parents of children in low income or single parent homes, offering financial aid for the purchase of uniforms should be considered. Also a school must accommodate the religious beliefs of students, so religious clothing must be allowed. Perhaps by requesting that students wear part of the uniform along with religious garments, or underneath you can incorporate them into the whole of your school community. Also allowing the uniform colors to be bright, or to change slightly with the season can help in easing students into the process.
There are many, many benefits to school uniforms. In addition to being functional they can be more flexible than many individuals believe. Our children’s safety is the most important thing in our society today, as well as their education. School uniforms aid in both of these areas, helping to secure a better future for all of us.
There are many benefits to schools uniforms. It helps to unify the student body as a community as well as allowing teachers and administrators to concentrate on more important work in the school, rather than whether students clothes are in accordance with the dress code. This in turn will help to increase the proficiency of the teaching environment, ultimately helping the students. Another benefit to making mandatory school uniforms is that it helps to eliminate gang colors in urban schools. This will decrease the amount of violence in our schools.
As to the argument many have made that the uniforms will be expensive and/or poor quality, it is simply not true. In fact uniforms are well priced for all social classes and can help in deterring bullying in schools based on a persons’ inability to purchase the newest brands. Mandatory school uniforms also eliminate derogatory logos and language in the student wardrobe. This helps in preventing the fall of students into rougher, or more violent ways of life.
Implementing school uniforms also decreases the number of thefts of clothing or shoes as well as decreasing the number of violent confrontations due to clothes. It also reduces the distractions within the classroom, because if everyone is wearing the same thing as you, you have no reason to look around the room rather than at the board. Also uniforms make it clearly visible to teachers and administrators those young people who do not belong on the premises or who are not following rules. This makes punishing those students easier and quicker.
One of the largest arguments against uniforms is the claim that it is unconstitutional, taking away a students right to freedom of expression. There are compromises to be made however. Many systems are supporting that uniforms can be more relaxed rather than the all too famous catholic school uniform. Uniforms can be a simple pair of khaki pants and a knit shirt or even a pair of jeans. However jean size should be regulated and students should be required to wear pants the fit, rather than those which hang down below the waist and expose undergarments, or are too tight and revealing. Another way of dealing with arguments against uniforms is to allow students to wear buttons or pins which express their political or social views. However it should be made clear that any gang paraphernalia is not accecptable in any way.
To aid the parents of children in low income or single parent homes, offering financial aid for the purchase of uniforms should be considered. Also a school must accommodate the religious beliefs of students, so religious clothing must be allowed. Perhaps by requesting that students wear part of the uniform along with religious garments, or underneath you can incorporate them into the whole of your school community. Also allowing the uniform colors to be bright, or to change slightly with the season can help in easing students into the process.
There are many, many benefits to school uniforms. In addition to being functional they can be more flexible than many individuals believe. Our children’s safety is the most important thing in our society today, as well as their education. School uniforms aid in both of these areas, helping to secure a better future for all of us.
Tuesday, November 08, 2005
Myspace Music Disease
Myspace.com, most of us have an account there. If we do not, then our friends do. A blogging site which seems like any other at first, but then it blooms into something unexpected and wonderful. Myspace.com has become a community where people from all around the country, even the world can connect. You can find local bands that are still in the beginnings of producing their music. You can support local music around the world and open the door to a variable musical wonderland. All you have to do is follow links, similar to Alice following the white rabbit. Follow the link from one of your friends to one of their friends and so on until you have opened yourself into a much larger community.
The band community on Myspace alone is unique. Where in the normal world bands are competitors, vying for the same gigs, online they are supporters. Each band supports others because it is not a competitive space. Myspace is simply about getting their music heard and supporting local and small time music. There are bands of every type that you can stumble across in your travels. Parody, R&B, Industrial, Rock, Emo, and Pop can all be found side by side supporting one another. It is a musical enthusiasts dream, right at their fingertips.
Simply by clicking the button you can browse through hundreds of musicians of any one genre. It gives you the power to explore more than just the “popular” artists and find music that you truthfully enjoy. All it takes is a scroll of the mouse to be surprised by artists you never knew existed, and music you might not have thought possible. Too many of us are letting this amazing tool slip us by. Supporting local bands is important. Especially because many of them are better than the popular artists out there today.
