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Author's Note: Just something I slapped together just now based on a thought I had this morning when I should really be writing something else. :P Actually turned out to be a bit more serious than I anticipated when I realized that I really was onto something here, so that's actually a good thing. :)
"Y'know, I suppose I should ask you the obvious question, at least while I've got the chance."
Chell glanced up at the little, robotic, personality sphere as it rolled along it's rail, turned backwards so its blue eye faced her, the most likely only surviving human in the whole Aperture Science facility (or what was left of it), running along below him. She thought inwardly to herself if this was really a good time for any questions at all. True, Wheatly typically meant well, and was the only sentient device here that she had encountered that did. And, he was friendly, and good company. And he was supposedly trying to help her, but as they both knew very well already, his help had already gotten them in bigger trouble, and either way, Chell wasn't sure she could trust the little sphere that fully just yet. She was only following him now because there was little else she could do, and Wheatly clearly knew his way around these ruins better than she did.
Keeping that all in mind, she guessed Wheatly was entitled to asking a question or two of her. But not now. The time for that definitely wasn't now. Right now was the time to run. Fast. And try to quickly find a way out of here.
Because GLaDOS was still alive.
And they could both agree that was very bad.
"I was just thinking about earlier," Wheatly continued, his little spherical body moving in sync with his talking. He may be a robot that was nothing more than a single sphere with one robotic eye but despite not having much means of expressing emotion with all of that, he managed it quite well, "Y'know, when I…accidently…woke up you-know-who? Terribly sorry about that, too. Really, I am. Not at all what I had planned."
Chell knew he was sorry. He had so repeatedly again and again when their attempted escape went south with GLaDOS's reactivation and landed Chell back in an eerily familiar mess she had hoped she had already escaped.
"I was just thinking about what she said to you, and it's left me kind of lost. I'm…not kept in the loop very well about what happens in this place sometimes. Which, given circumstances, might be a good thing. But you two clearly have met before."
Chell slowed to a stop and looked intently up at Wheatly on his rail. She guessed his question before he even said it.
"So my question is, how do you two know each other? There's clearly a story."
Of all the questions he could've asked, it had to be this one. A question about an incident that she'd rather forget.
Now wasn't the time for this.
Wheatly wasn't going to let the subject drop, however. "She said it's been a 'long time' since she had seen you. Just how long? Surely not as long as I think it is, because if it's as long as I think it is, then I think that would put you at a time and place in this laboratory's history I don't think I like thinking about you being at…I don't think. Which leads me to my next point. This talk of you murdering her. Is that…I dunno…metaphorical? Or…did you really kill her? Or, at least try to? And when was that? Because, again, if it's the time I think it is…ugh, that would not be good."
Chell, as she frequently did, had little to say about the matter. What was there that she could say? Wheatly had already just about guessed the truth. It was remarkable that he hadn't done it before now. He clearly didn't like the sound of the truth, but it was the truth nonetheless.
"Are we possibly referring to some murdering incident that occurred before I came along?" Wheatly continued, obviously hoping the truth actually wasn't truth, "Because now that I think about it, there's only one murdering incident that I know of that took place against her, and that's…not a high point in history, not for the likes of me," he looked at her for a long moment with his one electric blue eye, that one eye again managing to convey more emotion than it probably should, "Please tell me it's not the event I'm thinking of."
Chell only hung her head, unable to deny what she knew to be true.
Wheatly's one eye widened. "It is the time I'm thinking of, isn't it?" he asked, "But then…that would make you responsible for…all of this."
The personality sphere looked around at their immediate surroundings, and Chell saw that if he had arms, Wheatly would be using them to motion at their tattered, aging, and ruined surroundings. Again, she couldn't make eye contact with the little robot.
"Well, that's just great. You do realize what you've done, right? I mean, sure, she probably had it coming to her, whatever it was that you did to her. But didn't you stop to think about the consequences that might have had on the rest of us that were stuck fending for ourselves?"
Wheatly's tone was rising. It was clear that he wasn't exactly thrilled to hear this. It only made feel Chell more guilty about it, which also made her feel stupidly guilty about hurting the feelings of a robot.
"Why is it I'm always the last to know about these things?" Wheatly ranted on, now wandering back and forth on his rail, talking aloud more to himself than Chell, "Why is that? Does the universe simply not like me? Heck, I was the last to know she bit it when it all began! Sure, I thought 'good riddance' like we all did at the time, as she certainly didn't seem to be doing us any favors back then, but that was before we knew this would come of it!" again, he made the armless gesture at his surrounding with that one eye of his as a replacement, then sighed, "You know, I didn't think much of it when I found you where I did, all locked up and in stasis, but now I think I'm starting to see why. To keep you from messing things up more. Probably somebody's idea of punishment for what you did to her, and to us goodly robots that never did anything wrong to you humans."
Chell looked around that her decaying surroundings, and agreed with that sentiment. She barely remembered events after she had supposedly 'murdered' GLaDOS, but she knew it was no accident she had ended up back inside Aperture Science and in stasis for who knew how long just to be woken back up and find that she was quite likely no better off than she was the first time, if not altogether worse. This probably was meant to be punishment for her potentially reckless but seemingly fitting and oddly satisfying actions from before.
"Probably some kind of punishment for me too, and I didn't even do anything! But that's how it always works! Never had any kind of respect in this place. So they stick me with the fate of being the one stuck with guiding the very human who messed up all of our lives!"
Wheatly fell silent for a moment, not at all looking happy, then suddenly rounded on Chell, glaring at her.
"Y'know, I don't have to put up with this. Not at all! In fact, I haven't been stuck with this for one bit! I can quit at anytime and just go back to my stupid, boring, life running around and around and around on this stupid rail! Maybe I can't escape this mad joint and the whole crazy lot of you, but it seems I was better off that way! So goodbye, you smelly human! You do what you want, but I will have no part of it!"
And with that, Wheatly spun around on his rail and sped off on down it, heading away from Chell. Chell started a half-hearted attempt to follow, but Wheatly went faster than she could run, and was rapidly out of sight, and gone, leaving her alone. Silence quickly fell in the ruins of the facility, which sent a chill down Chell's spine as she realized just how very vulnerable she felt standing around like this on her own. She didn't have any idea where to go from here, not without Wheatly. This was a part of Aperture Science she had never been in before, outside the accursed Enrichment Center, and was suddenly much more complicated than she remembered it being anyway. And to top it off, the broken feelings of a robot stung her much more than she thought it would.
For a long while she just stood there, feeling lost.
But then she decided it wasn't like she was beaten yet. She had been in a situation like this before and managed actually rather admirably, and survived. So if she had done it once, what was really stopping her from doing it again? Sure, maybe she did have two AIs mad at her now, but she really only needed to worry about the one, and avoid the other, which would be easy as he seemed to be avoiding her now. And maybe she was to blame for getting them all in this situation of here and now, but if she could do it over, even if she did know what she knew now, she'd do it all over again with few qualms, simply because she knew it was the right thing to do. Regardless of what happened, and how it was done, GLaDOS had to be stopped, and right now, she was the only one willing to do it.
Heartened by these thoughts, she was just about to venture off in the most practical direction when Wheatly came rolling back to her at top speed.
"I'm sorry!" he declared as he approached, sounding back to his relatively optimistic self, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I didn't mean any of that! I'm just…y'know…bitter for being left alone in a crumbing facility with no one to talk to but a bunch of demented robots for the past several hundred years, half of which are no longer working right! I just wanted to blame my troubles on…something and then lash out at it! I mean, can you blame me? It's a miracle I haven't gone mad in this accursed place myself!" he slowed to a stop to hang above Chell's head like he had never left, "And then I thought to myself, why am I chewing you out? You couldn't have known what would've happened when you did what you did! What you did was perfectly logical given the circumstances. And you're just as much a victim in all of this as I am! You're not to blame, not at all, and I'm sorry I even stopped to think that. 'Cause we both know who's really to blame for all of this."
Chell nodded. GLaDOS was to blame for all of this.
"And to heck with this whole joint, anyway! Like I really care what happens to it, and all in it. Hardly anything left to care about. Nobody that matters, at least. Just me, you, and Miss Back-from-the-dead-who-I-hope-had-stayed-dead-and-will-hopefully-soon-be-dead-again. Hasn't brought me any good staying here anyway, not at all, so I figure, the sooner we get out of here, the better! And if we have to fight to do it, then so be it! I'm willing to die trying, how about you?"
He looked at Chell with his expressive single eye again, and looked for all the world to be smiling, despite not having a mouth. So Chell returned the grin.
And then, it was back to business.
"So, where were we?" Wheatly asked, looking around quickly to get his bearing before starting off again, Chell following, "Ah yes, escaping. This way should do it, then, I think. I remember this corridor, too. Funny story to go with it, too, from about a century back when those blasted turrets tried to organize themselves and failed terribly. Good times, I tell you, good times…"
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https://www.fanfiction.net/s/6300924/1/Who-To-Blame
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dclm-gs1-023650000
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[
"GLaDOS"
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Comments Threshold
What a load of crap
By tim851 on 2/17/2009 9:52:48 AM , Rating: 5
Sure, that's why all these Linux distros have gone C3PO on us...