The band community on Myspace alone is unique. Where in the normal world bands are competitors, vying for the same gigs, online they are supporters. Each band supports others because it is not a competitive space. Myspace is simply about getting their music heard and supporting local and small time music. There are bands of every type that you can stumble across in your travels. Parody, R&B, Industrial, Rock, Emo, and Pop can all be found side by side supporting one another. It is a musical enthusiasts dream, right at their fingertips.
Simply by clicking the button you can browse through hundreds of musicians of any one genre. It gives you the power to explore more than just the “popular” artists and find music that you truthfully enjoy. All it takes is a scroll of the mouse to be surprised by artists you never knew existed, and music you might not have thought possible. Too many of us are letting this amazing tool slip us by. Supporting local bands is important. Especially because many of them are better than the popular artists out there today.
Tuesday, November 01, 2005
"Lil-yah"
In my few short years attending the Upattinas School and Resource Center, I met many interesting people. I was shown the inner beauty that so many people posess. As I found myself blooming into the person I am today, I witnessed the transformation of many other people as well. One of which was an amazingly talented girl by the name of Lelia Broussard (pronounced “Lil-yah” as she has corrected so many). I first met her about four years ago, and was immediately taken aback but her beautiful voice and creative lyrics. From the first time I met her I found that she was completely dedicated to her dreams, even at a young age. And even more shocking was the complete support from her family. I had never seen a family so dedicated to their daughter’s dream.
At that early point her sound was unique, even though her voice was a little raw. But the talent was there, just waiting to be refined into one of the most beautiful gems in the world of music. I did not get a chance to see Lelia much during my senior year of high school, however she was always to be found at school functions or at performance class, singing her heart out and showcasing her new songs to us. I lost touch over last year as I went to college, so when she “friended” me through www.myspace.com I was blown away by the new her. She had been terribly successful in the year I had missed. She’d been played on the radio, had two of her songs featured on episodes of “Joan of Arcadia” and so much more. As the songs on the site began to play I was in such disbelief. Was this the same girl? Had she really grown that much? She had blossomed from a seedling into a full rose.
As a mere spectator I can not tell how the transformation came to happen, although I suspect it was from her dedication and spirit. Lelia had always had the talent to write meaningful, soulful music and to sing it the way it was meant to be. Now she has grown into her voice and become a beautiful girl who I am certain will cause a sensation. Her defiance of the pop world comforts me as she sings the way she wants and is duely recognized for it. In the short time I have known her she has gone from a talented girl, singing her heart out, to an amazing professional singing to your soul.
For all those who want to learn more about this amazing local artist, www.leliabroussard.com or www.myspace.com/leliabroussard. Listen to her yourself and I promise you will be impressed.
At that early point her sound was unique, even though her voice was a little raw. But the talent was there, just waiting to be refined into one of the most beautiful gems in the world of music. I did not get a chance to see Lelia much during my senior year of high school, however she was always to be found at school functions or at performance class, singing her heart out and showcasing her new songs to us. I lost touch over last year as I went to college, so when she “friended” me through www.myspace.com I was blown away by the new her. She had been terribly successful in the year I had missed. She’d been played on the radio, had two of her songs featured on episodes of “Joan of Arcadia” and so much more. As the songs on the site began to play I was in such disbelief. Was this the same girl? Had she really grown that much? She had blossomed from a seedling into a full rose.
As a mere spectator I can not tell how the transformation came to happen, although I suspect it was from her dedication and spirit. Lelia had always had the talent to write meaningful, soulful music and to sing it the way it was meant to be. Now she has grown into her voice and become a beautiful girl who I am certain will cause a sensation. Her defiance of the pop world comforts me as she sings the way she wants and is duely recognized for it. In the short time I have known her she has gone from a talented girl, singing her heart out, to an amazing professional singing to your soul.
For all those who want to learn more about this amazing local artist, www.leliabroussard.com or www.myspace.com/leliabroussard. Listen to her yourself and I promise you will be impressed.
Thursday, October 27, 2005
All Hallow's Creeps Near
Perhaps it is just me but I think that Halloween has lost all of its meaning. Over the years the great holiday has lost its roots, lost its tradition, and now is loosing its day. Halloween is still October 31st on the calendar, but somehow in past years the day when children go dressed up as monsters and princesses from door to door has fluctuated. When I was small Halloween was Halloween. It was on the 31st of October and you got dressed up and went trick-or-treating on that night. If it was a school night, my mother made us finish up at 8:30, 9 if we were lucky. But nowadays they can’t even consider letting them out on a school night! “Oh no, what if they have homework?” What 8 year old child has homework on Halloween?!!!?!!!? Halloween used to be one night a year around the country; you never had to check when you were allowed to go out. The day before Halloween was “Mischief night” and Halloween was Halloween. Now there are schedules. Some counties aren’t letting their children out until a certain time on a scheduled day. If you start trick-or-treating before then you could be fined! But who really cares, it’s not even on Halloween.
Since I was finally too old for trick-or-treating (and I was probably one of the reasons they have now limited the age you can be to trick-or-treat) I have noticed a change in the youth that is running around asking for candy. I was taught the tradition of “If you want the candy you have to say trick or treat.” But in past years as I am now the candy giver, so many children come up to the door and just hold out their bags. I have to stand there and ask what they want. There have been years where they just say “candy”. Have these kids no respect for traditions? No I shouldn’t blame them because no one taught them the trick-or-treating rules. Parents are the ones who made the mistake.
In conclusion, teach your kids the magic words “Trick-or-Treat” and help convince the government that they don’t have to change the day the holiday belongs on.
Since I was finally too old for trick-or-treating (and I was probably one of the reasons they have now limited the age you can be to trick-or-treat) I have noticed a change in the youth that is running around asking for candy. I was taught the tradition of “If you want the candy you have to say trick or treat.” But in past years as I am now the candy giver, so many children come up to the door and just hold out their bags. I have to stand there and ask what they want. There have been years where they just say “candy”. Have these kids no respect for traditions? No I shouldn’t blame them because no one taught them the trick-or-treating rules. Parents are the ones who made the mistake.
In conclusion, teach your kids the magic words “Trick-or-Treat” and help convince the government that they don’t have to change the day the holiday belongs on.
Tuesday, October 11, 2005
Feghoot of Love!
Up and coming this fall is a funky band by the name of Meat Rainbow. Lead by singer and guitarist Daniel J. the band’s style has morphed from silly fun parodies into a full scale flood of imagination and creative genius. The humble band began purely as a joke at the Upattinas school and resource center in Glenmoore, PA. The band soon flew off making a stunning debut album “Not Intended for the Public”. The album contained such songs as “Sauce” and “350lb. Stack’ O ’Love”. In those early days their songs were short and histerical, usually recorded live before an audience. The oddly mixed up lyrics of Daniel J. along with the astonishing guitar riffs of Zach Theis and the falsetto backups/off beat drumming of Sam Brams gave the band it’s first leg to stand on, and a pillar of fans to build on.
With the Debut of their second album, “Meat Rainbow Fights the IRS” The band tackled issues such as abusive band members (“Dan He Hurts Me All the Time”), sad Zombies as well as sad Robots, Stealing people’s women, the IRS and angsty teens. The band became a little more experimental in it’s style and more expressive in it’s lyrics, only making it’s fans love to hate them more. Recording “Meat Rainbow Fights the IRS” at House of Theis studios created a building pressure from fans for the new material. When it was finally released in February 2005 the flood gates opened and the band was shown they would have to continue putting out records to sate the growing appetite of fans.
Fooled once again into thinking the band would keep it’s word and release on it’s scheduled date the long awaited “Feghoot of Love”, in the making since the beginning of summer, has been postponed once again due to “pressing affairs” otherwise known as editing qualms. Even though, loyal fans still wait with anticipation furling on their brows, for the next installment of the Meat Rainbow saga. Teasing tidbits released onto the airways through their my space page (http://myspace.com/meat rainbow) reveal tantalizing new, louder lyrics, and an even more professional feel to the still unrefined humor that is Meat Rainbow.
Thursday, September 29, 2005
ViVa la Revolution!!!!
Spam! Spam! Spam! What is with all the Spam on the internet? It appears in our e-mail, pops up on our screen when we look at websites, and now it’s invading our blogs! It’s a disease we can’t seem to cure. A long time ago, before TV or telephones, back in the days of the open air markets, Spam was screamed at you as you walked past. If you didn’t want to hear it you just went home. Then we created a system of sending messages, and it wasn’t long before “junk mail” came along. As our technology surpassed itself over and over we heard Spam in the form of commercials emerge on the radio, and later on TV. Then they started to call us at home, and if we pretended not to be there they came to our doors. Over the years our society has learned how to deal with these types of Spam, but how should we deal with someone posting about “nymphomaniac housewives” in our blogs? We can’t very well tell them to take us off their list, because the website browses them to us. All we can do is delete the comments. Well I say no! I will not suffer in silence while they attack my words! I will not become a living billboard for them to vandalize! I say RISE UP! And defeat our advertising foes with resistance! Let them know that we won’t take it any more!!!