RE: What a load of crap
By Rugar on 2/17/2009 10:05:21 AM , Rating: 2
Heh... I wish I could +1 you for the C3PO. Clearly this is about to happen because Cyberdyne found technology from the future and incorporated it into our new killer robots.
RE: What a load of crap
By quiksilvr on 2/17/2009 10:20:39 AM , Rating: 2
Oh for God's sake. A.I. CANNOT MAKE THEIR OWN ALGORITHMS WITHOUT US EITHER PUTTING IT THERE OR TELLING IT TO MAKE ONE THEMSELVES. How can an A.I. that was originally designed to receive orders, shoot and move magically gets insane processing power from the air and decides: "I'm gonna doughnut across the desert!" and just randomly writes its own line of code saying so? It doesn't make any goddamn sense! If it does end up doing a doughnut across the desert, 99.9999999% of the time, it's just buggy and the programmer screwed up somewhere.
RE: What a load of crap
By Rugar on 2/17/2009 10:35:22 AM , Rating: 2
Wow... That so totally had to do with my comment.
And by the way, it's because of the reverse engineered chips!
RE: What a load of crap
By callmeroy on 2/17/2009 11:33:40 AM , Rating: 5
First...enough already with the dramatised replies to such articles.
My hunch, albeit just a hunch...tells me the team researching this and writing this kind of code are a notch above the average run of the mill programmer who just got their degree from. Now I don't know anyone personally on these forums - so perhaps some of you are akin to a programming God , maybe you have multiple PhD's, perhaps you already have the foundations down for designing a time machine, curing cancer and solving the problem with world hunger.....BUT I think you also might just be overly down playing the skills of these folks and their knowledge just a tad.
I'm sure there's more to it that what we've already discussed here...
RE: What a load of crap
By Rugar on 2/17/09, Rating: -1
RE: What a load of crap
By arazok on 2/17/2009 2:53:01 PM , Rating: 5
Do you seriously think that I am actually suggesting that there is a company named Cyberdyne which reverse engineered a chip taken from the arm of a destroyed T-800 sent back in time to kill Sarah Connor?
That’s what I thought. You have no idea how relieved I am to know you weren’t serious.
RE: What a load of crap
By Seemonkeyscanfly on 2/17/2009 5:23:03 PM , Rating: 2
Yea, I was worried about that too. In real life the company is call Cybertech Autonomics LLC. They had to change the name in the movie. The movie did not want to pay for the royalty rates to use the real name of the company. :)
RE: What a load of crap
By bigboxes on 2/17/2009 3:39:25 PM , Rating: 5
Are you serious about being serious about this dude being serious? You can't be serious. Seriously.
RE: What a load of crap
I think you missed a great dude opertunity....
RE: What a load of crap
RE: What a load of crap
Dude. . .
RE: What a load of crap
By bohhad on 2/19/2009 2:10:47 PM , Rating: 2
RE: What a load of crap
By MamiyaOtaru on 2/22/2009 5:56:28 PM , Rating: 2
RE: What a load of crap
By gamerk2 on 2/17/2009 11:53:31 AM , Rating: 5
Actaully, some advanced programming languages allow for the code itself to be replaced automatically at run-time depending on certain variables, so its quite possible for code to be "written" without any human involvement.
RE: What a load of crap
By quiksilvr on 2/17/09, Rating: -1
RE: What a load of crap
By TSS on 2/17/2009 1:37:30 PM , Rating: 3
the problem isn't in telling the bots what to do. it's telling them what to do, having a malfunction, and them not stopping.
where already telling them to kill other humans, although to us those humans are "the enemy".
this discussion is about giving robots ethics, in other words, allowing them to seperate friend from foe themselves.
which, in my oppinion, is the first step to the terminator universe. hell we try to teach a robot ethics then a human orders him to go kill another human, but not *those* humans.
where in the process does the bot learn right from wrong? and what would the bot percieve as wrong? would a bot operating for nazi germany, percieve it ethically wrong to kill jews and rise up against their masters (which would be a terminator situation).
this debate is far more philosophical then just debating wether the code is *capable* of doing it.
any player of world of warcraft will tell you that eventually, code will start to get a mind of his own. i swear that game just wants me dead at times (out of the blue for no reason pulling an entire FIELD of npc's).
RE: What a load of crap
By rudolphna on 2/17/2009 2:12:45 PM , Rating: 1
Great post, exactly my thoughts. Oh, and on the WoW thing I know exactly what you speak of. Sometimes I think there is a blizz employee sitting at a screen screwing around and doing it on purpose, lol.
RE: What a load of crap
By rykerabel on 2/17/2009 3:02:11 PM , Rating: 2
RE: What a load of crap
By GaryJohnson on 2/17/2009 2:15:24 PM , Rating: 2
You had me up until "world of warcraft".
RE: What a load of crap
RE: What a load of crap
RE: What a load of crap
By SleepyGreg on 2/17/2009 2:56:08 PM , Rating: 2
I think the concern is that the AI is going to have a learning ability (necessary to overcome new experiences out in the field) This ability to learn and write its own code based on experience coupled with millions of lines of existing human code and its inevitable bugs gives a potential for unpredictable outcomes. I'd say it's a very real threat. We're not just talking about a hardwired machine here, it's a dynamic evolving system with millions of permutations. And there will be "surprises"
RE: What a load of crap
RE: What a load of crap
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RE: What a load of crap
RE: What a load of crap
RE: What a load of crap
RE: What a load of crap
RE: What a load of crap
By WayneG on 2/17/2009 1:05:00 PM , Rating: 2
So who made it in the first place?!? :O
RE: What a load of crap
RE: What a load of crap
RE: What a load of crap
Robot virus FTW!
RE: What a load of crap
Have you seen how we behave?;)
RE: What a load of crap
You will see the Real trojan Horses...
RE: What a load of crap
RE: What a load of crap
By Rodney McNaggerton on 2/17/2009 2:26:12 PM , Rating: 2
The idea isn't a load of crap, this article is.
RE: What a load of crap
By Gul Westfale on 2/17/2009 10:24:39 PM , Rating: 1
so a robot going "terminator"...
navybot: lower your gun and surrender!
enemy soldier: NO (starts shooting)
enemy soldier: why so serious?
RE: What a load of crap
By Azsen on 2/18/2009 3:30:35 PM , Rating: 2
Ahahahaha gold!
Dunno why they're rating you down.
RE: What a load of crap
By sweetsauce on 2/23/2009 2:09:20 PM , Rating: 2
you forgot
enemy soldier: you mad bro?
RE: What a load of crap
By Gideon on 2/18/2009 2:41:53 AM , Rating: 2
100% agree, that's why I think the article heading is terribly misguided (good for clicks though :D). No-one is actually talking about these robots creating a Strong AI out of the blue, rather about screwing up and causing friendly fire or doing something else unexpected causing human life loss.
With semi-autonomous robots actually pulling the trigger the risk of something like that happening is considerably higher than with previous complex military systems.
RE: What a load of crap
By MrPoletski on 2/18/2009 8:40:43 AM , Rating: 2
well at least we know that if we ever lose any of these robots..
that they'll be back...
RE: What a load of crap
By TheOneStorm on 2/19/2009 11:53:31 AM , Rating: 2
I'd fear ethical laws programming more than AI. The storyline depicted in "i, Robot" is in relation to ethical law programming moreso than robots turning against their humanoid creators in reference to the Terminator series.
In "i, Robot" the ethical programming of the machines became the point that humans themselves, living, is an endangerment of their own life. That robots must control our lives for our own sake because humans are susceptible to free will and have the possibility of doing wrong. Inevitably, hindering war and other human-on-human violence. How could ethical programming, in the sense of obtaining morality in forms of AI (which is what they're trying to accomplish), ever logically process the good in HELPING us in war, than backing away from war and defending itself?
I'm all for AI, and I could care less about these claims. I just thought I'd chime in because this is one of the first times I've heard of any military leadership mention "ethical programming" before.
I think MS has probably helped instill this fear of too many people working on a large codebase that could never be bug-free.
<joke>In my not-so-humble opinion, as long as MS isn't the creator of the AI "operating system", we should be fine.</joke> :)
RE: What a load of crap
By SiliconAddict on 2/20/2009 12:28:25 AM , Rating: 2
Hmmm and just because we have had decades of falures to create a real honest to God AI means that it will never happen? Look at computing power. Its come a hell of a lot closer in the past 10 years to the capability of the human brain then in the past 20. Look at our ability to program. How the hell do we know where the tipping point is between a program designed be intelligent in a narrow confine and one that has the ability to program itself. Something that starts doing thing could easily be seen as simply a programming error on the part of a human and overlooked. This is where the "code is getting to big" comes into play.
There is a certain amount of arrogance based on past failures in your statement that is exactly why an article like this should be "considered" No I'm not talking OMG! RUN FOR THE HILLS! THE ROBOTS ARE GONNA GET US! DESTROY ALL TECH NOW BEFORE ITS TOO LATE!!!!111oneoneone
But start taking this seriously as we move forward.
RE: What a load of crap
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http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=14298&commentid=408523&threshhold=1&red=2753
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Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2002 video game)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Star Wars: The Clone Wars
North American PS2 cover art
North American PS2 cover art
Developer(s) Pandemic Studios
Publisher(s) LucasArts
Engine Zero
Platform(s) GameCube
Release date(s)
Genre(s) Action
Mode(s) Single-player, multiplayer
Star Wars: The Clone Wars is a video game developed by Pandemic Studios and published by LucasArts. Star Wars: The Clone Wars was released for the Nintendo GameCube on October 28, 2002, the PlayStation 2 on December 10, 2002, and the Xbox on April 22, 2003.
This game mostly consists of vehicular combat, although there are a few times on certain missions where the player controls Anakin Skywalker and Mace Windu. The main vehicles in this game (in order of most used to least used) are the IFT-X, the Republic Gunship, and the AT-XT (aka Republic Walker). The player plays as the Grand Army of the Republic throughout the game. Though, in the various multiplayer modes offered in the game, players may select vehicles from both the Republic Army and the Confederacy of Independent Systems Army.
CIS vehicles include the Hailfire droid, GAT, and the Armoured Assault Tank (AAT).
The game is split up into two segments, vehicles and 3rd person Jedi fighting. The vehicle segments involve most vehicles from the Star Wars universe: STAPs, tanks, AATs, AT-XTs and clone gunships. The controls used involve primary and secondary fire, acceleration and a special ability that changes from vehicle to vehicle. The Jedi segments use basic lightsaber slashing and two force powers, which rely on a force power bar, lightsaber throw and force push.
The game begins with the Battle of Geonosis, and takes the player through the evacuation of Rhen Var, with the player leading the escape only minutes before the Separatist Army captures the planet.
The battle of Raxus Prime
One month after the Battle of Geonosis, the Republic detects unusual activity on Raxus Prime, and sends a strike force led by Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi to investigate the activity.
On arrival, they find Separatist forces at an excavation site. They send for reinforcements to take the planet. The Republic captures Raxus Prime, but during the battle, Anakin is captured by Count Dooku.
Anakin Skywalker is sent to Alaris Prime, the Kashyyyk moon, to be executed. Skywalker and the other prisoners are doomed to be killed by the Force Harvester, an ancient Sith weapon that drains the Force from all living things within its range. Anakin is able to escape his cell and call for help. The Republic arrives, rescues Anakin, and destroys the Separatist presence on Alaris Prime.
When Anakin returns to the Jedi Temple, Yoda and Mace Windu tell him and Obi-Wan of the Dark Reaper, an ancient Sith weapon built during the Great Sith War that was so powerful that none could withstand it. It required large amounts of energy to work, which the Force Harvester could provide. Windu then mentions that the Reaper was destroyed by a fallen Jedi Knight Ulic Qel-Droma, and the remains of the Sith weapon were scattered by the Jedi across the galaxy. To learn more about the Dark Reaper, Anakin and Obi-Wan lead Republic forces to Rhen Var to retake the planet from the Separtists. In an ancient tomb, Anakin meets the spirit of Ulic Qel-Droma, who teaches Anakin how to defeat the Dark Reaper and reveals the location of the Sith Weapon. With the Dark Reaper located on Thule, Anakin, Obi-Wan and Windu lead Republic forces to Thule to prevent the Sith Weapon from being built.
When they reach Thule, a massive battle ensues. While the other Jedi and Republic forces battle the Separatist forces outside the Sith Temple in Theed, Anakin enters the temple and destroys the Dark Reaper. As Republic forces are leaving Thule after the battle, Windu claims that the battle has turned the tide of the war, but Yoda reminds him the war is far from over.
The game achieved mixed to positive reviews on online gaming website reviews. IGN gave the game 7.6/10, noting, "The action is intense, the control is fluid and tight, and the gameplay is diverse and well balanced," but also noting, "If only some of the more technical flaws and lack of polish had been smoothed out before the game shipped." GameSpot's score for the game was 7.5/10, commenting, "Despite some strategic elements, it really is a pure action game at heart, filled with plenty of targets to shoot at, plenty of power-ups to collect, and a good variety of tough missions to accomplish. " The game has a Metacritic score of 73 out of 100 for the Gamecube[1] and 72 out of 100 for the PlayStation 2.[2]
External links[edit]
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Wars:_The_Clone_Wars_(2002_video_game)
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dclm-gs1-043490000
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"T-X"
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0.232512
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| 0.991417
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A note from the author: See, I was on this forum thread about whether there were any good Twilight crossovers, and I was like, "Someone should write a Twilight/Portal crossover where GLaDOS kills Bella and makes Edward eat cake." And then someone was like, "DO IT." And then I was like, "Ok." So I did it. Then I posted it on here. Anyway, I hope it gives you some lulz.
Another note: You have NO FRIKKING IDEA how happy all the favs/comments this story has gotten have made me. I mean, considering the crap I usually write, making something that this many people like feels AMAZING. However, I don't think I'll writ a sequel piece. Honestly, I don't think I could pull off something like this a second time, and I kind of want to keep this piece, I don't know, pure.
Disclaimer: Thank Dead God (cookies if you get that reference) I don't own Twilight. I would never claim to own something so horrible. As for Portal, I'm rather dismayed that I have no rights to it. But I do finally own a plushie Companion Cube.[/off topic] Now, on with the fic!
Consciousness came slowly to Bella. The first thing she was aware of was how warm she was-that was wrong. Where was her velvet-voiced marble statue? Shouldn't he be by her side at all times? She searched the space around her by touch. He wasn't there! Where, oh where could he be? She began to panic-she couldn't function without her true love! Oh, the chagrin! Her eyes snapped open. "Edward!" she screamed, noting his absence from her immediate line of sight. Where was he? Bella was beginning to hyperventilate when she heard another voice-not the velvety, low tones she so longed to hear, but a different voice-female, with a sound of being pre-recorded.
"Oh, I see you've woken up," the voice said.
"Where's Edward?" Bella yelled at it.
"You mean the pale boy who was with you? Don't worry. He's… safe," came the voice.
Bella whimpered. Something had taken Edward away from her! What could she do now? How would she survive with nobody to watch her every move?
As if it had read her mind, the voice said, "He's right up here with me. We'll both be observing as you undergo the following… tests. Afterwards, you will be escorted to the reception area, where there will be cake. Your friend will wait there for you."
Bella relaxed a bit. Edward would be there just as soon as she could pass the tests. Well, that would be easy! She was, of course, getting straight A's in all subjects and had finished the entire reading list in fourth grade.
"Please step into the elevator."
Bella turned, curious. What elevator?
The voice seemed exasperated when it said, "Please step into the elevator behind you. Then testing can begin."
Bella turned. Oh, that elevator! In her panic, she hadn't taken in her surroundings, other than to note Edward's absence. She tried to walk to the elevator, but tripped over a dust bunny on the way there. She was so clumsy! Oh, what a flaw! Oh, well. She was only human, after all. Being flawless would be unrealistic!
After tripping six more times, Bella finally dragged herself into the elevator. She stood up as the door closed, but almost fell over again as it rocketed upwards.
As she was lifted, she thought with chagrin about Edward. Where was he now? Could he see her? Was he worried about her? She began to fantasize about seeing him again. He would look up and smile his beautiful crooked smile that other people thought made him look constipated. She would grin and blush. They would run into each other's arms and begin kissing passionately. "We'll never be apart again," he'd whisper in his velvety voice, as she sniffed his hair. He'd kiss her neck, causing her to moan with pleasure. "Take me, Edward!" she'd scream, and he would tentatively remove her shirt-
"Are you going to leave the elevator or not?" the voice asked.
Bella looked up. The elevator had stopped moving, and the doors had opened. Another door with the words "Aperture Science" stood a few feet in front of her. She took a few tentative steps forward, then screamed and almost fell over as something dropped in front of her.
"This is your portal gun," explained the robotic voice so unlike the velvet one she longed to hear. "You will use it to complete the tests. Try not to shoot yourself with it."
Bella cautiously picked up the gun, wishing Edward were with her. She then proceeded through the doors.
After three chambers, GLaDOS was getting pretty fed up with the new test subject. Not that time mattered very much to the computer, but it had been twelve days. Most subject only took about twelve minutes! This outlier was going to throw off her averages, then her results wouldn't be as accurate! How annoying!