Viva la Revolution!!!
Truthfully though, I’m sick and tired of it. And while I am lazy, I’m only lazy to a point, and the spamming of my blog, and other people’s has got me to that point. Even if a comment is deleted it says it was deleted, and everyone knows what it was. While this site has a lot of tools on it for our blogs, it doesn’t have anyway to notify others or the site in general about the spamming comments. Other sites I do know have such options, why doesn’t ours?
Viva la Revolution!!!
Truthfully though, I’m sick and tired of it. And while I am lazy, I’m only lazy to a point, and the spamming of my blog, and other people’s has got me to that point. Even if a comment is deleted it says it was deleted, and everyone knows what it was. While this site has a lot of tools on it for our blogs, it doesn’t have anyway to notify others or the site in general about the spamming comments. Other sites I do know have such options, why doesn’t ours?
Tuesday, September 27, 2005
Rebel without a Pulse!
The hot new Zombie commoditie everyone should be looking forward to is nearly here. And I can barely contain myself. This coming fall the wrath of the zombie shall be released in the form of a video game. This games title is “Stubbs the Zombie: Rebel without a Pulse”. According to the official website (http://www.stubbsthezombie.com) Stubbs was a traveling salesman during the depression. He was brutally murdered and buried in rural PA (in the long line of zombie heritage that we have). 26 years later Stubbs returns from his grave to find that a futuristic city has been built on his burial site, and thus he begins to wreak havoc, feasting on brains and recruiting his zombie kin.
The game will be available on Xbox, PC, and Mac this fall and it is looking to be every zombie fans dream. In the game you play as Stubbs, the loveable carrion, and you find yourself with lots of fun activities. During game-play you can devour your victim’s brains and transform them into zombie minions, you can drive vehicles and run those pesky humans down, multiples at a time. You can even rip off your hand and control it similar to the hand, “Thing”, from the Adams family. Your roaming appendage can also be used to control humans to turn on each other, allowing you to use their weapons against them. And finally the last, and maybe greatest trick Stubbs has up his sleeve is a dandy little trick to rip out one of his organs and use it as a grenade against his foes, throwing and having it explode in a cloud of green gastric acid.
The cinema graphics are some of the best I have seen, although some say the actual game graphics seem a bit lacking. I say “P’SHAW” to them and remind you that it is not the graphics that make the game, it is the game-play itself and the enjoyment one can gain from it. All in all the game seems to be one worthy of great anticipation from the masses. If you are a zombie fan, as I avidly am, I suggest it become a staple of your Zombie game collection and should sit right next to your Resident Evil and House of the Dead Games on the shelf.
The game will be available on Xbox, PC, and Mac this fall and it is looking to be every zombie fans dream. In the game you play as Stubbs, the loveable carrion, and you find yourself with lots of fun activities. During game-play you can devour your victim’s brains and transform them into zombie minions, you can drive vehicles and run those pesky humans down, multiples at a time. You can even rip off your hand and control it similar to the hand, “Thing”, from the Adams family. Your roaming appendage can also be used to control humans to turn on each other, allowing you to use their weapons against them. And finally the last, and maybe greatest trick Stubbs has up his sleeve is a dandy little trick to rip out one of his organs and use it as a grenade against his foes, throwing and having it explode in a cloud of green gastric acid.
The cinema graphics are some of the best I have seen, although some say the actual game graphics seem a bit lacking. I say “P’SHAW” to them and remind you that it is not the graphics that make the game, it is the game-play itself and the enjoyment one can gain from it. All in all the game seems to be one worthy of great anticipation from the masses. If you are a zombie fan, as I avidly am, I suggest it become a staple of your Zombie game collection and should sit right next to your Resident Evil and House of the Dead Games on the shelf.
Thursday, September 15, 2005
The Infection...
In my ever apparent love affair with everything zombie, I am proud that I now have a place to share this wonderful link with you. When I found this page last year, or rather when my friend Jen showed it to me in a class, I immediately fell in love with it. I just find it so enjoyable to watch the little pink dots panicking and getting eaten by the grey (or green) dots. That is why I want to share it with you, so that hopefully you will find yourself giggling maniacally to yourself as I did.
http://kevan.org/proce55ing/zombies/
http://www.hardcorepawn.com/zombie3/
http://www.sothisisacomic.com/Zombie/zomb3.html
http://kevan.org/proce55ing/zombies/
http://www.hardcorepawn.com/zombie3/
http://www.sothisisacomic.com/Zombie/zomb3.html
Thursday, September 08, 2005
The capacity for Evil
Very often I find myself wondering, wondering about the world, about life, about society. There will always be things in this world which will disturb us. No one can escape that fact of human nature. There will always be something that we hate about ourselves, whether it is war, politics, murder, violence, rape, etc. There will always be something there to make our stomachs turn because there is the ability for evil in all of us. Sometimes it takes a disaster to bring it out. Just today on the CNN website (www.cnn.com) you can find stories about looting in New Orleans, an astronauts son who plead guilty to possessing child porn, and more violence and suicide bombs in Iraq. It’s terrible to read, and yet as much as we hate it we love it. We are always willing to hear the scandals, the violence the tragedy, our country thrives on it. Just look at any new channel and you see it everyday. The only news program I’ve seen in a long time without any violence or horror stories is Sunday Morning on CBS. Although, take a look at their webpage and you’ll find that bane of our society rearing it’s head, racism. Claims that the color and poverty of those hardest hit by Katrina was the reason aid took so long. If it is true that had those people been white and upper class, there would have been no delay in their rescue. Then it goes on to say that not only was it their race and economical status that was cause for their discrimination, but their voting patterns too! The nerve of some cabinets. Ah but lets not forget how corrupt they can be, and usually are. Heck maybe the anarchy of New Orleans wasn’t that bad, other than the rioting and the violent looting. We can’t even all like anarchy because the strong often win. Human nature at it’s greatest, and we all want to hear more about it from the safety of our living rooms.
Bad news is everywhere and we have to deal with it, but do we have to be swamped in it?
Bad news is everywhere and we have to deal with it, but do we have to be swamped in it?
Friday, September 02, 2005
Thursday, September 01, 2005
The Zombie Shuffle: A Social Sattire
As I was walking to class this morning, watching my fellow students marching on their way to their classes, I found myself relating their movements to those of the B movie zombies that I love so much. The quiet shuffling of hundreds of feet, all dragging along in the early morning sun brought fond thoughts and images to my mind.
I am an avid zombie movie fan; some might even consider me a connoisseur or a purist. I have watched the zombie classics many times, as many of them as I can get my hands on. But as I was marching along in the lifeless crowd I was reminded of the social remark many of those films were trying to make; remarks on a commercially driven society. The movie Dawn of the Dead, by George A. Romero was a revolutionary movie which was filled with symbolism. In it the heroes found themselves taking refuge within a mall. Throughout the mall there were zombies, and in much of the movie the zombies are depicted acting as more primitive versions of humans.
In his newest film, Land of The Dead, Romero gives his lifeless zombies even more human qualities. It seems from the very beginning that the zombies are trying or pretending to be human. When I watched the movie a second time, and again as I was walking to class this morning, I was hit with the revelation that sometimes it seems that we humans, are merely pretending to be human.
I am an avid zombie movie fan; some might even consider me a connoisseur or a purist. I have watched the zombie classics many times, as many of them as I can get my hands on. But as I was marching along in the lifeless crowd I was reminded of the social remark many of those films were trying to make; remarks on a commercially driven society. The movie Dawn of the Dead, by George A. Romero was a revolutionary movie which was filled with symbolism. In it the heroes found themselves taking refuge within a mall. Throughout the mall there were zombies, and in much of the movie the zombies are depicted acting as more primitive versions of humans.
In his newest film, Land of The Dead, Romero gives his lifeless zombies even more human qualities. It seems from the very beginning that the zombies are trying or pretending to be human. When I watched the movie a second time, and again as I was walking to class this morning, I was hit with the revelation that sometimes it seems that we humans, are merely pretending to be human.
Tuesday, August 30, 2005
A revolutionary class
So today was the beginning of classes for me. My first class was College composition with Prof. Barlow. I must admit that due to my boyfriend taking one of his classes last semester I was expecting to be writing in a more creative medium in this class. The extent to which, it has been revealed to me, is much more than I could have hoped for. It appears that this course will teach us effective means of communication by making us create and update an online blog. What you are currently reading, is that blog. We will be graded upon weekly updates to our blogs, as well as our comments on classmates blogs.
I feel that this will be a very useful experience for me, and I hope that it will prove to be so. If anything it should be interesting at least.
I feel that this will be a very useful experience for me, and I hope that it will prove to be so. If anything it should be interesting at least.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)