"You know," she said over the intercom, "You could try being a bit faster. I understand that your weight may be slowing you down, but we wouldn't want you to age too much during testing. Your seemingly ageless companion probably wouldn't enjoy your company as much if you were eighty years old." She made a note of the comment in her internal log book-everything she said to the test subject had to be carefully recorded, as well as their reaction.
The girl's eyes widened. GLaDOS hoped she was realizing that she needed to speed up. Then she did the exact opposite of what the computer had been hoping for. She put down the portal gun, flopped on the ground, and began to bawl.
"IT'S TRUE!" she yelled. "I'm a horribly ugly, fat girl! Oh, why do I have to have such fine pale skin? Why am I cursed with chocolate-brown eyes and slim ankles? And I weigh 110 pounds! I'm fat and ugly and Edward could never love me!"
As GLaDOS displayed a facepalming GIF, the pale boy acted up again.
"Bella!" he shouted. "I love you, Bella! Bella!" GLaDOS sighed and recorded their reactions.
"I'm sorry," she said over the intercom. "I didn't mean that. But your companion would like to say something to you." This was a desperate move-she usually tried to make the subject feel completely alone except for herself, but she had to get the girl moving. She turned to the boy and quickly instructed him in what to say.
"Bella," he said into the intercom mic she lowered to him, "You need to get out of here, Love. I can guide you through the levels if she'll let me-" He looked at GLaDOS, who displayed a nodding GIF. "She will. You've got to get up, Love."
"EDWARD!" screamed the girl at a pitch so high GLaDOS was surprised humans could hear it. As she made a note of it, the pale boy continued.
"Bella, dear, get up please." She instantly did as he said. GLaDOS took down a note, somewhat confused. Were all humans so willing to obey other humans? Concluding that she'd have to have a wider base of test humans for further research on the subject, she allowed the test to continue.
The levels were much faster with the pale boy directing the was especially surprised at the end of the Companion Cube level. She'd expected the girl to take much longer to incinerate it-judging by how she acted with the boy, she became attached very easily. However, she had dumped the cube into the disposal pit without a moment's hesitation. It was confusing, and once again, GLaDOS concluded that she'd need to experiment more with another human outside the test chambers.
"This is the last test," came the voice. "I am obligated to remind you that when you are finished, you will be baked, and then there will be cake." Bella considered this for a moment, then decided to ignore it. She'd be with Edward soon, anyway. She couldn't wait to see his beauty again. She imagined what he would look like to look at him after what seemed like ages. The first thing she'd notice would be his beautiful, ice-cold skin. Then she'd be able to see his liquid-amber eyes, like molten gold. She'd run at him, kiss him. She'd smell his luscious scent ag-
"Well? Are you going to leave the elevator? You can't pass the level unless you do so, you know."
GLaDOS had considered carefully for the past few weeks, during the earlier test chambers. She'd taken into account her observations-particularly of the boy's changes in eye color, and how the darker they got, the more frenzied he became. She took a covert scan of his biochemistry and noticed that as time passed and his eyes grew darker, his blood levels decreased. Further scans showed he was not actually human but a similar species that, for no logical reason GLaDOS could come up with, sparkled in the sunlight, did not age or die naturally, and did not eat like most humans but needed to drink blood to maintain proper levels. She wondered if the fact that they were different species had something to do with his control over the girl, but that could not be tested now. Having taken all of this into account, she'd devised the perfect way to end the testing.
Finally, finally, Bella completed the final test. She was moved on a platform into a reception area. She was looking around for Edward when the robotic voice came again.
"Congratulations on finishing your testing. Your companion will show up in twenty seconds."
The seconds seemed like hours to Bella, who couldn't wait to see her Adonis again. At long last, the doors at the other end of the reception opened.
Edward was even more beautiful than she'd remembered. His skin, pale as marble, was nearly glowing-though not sparkling, because no sunlight penetrated the windowless building. She rushed at him, unable to be away from him a moment longer.
"Bella! No-!"
And then she was in his arms.
And then she saw that something was amiss.
His eyes, which she'd been fantasizing about since the tests began, were not the golden honey color she was used to.
They were black.
"Bella, I-"
But, unable to restrain himself any longer, he tore into the flesh of her neck.
GLaDOS watched as the pale boy drank the girl's blood and dropped her, dead, on the floor. This was what she'd been hoping for-the boy's reaction to killing his obsession would be most interesting. His eyes, she noted, were no longer yellow-brown or black, but a deep red.
"Why?" he yelled. "Why did you make me do this!" He knelt by the girl's body. He was not crying, but he seemed to be trying. It was possible that he was unable to.
"I wanted to see what you would do," she said simply, recording his reaction in her internal log. "But the fun part is only beginning. I said there would be cake, after all. And since you and I have all eternity together…"
A robotic arm holding a slice of cake popped out from the wall of the "reception area" and advanced slowly towards the boy's mouth.
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How Mac OS X, 10 Today, Changed Apple's World 342
Posted by timothy
from the x-is-ten-but-x10-is-older dept.
CWmike writes "Ten years ago today, Apple's first full public version of Mac OS X went on sale worldwide to a gleeful reception as thousands of Mac users attended special events at their local computer shops all across the planet. What we didn't know then was that Apple was preparing to open up its own chain of retail outlets, nor had we heard Steve Jobs use the phrase, 'iPod.' Windows was still a competitor, and Google was still a search engine. These were halcyon days, when being a Mac user meant belonging to the second team, writes Jonny Evans. We're looking at the eighth significant OS X release in the next few months, Lion, which should offer some elements of unification between the iOS and OS X. There's still some bugs to iron out though, particularly the problem with ACL's (Access Control Lists) inside the Finder. Hopefully departing ex-NeXT Mac OS chief, Bertrand Serlet, will be able to fix this before he leaves."
Comment: HOW MUCH, IF ANY? (Score 1) 183
by rdmiller3 (#33388836) Attached to: Follow Up On Solar Neutrinos and Radioactive Decay
I can't find anything which says how much variation they claim to have seen. Usually when the word "significant" is missing, it means that the variation can't be reliably distinguished from measurement error.
I don't give a rip what they think might be causing variation in decay rates. Not yet.
I want to see some verification that decay rates actually vary at all, first. Last I heard, they don't
Comment: Limiting access of (specificially) photographers (Score 2, Insightful) 435
by rdmiller3 (#32812858) Attached to: Ban On Photographing Near Gulf Oil Booms
65 feet is only a couple of boat-lengths. That's pretty close. If I was working those booms, I'd be worried about any boat that close running over or afoul of the boom.
So photographers are limited to 65ft. How close can other people get? Is that still 300ft? My guess is that reporters are belly-aching because they can't get close enough to dip a gloved hand into the oil and show it to the camera.
Cheap Incubator Backpack Could Reduce Infant Deaths 76
Posted by timothy
from the also-would-be-fun-to-carry-babies-around dept.
Boy Wunda writes "In just one six-month period in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 2006, 96 newborn babies who were in need of medical care died before they could get help. In many developing nations, these deaths could be prevented simply by providing better ways for medical responders to transport infants properly over rough terrain and keep them alive until they can reach hospitals and clinics. Now, a group of Colorado State University seniors has designed and filed a patent for a medically equipped incubator backpack unit that they believe can reduce baby deaths in medical emergencies both in the United States and in newly industrialized nations."
When you go out to buy, don't show your silver.
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A Gas Chamber would be any room or facility where the victim will suffocate to death or be asphyxiated. An actual equivalent to the Gas Chamber might be used, a room where [[DeadlyGas noxious or poisonous gas]] is being fed through the ventilation system. Or, it could be a room with a vacuum sucking all the air out, or people could just be [[AlmostOutOfOxygen left in a sealed room]] to eventually choke on their own carbon dioxide.
Serious NightmareFuel, with the extra horror of being TruthInTelevision for several million people during [[UsefulNotes/WorldWarTwo The Holocaust.]] A villain contemplating using one has usually crossed the MoralEventHorizon of villainy.
[[folder: Anime ]]
* ''Anime/SaberRiderAndTheStarSheriffs'' had an episode in which Sabre Rider went to the Outworld and confronted the main baddie, who proceeded to suck the oxygen out of the room, as he himself didn't need it.
* This is what happens to [[spoiler: Hinamizawa's population under the "Disaster of Hinamizawa" natural disaster coverup]] in ''VisualNovel/HigurashiWhenTheyCry''.
* In ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamWing'', [[TheLancer Duo]] and [[ArrogantKungFuGuy Wufei]] are trapped in a little cell along with [[MadScientist Professor G]]. The amount of air is limited (they are in space, after all), and Professor G says something along the lines of "If anyone wants to die, they should do so, and save some oxygen for the rest of us!"
* In an early chapter of the Manga/LupinIII manga, a guard said Lupin would be heading to the GasChamber. [[SympatheticInspectorAntagonist Inspector Zenigata]] knows that the method of execution at this particular joint is the electric chair and any guard would've known that. He has just enough time to figure out the guard is actually Lupin in disguise before Lupin [[XanatosBackfire uses this knowledge against him]] and he sets off to rescue the guard Lupin sent to be electrocuted in his place. This story was adapted into the Anime/LupinIIIGreenJacket episode [[Recap/LupinIIIS1E4 "One Chance to Breakout"]].
[[folder: Comic Books ]]
* ''{{Tintin}} in America'' had bandits drop Tintin into one through a TrapDoor, before dropping his corpse in the Michigan. In the comic, they [[DeusExMachina unintentionally used the wrong gas]] (a soporific) instead; in the animated version, there is no mention made of the soporific being a mistake ([[MakeItLookLikeAnAccident a drowning looks more "accidental"]]), and Tintin is rescued from the Lake by Snowy instead.
* In ''Comicbook/ThePunisherCircleOfBlood'', Punisher is dropped through a TrapDoor into Trust's brainwashing chamber, and sedative gas is there to greet him. However, he easily escapes since he was dropped in with his gear, and the room was built with defenseless targets for "reidentification therapy" in mind.
[[folder:Fan Fic]]
* In the ''WesternAnimation/KimPossible'' fanfic ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9565191/1/An-Old-Foe-Returns An Old Foe Returns]]'', Mastermind attempts to test his formula that would diminish humanity's mental capacities on Kim and Ron through this manner. It's only through quick thinking and creativity that they escape.
[[folder: Film ]]
* ''Film/SawII'' had a gas '''house'''.
* ''Franchise/StarWars Episode I: Film/ThePhantomMenace'' features at the beginning the Nemoidan Trade Federation trying to gas the ambassador Jedi (or heavily-armed religious fanatics, depending on your perspective).
* ''Film/IWantToLive!'' [[spoiler: Barbara is executed inside a gas chamber.]]
* The unseen BigBad of ''[[Franchise/PoliceAcademy Police Academy 6]]'' pulls this on Lassard when he reaches the meeting room, and Lassard is a little surprised he'd use such an old one:
-->'''Lassard:''' Oh, ''come on''! Poison gas??
-->'''Villain:''' Yes, melodramatic I know, but effective.
[[folder: Literature ]]
* The original ''Literature/SherlockHolmes'' short stories:
** The "Devil's Foot" had a character place the title root--an obscure poison from Africa--into an oil lamp. The lamp was then lit, releasing the poison into the air and causing death and brain damage to the killer's victims. [[spoiler:The murderer is later killed in the same way himself.]] This one nearly killed Holmes and Watson when Holmes (in a rare moment of holding the IdiotBall) experimented with the root to see if it's the culprit.
** In "The Adventure of the Greek Interpreter", the baddies attempt to kill their victim with charcoal gas.
* Another murderer used the poisoned candle M.O. in Creator/EdgarAllanPoe's ''The Imp of the Perverse''.
* The poisoned candle trick shows up again in the Literature/{{Discworld}} novel ''Discworld/FeetOfClay''.
* ''[[Literature/DreamPark The Barsoom Project]]'' has a sealed room with a window air conditioner which runs backwards to suck the air out.
* In Creator/RobertEHoward's Franchise/ConanTheBarbarian story "Literature/RoguesInTheHouse", a glass wall falls down in a room, and the dust of the gray lotus is used, which drives them murderously insane.
* The vacuum version is used in ''Literature/InHeroYearsImDead'' involving a memorabilia room that the heroes are trapped in.
* The Creator/RaymondChandler short story "Nevada Gas" uses the well-sealed backseat of a limousine.
[[folder: Live Action TV ]]
* ''Series/ThePrisoner'' episode "The Girl Who Was Death" had a room filled with poison-releasing candles that would explode if extinguished. [[spoiler:The Prisoner escaped - this trap, at least - by placing all of the candles against the outer door and blowing them out with bellows.]]
* A ''Franchise/SherlockHolmes'' mystery ("The Case of the Exhumed Client", with Ronald Howard as Holmes; one of the many mysteries specially created for one of the many TV series) involved a person who died from a candle he didn't know was poisoned. [[spoiler:Holmes flushed out the murderer by closing everyone in a small room and lighting the candle. The murderer, preferring a blown cover to death, broke the window.]]
* One of the urban legends busted by Series/{{Mythbusters}} involves a man who, after a particularly starchy dinner, falls asleep in a small unventilated room and asphyxiates on his own flatulence.
* In an episode of ''Series/{{Angel}}'', an angry client tries to kill Gwen and Angel with a modified elevator and poison gas. Luckily, vampires don't need to breathe.
* ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'' had Angel rescuing Giles, Willow and Buffy from the high school basement, where they were locked in with the gas turned on by an angry invisible girl.
* In the ''Series/StargateSG1'' episode "Dominion," Daniel gets caught in a room that is accidentally being flooded with toxic gas. Despite trying to breathe through his clothing, he inhales the gas for several minutes before the leak is shut off, but he seems to suffer no side effects whatsoever.
* In ''Series/{{Farscape}}'' the Scarrans use a chamber flooding with paralytic gas. On learning he's trapped in one John yells, "Staleek, this is very unoriginal!"
* One stunt on ''FearFactor'' involved enduring a sealed chamber that filled with CS gas longer than anyone else.
* ''{{CSI NY}}'' -the taxicab killer turned his cab into a mobile one of these.
* One episode of ''Series/MidnightCaller'' had Jack Killian interviewing a condemned man before his execution via gas chamber.
* An episode of ''Series/ThePretender'' had Jarod as a prison guard, trying to clear a man before he can be executed via gas chamber. He gets the real killer to talk by locking him in the gas chamber during a practice run, then releasing gas (it wasn't really poisonous, but the baddie didn't know that) until the guy confessed.
* ''Series/{{Batman}}'' had a cliffhanger were Batman and Robin were tied up in a room while the Penguin's mooks sucked all the air out using a "Giant Reversing Bellows".
[[folder: Roleplay]]
* In ''Roleplay/DinoAttackRPG'', the entire XERRD Fortress became a facility-wide version of this trope once the DeadlyGas defense system was activated.
[[folder: Tabletop Games ]]
* In the 1E [[TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons AD&D]] module ''The Hidden Shrine of Tamoanchan'', the entire ''dungeon'' is this trope, at least until the [=PCs=] manage to open up some blocked ventilation passages.
[[folder: Video Game ]]
* The videogame adaptation of ''VideoGame/TheThing'' has a scene where the protagonist is lured into a room quickly being filled with poison gas. The message left on a computer screen in the room is a nice touch:
-->Breathe deep, Blake. Breathe deep and die.
* ''VideoGame/StarFoxAdventures'' had such a room: you had to [[BlockPuzzle push blocks around]] while a special meter started emptying. This troper has never seen whether an empty meter means your life gauge starts emptying, or whether you got a failure cutscene, or whether you lost a life, but when you succeeded, the door would open, letting good air in[[spoiler:, and also dropping the bars holding the Queen [=CloudRunner=] captive]].
* ''VideoGame/{{Portal}}'' ends with [[spoiler:[=GLaDOS=] attempting to flood the final battle area with a deadly neurotoxin after Chell destroys her [[RestrainingBolt morality core]]. She's quite nasty about it too, taunting Chell about her impending death from the deadly neurotoxin (along with jabs of a more personal nature.)]]
* ''[[VideoGame/{{Onimusha}} Onimusha 3]]'' had a gas chamber trap where you had to unlock the door by completing a "simon says" minigame before you succumb to the fumes.
* ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublic II'' features the Jekk'Jekk Tarr, a bar for aliens on Nar Shaddaa where the atmosphere is toxic to humans. It also had the HK-50 unit turn the entire dormitory section of the Peragus mining facility into one of these by sabotage. Both games let ''you'' use computer terminals to release poison gas on enemies as opposed to fighting them directly.
* ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid'' does this for a few spots if you get caught and one room where it will happen as a part of a storyline. In each case, gas fills the room and you quickly lose oxygen, but having an O2 mask equipped will slow it down. In two of these cases, there is no way to escape, and in the first, you don't even have the O2 mask. There is one room where gas is already there and you're forced to go through. Said area also has electrified floors, just in case, apparently.
* The original ''VideoGame/MetalGear'' and ''VideoGame/MetalGear2SolidSnake'' also had gas-filled rooms that you had to traverse.
* Tifa of ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII'' gets tossed into a gas chamber for a public execution midway through the game, and has to pick up the conveniently dropped key to her shackles with her feet to escape. Unlike other segments in the game, there is no time limit on this sequence - no matter how long you struggle, Tifa cannot be killed.
* MetalWolfChaos turns the entire city of Chicago into one big GasChamber for our hero. He needs to destroy the antitoxin canisters and seal the generators before the toxin level reaches lethal levels.
* ''VideoGame/{{Doom}} 3'': An entire level is made into one of these, and you have to find the ventilation switch.
--> '''[[spoiler:Dr. Betruger]]''': There's nothing left for you but a slow death as your lungs fill with toxic gases.
* In the original ''VideoGame/PerfectDark'', you must flee a room flooded with nerve gas during your escape from {{Area 51}}.
* In ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIVOblivion'', several [[RuinsForRuinsSake Ayleid ruins]] contain an interesting variation on this: step into an empty portion of a large room, and walls will slam down, temporarily trapping you while the room is pumped with gas. There are also rooms that simply have vents that always emit toxic gas.
* The original ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil'' had a couple of poison gas {{death trap}}s that activated if you did a puzzle wrong. In ''VideoGame/ResidentEvilCodeVeronica'', a gas leak [[BrokenBridge blocks your progress]], and you have to find a way to activate the ventilation system to clear it.
* In ''VideoGame/TheJourneymanProject'', the NORAD VI installation is flooded with sleeping gas, requiring you to obtain an oxygen mask before you go there.
* There are three rooms in ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamAsylum'' that end up getting filled with Smilex, forcing Batman to find a way to activate the ventilation system to purge the gas.
* Parodied in ''VideoGame/BarkleyShutUpAndJamGaiden'', where at one point your party is trapped inside a cabin which is slowly filled with sugar substance[[note]]Sugar is treated as deadly in this game. The fact that diabetes is a status effect speaks for itself.[[/note]]. [[spoiler:The trap fails.]]
* ''VideoGame/{{Prototype}}'' has it in the form of Bloodtox, a gas harmless to anyone not infected by the virus. Alex, a man made up entirely of infected material, discovered this fact when it was announced to a room full of soldiers he had infiltrated, that they had been exposed to the gas for the last ten minutes. His disguise didn't last long.
* ''VideoGame/RatchetAndClankUpYourArsenal'' invokes this with an entire arena, requiring you to beat all the enemies before Ratchet succumbs. It's just sleeping gas, but it works by [[FridgeHorror depleting your health bar.]]
* There's a whole level dedicated to this in ''VideoGame/DeadSpace''. Standing too close to one of the Wheezers for too long will cause Isaac to die. Also, Isaac sometimes has to go out into the vacuum of space.
* In ''VideoGame/DinoCrisis'' there is a scientist trapped in a room filled with gas. You need to resolve a puzzle to neutralize the gas and open the door. If you're successful, the dying scientist gives you a key you need to advance. After that, if you search at his corpse, you find an extra key that you can use to get some goods. You can kill the scientist by accident, or [[VideogameCrueltyPotential on purpose]], flooding the room with letal gas, but doing that, you only get the first key. After getting the key, you get ambushed by a velociraptor. You must survive a [[PressXToNotDie button-mashing event]] to escape from the room, leaving the dinosaur trapped. After that, you can kill the raptor using the computer to fill the room again with gas, poisoning him.
* ''TheSuffering'' takes place in a haunted Maryland prison. One of the characters is the former executioner, Hermes T. Haight. Hermes enjoyed his work, and his favorite method of execution was the gas chamber. He altered the gas to retain it's color and odor, so that he could watch the prisoner's reactions as the chamber was flooded. Eventually, he became so obsessed with the gas, that he decided he needed to experience for himself. In the game, Hermes returns as a gaseous ghost who's always breathing in his own fumes. Late in the game he becomes a boss who tries to kill you with his gas, and you need to find ways to block the sources of it before taking care of him.
* At one point in ''VideoGame/{{BioShock|1}}'', Andrew Ryan kills [[spoiler:Julie Langford]] by sealing the door to [[spoiler:her]] lab and flooding the room with poison.
* In ''VideoGame/{{Gradius}} V'', the first-half of stage 6 has lots of this. You may shoot the DeadlyGas produced by them, before you getting into them and getting destroyed.
* One sidequest in ''VideoGame/{{Fallout 3}}'''s ''Point Lookout'' {{expansion pack}} leads you into a radioactive gas trap.
* ''VideoGame/RiseOfTheTriad'' has a few levels with touchplates which when triggered flood the area with poisonous green gas. Hope you either found a gas mask before you triggered it, or at least manage to find one before all your health is gone.
** One of the quit messages reads "Press Y to release the cyanide gas." and is accompanied by an appropriate sound effect.
* ''VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas: Dead Money'' takes place in a ghost town covered in a toxic red gas cloud. On both normal and Hardcore modes, there are concentrated clouds that drain health rapidly, while on Hardcore, you slowly lose health throughout the general outdoor area.
* In ''VideoGame/KZManager'' [[VillainProtagonist you]] must send there your [[POWCamp inmates]] so thet the "lesser races" be [[FinalSolution exterminated]].
[[folder: Web Original ]]
* In ''LookToTheWest'', gas chambers called "phlogisticateurs" are employed by the alternate French Revolutionaries to execute the more prominent enemies of the Republic, including King Louis himself. They are invented due to the work of Antoine Lavoisier, [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone who takes his own life]] upon realising this. They use carbon dioxide and are not very efficient, only being used for particularly cinematic cases - most of the time the Revolutionaries use the Chirugeon, the in-timeline name for our guillotine. In a twist, the phlogisticateur technology later becomes used to create test greenhouses that allow the widespread cultivation of cinchona trees, meaning a ready supply of quinine to combat malaria in Africa. This is intended to be a similar case to the fact that in our own history, chemotherapy drugs came about as a result of research into poison gas in UsefulNotes/WW1.
* An improvised version is done in the WebAnimation/{{Mastermind}} series. The Mastermind locks his minions in the same room as him and [[{{Fartillery}} orders a burrito]].
[[folder: Western Animation ]]
* ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'' had villain Clock King trap Batman inside a bank vault with a vacuum pump that was rapidly sucking in the available air. (Clock King is GenreSavvy enough to point out that he knows Batman [[CrazyPrepared would carry a gas mask with him]], so he's opted to just remove ''everything''). It's also [[TimeBomb wired to blow]] if it's picked up to try and prevent Bats from fiddling with it.
* In ''SupermanTheAnimatedSeries'', the episode "The Late Mr. Kent" reveals that Metropolis uses this in administering the death sentence. As a result, [[RuleOfDrama after the killswitch is thrown, Superman still has a few seconds to swoop in and save a falsely-accused man.]]
* ''CaptainPlanetAndThePlaneteers'': Though the DrowningPit and SealedRoomInTheMiddleOfNowhere also made an appearance or two, the most popular DeathTrap hands down for the Planeteers was a room slowly filling up with poisonous vapors. Makes sense from the villains' point of view, since the protagonists' rings stop working if the area is heavily contaminated with environmental pollutants. Otherwise, they could just call the [[WebAnimation/ZeroPunctuation blue man in his underpants]] to get them out...
[[folder: Real Life ]]
* In the United States, this was once a common method for executions, mostly in the West. It has since fallen out of favor, and is currently allowed as an alternate method of execution in only six states. The last person to be executed by asphyxiation was German national Walter [=LeGrand=] in Arizona in 1999. The federal courts declared this method as unconstitutional "cruel and unusual punishment", unless chosen specifically by the inmate. Today, the executions are made with lethal injection. (In 2014, when prisons were faced with a shortage of sodium thiopental due to the EU export ban, several states attempted to revive the gas chamber. As of this writing, they've not succeeded.)
* UsefulNotes/NaziGermany used two main types of this.
** There were the well known death camp "showers" where people were sent into fake bathhouses and gassed to death. In some places, such as Auschwitz, they used Zyklon B gas, a cyanide-based pesticide. At Treblinka, where the Jews of Warsaw and other parts of Poland were annihilated, they used carbon monoxide. Less well known and not used much were trucks where the people were loaded into the back, airtight doors shut and the truck exhaust pumped in. These were not economically practical and were discontinued.
** [[Literature/GotzAndMeyer The latter]] as well as the former have shown up in fiction.
* Schrodinger's Cat is a thought experiment in quantum physics, that imagines a cat is locked in a box with a flask of poison gas, and a radiation-detector that will break the flask if a radioactive atom emits a particle.
* Finnish Army uses gas chambers to train the recruits to use gas masks. The recruits are taken to a sealed airtight building, the sergeant sets off a tear gas charge, and the recruits are to put on their gas masks. Nobody is allowed to enter out until the gas has dissipated.
* Similar training had been performed in Eastern Bloc armies throughout the UsefulNotes/ColdWar: a large field tent had been used for the chamber, the recruits inside were to put on their masks at the instructor's signal and at the same time the instructor would set off the tear gas charge. Things would go nasty if the filters on some masks had been previously damaged, which often happened. That's why a tent was used, to roll up the fabric sides and release quickly those unfortunate recruits to open air.
* At [[UsefulNotes/YanksWithTanks US military basic training]] recruits must go through the "Confidence Chamber", where the recruit's division goes into a room, the instructor sets off a tear gas capsule and the recruit must take off their mask and recite whatever the instructor tells them too. [[SarcasmMode Oh joy]].
* The US Air Force and US Army do this same thing as part of NBC training. They will only let you out of the chamber if you [[TheStoic manage not to panic.]] The idea, of course, is to show you that A) Your chemical warfare gear ''will'' protect you if you are wearing it, and B) Show you why you want to make sure you wear it when needed.
* There is also the need to be sure [[FridgeBrilliance a future sailor or airman confronted with a messy, smoky and incendiary malfunction of the ship or plane]] will stay calm and proceed to do the needed repairs instead of panicking.
* Mandatory prep for a trip on NASA's Vomit Comet, the KC-135 weightlessness simulator, involves being put in a room that the oxygen is lowered in, then being required to remove your oxygen mask and answer math questions to see how your brain holds up. It's to help prepare people for what could happen if the thing loses pressure at 30k feet. It was even required for the cast of the movie ''Film/{{Apollo 13}}'' before their trips.
* Herman Mudgett, better known as H. H. Holmes, had one of these built into his hotel in Chicago in the 1890s. Numerous people ended up killed in there, as Holmes became perhaps the first SerialKiller on American soil.
* Sadly, too many of these are still used in animal shelters, though it's hoped new laws will stop the practice.
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CGI vs. Practical – The Argument That Actually Doesn’t Exist.
Let’s start off with the match lighting the fire:
Got it? CGI sucks and movies suck and Hollywood sucks and everything sucks. Young millennials, come at me bro!!!
But….listen for a damn second while you try to find the caps lock button and take a sip of your sugar laced, whipped cream topped caramel-chocolate-pumpkin spiced-soy milk laden iced beverage that just-so-happens to have a cinch of coffee in it. Let’s actually get to the root of this non-argument argument. The truth is that this whole CGI vs. Practical Effects internet fight is a misstatement of the problem that older millennials and older generations have with today’s blockbusters. Using the ‘CGI’ excuse to downgrade today’s blockbusters (and yesterday’s Prequels – I can’t dismiss them from this because…well….Star Wars) is too easy for older fans and cinefiles to throw out there. But its a misstatement of the real critiques of sub-par films.
This whole ‘Pro-CGI’ and ‘Anti-CGI’ rift has been on my mind because I’m a Star Wars addict and young millennials are up in arms about Disney-Lucasfilm advertising their use of practical creature effects (because they’re so evil and terrible and hurt their feelings so much). To the Pro-CGI internet warriors the Anti-CGI crowd is old and nostalgic in its love for so-called ‘practical’ effects that they can’t appreciate that CGI is actually better and all that jazz. To Anti-CGI internet warriors, the Pro-CGI youngsters are lame and grew up watching too many cartoons instead of outside dodging cars and playing wiffle ball (which is probably true either way).
But both sides completely misunderstand their own argument, which is mostly to blame on lazy cinefile internet blogging and click-bait. CGI is the low hanging fruit of criticism. Its easy to say that a 50 ft. dragon or a green muscled giant or an entire battalion of chrome robots ‘looks’ fake. Of course it does. And its easy to contrast an army of Ultron bots to a singular T-800 crushing a human skull in one of the greatest opening shots ever.
So freaking cool! And it scared the crap out of my 7 year old self.
Yes, yes, I KNOW there was CGI compositing in that shot. Chill out and drink your almond milk latte that is probably responsible for half of California being lit on fire right now. But the Anti-CGI crowd isn’t upset about that amount of ‘CGI’, so set your strawman on fire and let it burn.
What many Anti-CGI internet warriors are really saying, and they say it stupidly, that CGI makes filmmakers lazy – it allows them to use CGI as a crutch and show no restraint in editing an action sequence or going to the lengths of ensuring an interesting and clean angle or long shot. Anti-CGI cinefiles are praising Mad Max:Fury Road for its use of real cars, explosions, fire, and crazy stunts as an example of incredible filmmaking that invalidates the requirement for heavy CGI use. But, as the following video explains, there is plenty of CGI used in Mad Max. Its used to composite together the large number of vehicles and to enhance what’s on film.
Now, I’m not saying that the Anti-CGI curmudgeons don’t have a point. There is a lot of…hmm…..miscalcuation…with a lot of films on what makes CGI effective and when its too much. There likely is a lack of restraint from some filmmakers when editing an action sequence and taking up running time that could be better spent developing a character or exploring an underlying story theme. For a prime example, you probably can’t convince me that the availability of the shiny new CGI tools that George Lucas enjoyed during the Star Wars Prequels run didn’t distract him from focusing on dialogue, acting, camera work, editing, and all the other arts and sciences that go into the creation of the emotional connection that great films make with their audiences. You can’t claim that a roughly 25 minute fight between our two (really, one) protagonists in Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith was completely effective. Even staunch prequel defenders should admit that the Obi-Wan Kenobi – Anakin Skywalker battle in Revenge of the Sith, was overdone and ‘video gamey’. In fact, there’s a point where I feel the characters had to remind us why they’re fighting because it got so lengthy and drawn out and solidly uninteresting. Obi-Wan and Anakin have to summarize the entire plot in this short exchange:
And this is edited between a Yoda-Palpatine fight that is ultimately completely INCONSEQUENTIAL. Nothing is solved or decided by the Yoda-Palpatine showdown other than they’re both cool and powerful and Yoda and the Jedi are done for in the time being – which was already previously decided.
Although, to give George Lucas an easy out here, the dialogue and acting was so uninteresting in the rest of the film, that it really may have done worse than an overly long fight. Not an excuse, but unfortunately it may have been a choice between bad dialogue and an overly long fight scene. He might have made the right Murphy’s Choice.
You’re so convincing………….ugh dfjaskl;fjdslaj;d
Ok, enough nostalgia. Bringing it back to the present two subjects of this non-debate debate: Jurassic World and Avengers: Age of Ultron. Anti-CGI crowd is split on the Avengers installments – which I’m sure young fans get angry about: “How can you dismiss the first Avengers and criticize Age of Ultron??” Completely valid point. And it’s definitely discussed in the CGI-defending video above. The editing of Age of Ultron is a mess. There’s too much teasing of future films, a sin that Jurassic World also suffers immensely from, and not enough development of Ultron’s character. Now, the CGI is not a major problem in Ultron although it is cited in many reviews as overly used. The editing of the film leaves little time to explore the villain’s character, which is a HUGE problem in any film, hero genre or not. The use of the anti-CGI argument in critques of Ultron is incorrect unless the argument is that ‘time used in the climactic bot-battle should have been dedicated to more explanation of Ultron’s character and character flaws’. That is a better argument – but its mostly an editing problem.
You might also say that lack of restraint caused by the availability of CGI resulted in even less time for the movie to explore the Ultron character. That isn’t a terrible argument and it reflects older Star Wars fans souring on George Lucas’ prequel trilogy. The gist of that argument is that: “The filmmaker is too busy playing with his newly available toys and not thinking whether he should use those toys.” And that reminds me of something………
Boom. Ian Malcolm to the rescue!! This is essentially the problem Anti-CGI curmudgeons have. Just because you have the ability to do something, doesn’t make that the use of it beneficial or even good. Their ‘argument’ is that CGI adds nothing to a bad story. CGI artists will get credit within the industry for good CGI work in a bad movie just like a good actor in a bad movie does. But the movie still sucks.
For posterity’s sake, I would say the Anti-CGI argument is likely 100% overstated in regards to Jurassic World. Jurassic World is a monster movie that falls short on editing – again, teasing sequels rather than developing characters in the current feature. Perhaps some of the cool aspects of the Indominous Rex are ‘created’ by the lack of restraint, but its still the extraneous need to tease sequels that obstructs an otherwise simple monster flick.
So the frustration of the Anti-CGI crowd is frustration with the overuse of a tool in the filmmakers toolbox, but not the mere use of it, or even use of a lot of it. Rather, its the lack of restrain of the filmmakers themselves, as well as the difficulties of actors acting opposite cardboard cut-outs and limitations of camerawork within a CGI-heavy fight scene (See: constant sudden close up shots of Count Dooku, Yoda and Palpatine in multiple lightsaber fights).
It would be nice if the Anti-CGI crowd actually articulated that argument correctly and not spout off anti-CGI rhetoric – its lazy.
But for the Pro-CGI crowd, CGI doesn’t necessarily add quality to a movie – it enables a filmmaker to do things (Heath Ledger Joker voice), but that doesn’t necessarily mean great CGI – like in some of the Transformers series of films – mean that a film should be appreciated more or less because of the quality of CGI. Battle sequences in Braveheart are just as meaningful and amazing as a CGI composite of Wookies, droids, Clonetroopers, Ultron bots or Gungans (ugh). Peter Jackson succeeded in using huge CGI armies in The Lord of the Rings Trilogy and completely failed in The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies even though those films are nearly a decade apart and many of the combatants – elves, humans and orcs – are the same. Legolas’s antics in The Lord of the Rings – jumping around an oliphant, grabbing ahold of a horse in full gallop – are similar to the ones in The Hobbit – using falling stones as platforms – but we love LOTR’s Legolas and the Legolas in The Hobbit was….just there, an elf of action in an action movie involving a lot of elves – his CGI antics were rendered beautifully by the graphic artists, but rendered useless by his character’s placement and use in the feature.
And it is also not true that practical effects don’t hold up. Take one look at the filmography of Guillermo del Toro and you’ll find not just Pacific Rim, but my personal del Toro favorite – Pan’s Labyrinth, a film that uses mostly practical creature effects to a haunting and emotionally stirring impact. That movie is incredible, along with del Toro’s Hellboy, which won the Oscar for costumes. If a main character can be as effective as Ron Pearlman’s Hellboy, then in no way should prequel defenders bitch about a bunch of practical creature effects being used on background characters. A practical ‘Dexter Jettster’ would have served just as well if not better than the CGI one in Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones. And you can’t complain about nostalgia-based marketing of a upcoming Star Wars film that many older fans are skeptical of because of the prequels – no matter what those reasons were.
You really need to see this film, simply incredible.
In conclusion, this debate is pointless and its a misunderstanding. Its laziness on the cynical cinefile blogger that doesn’t want to get into the specifics on why well-done CGI didn’t add any enjoyment to a poorly edited film. And its also a useless internet fight over one aspect of filmmaking that is groundbreaking but still only a means to an end. Just because you give Jackson Pollack a brand new paintbrush made of the finest genetically enhanced camel hair, doesn’t mean it will make his particular art better. Citizen Kane, Casablanca, A Miracle on 34th Street, were all masterpieces, milestones, and classics before they were colorized. Let’s keep these things in mind before we react to a lazy argument. We internet cinefiles will all be better for it.
Oh, and the original Star Wars Trilogy was a masterpiece before Lucas decided to put this ugly thing in it:
#HanShotFirst #HanShotOnly
Puerto Rico is supporting the US…not the other way around
Black Sheep Yoda:
“The island is a captive market of the US…the fourth largest market in the world for US products. 85 percent of everything purchased and consumed in Puerto Rico, comes from the US. “
War Against All Puerto Ricans: Revolution and Terror in America’s Colony
There is a great misconception about who is supporting whom in the Caribbean.
Wall Street says that Puerto Rico “owes” $73 billion.
The US government says they “give” Puerto Ricans $4.6 billion per year.
But there is something suspicious about all this “owing” and “giving.” If the US is so generous, then why is everyone broke? Why is the per capita income of Puerto Ricans only $16,400…far less than any state in the union?
Consider the Slave
By way of context, consider a slave.
A slave does not pay taxes.
A slave does not suffer from unemployment.
A slave receives free food, housing, clothing and health care.
Described in this manner, a slave should pay his master, for the privilege of being a slave!]
Slaves who owe a public debt to their master
As ridiculous as this may sound, it is precisely the argument that many Southern slave…
View original 554 more words
The Deep Secret, of the Puerto Rican Day Parade
Black Sheep Yoda:
Que bonita bandera…..que bonita bandera…..que bonita bandera es la bandera Puertorriquena
War Against All Puerto Ricans: Revolution and Terror in America’s Colony
In the 1950s, Puerto Ricans often found themselves unwelcome in New York City (and elsewhere in the US) as they tried to carve out a place for themselves and their families. Sometimes beaten by their neighbors, or by the police, they were given the lowest-paying jobs and the worst housing in the city.
And so, in 1958, Puerto Rican leaders decided to hold a modest parade where they could march arm in arm with pride through the heart of Manhattan.
Fathers taught their children…by pointing to floats dedicated to Puerto Rican towns known for sugarcane, coffee, tobacco, plantains and pineapples.
Mothers tapped their feet…to the bombas, plenas and aguinaldos that evoked memories of their island childhood.
By 1966, the parade was already a “must do” event for national celebrities and politicians.
Today, the parade is a star-studded TV spectacle with 90,000 marchers, 2 million spectators and a horde of corporate sponsors. Marc Anthony, J.Lo, Ricky Martin, Victor Cruz, and Mayor…
View original 525 more words
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https://threebnyc.wordpress.com/
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| 0.9513
|
Brugeranmeldelser: Hovedsagelig positive (164 anmeldelser)
Udgivelsesdato: 14. feb 2014
Populære brugerdefinerede tags for dette produkt:
Køb LocoCycle
JULEUDSALG! Tilbuddet slutter 2. januar
Official Xbox Magazine
“I was easily sucked into its silliness.”
Game Informer
“I loved seeing LocoCycle through to its zany finale.”
Big Picture!
Om dette spil
• OS: Windows XP SP2 32-bit
• Processor: Dual Core
• Memory: 2 GB RAM
• Graphics: DirectX10 GPU w/256megs VRAM
• DirectX: Version 9.0c
• Hard Drive: 15 GB available space
• Sound Card: Windows HD Audio
• Additional Notes: DirectX9 GPU not supported
• OS: Windows 7 64-bit
• Processor: Quad Core
• Memory: 4 GB RAM
• Graphics: DirectX11 GPU w/1gb VRAM
• DirectX: Version 11
• Network: Broadband Internet connection
• Hard Drive: 15 GB available space
• Sound Card: Windows HD Audio
Helpful customer reviews
37 af 72 brugere (51%) fandt denne anmeldelse brugbar
7.3 timer bogført
Indsendt: 6. juli
OoooOOOoo, this game so much more awesome than one can imagine. An arcadey motorcycle racing game, nothing to impossible or mind numbing, just good ol fun with an awesome story to wrap this present and for the bow is voiceacting from Robert Patrick (The T2 Cop guy). An epic story of legendary proportions await all those who step forth to take on the daring gauntlet through the levels of Lococyle. Lloyd Kaufman (Troma Movies Owner makes Toxic Avenger) teams up with many others including a bear local favorite Tom Savini (Holds a black belt in awesome) to make one of the best gaming experiences in a short game thats about 4-5 hours in length. Tons of bonus features that bigger games should have from behind the scenes footage, to cast photos and concept art. The music is BOSS level, done by the Prague Orchestra, this game doesnt mess around, everything is HARDCORE! Lococyle is in the heart, its in the heart.
Rating: 10/10 Value: $14.99
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1 af 2 brugere (50%) fandt denne anmeldelse brugbar
5.3 timer bogført
Indsendt: 29. august
LocoCycle was an Xbox one game that eventually found its way to PC but will you want to play it ? In LocoCycle you play as Iris. Iris is a motorbike/War Machine. One day when a lighting strikes Iris becomes self conscious. A mechanic named Pablo tries to fix her up. While fixing her Iris sees a commercial for the freedom rally which takes place Scottsburg Indiana so she decides to take Pablo with her and go to the freedom rally while the creators of Iris try to stop her with another bike named Spike. So how is LocoCycle ? Its actually quite fun and simple to play. The game is played like a car driving beat em up, You go down a high way and theres enemies trying to stop you. The game does switch with boss fights which are fun to play through. Now the game does have a difficulty spike and it really shows. So now through the pros and cons. The game is incredibly funny. The conversations between Pablo and Iris are hilarious but there is a big problem. Pablo only speaks Spanish and you have to read the subtitles to understand what hes saying which is quite hard when racing through the highway in high speed. The game has great and smooth gameplay and its fun to beat up people as a bike. The game also has a few problems. Some minor bugs and its quite short too. And if you are going to play this game Whatever you do play with a controller because a keyboard is a death sentence. Overall LocoCycle is a great game and i suggest you check it out. I give LocoCycle a 7/10
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1 af 2 brugere (50%) fandt denne anmeldelse brugbar
4.0 timer bogført
Indsendt: 28. august
That was a whole lotta fun. Simple, but not too simple of gameplay that varies enough, but controls well that is full of good humor. Great pick up.
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1 af 2 brugere (50%) fandt denne anmeldelse brugbar
0.4 timer bogført
Indsendt: 1. juli
Feel free to disregard this review, I think I played this for all of 20 minutes, but let me tell you - that was enough.
I don't care how much Tom Savini and Lloyd Kauffman you wave in people's faces, a bad game is a bad game. The humour feels utterly forced and the "wackiness" and "zaniness" is just too much to bear.
The game itself looks and sounds pretty nice I suppose, but the "gameplay" as far as I got was press A, then X a bunch of times, then A if something flashes! Oh, you can hold down B for little while now. If you like. No. No, I don't like. Add in that you trail along a character who only speaks Spanish, so you have to read the subtitles while trying to play. Flip this game. Flip it right up its gaping bottom.
You may say that it's my fault for not playing on - you'd be right, but consider that anyone designing a game should make someone want to keep playing. This made me want to gnaw my own wrists.
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1 af 2 brugere (50%) fandt denne anmeldelse brugbar
5.0 timer bogført
Indsendt: 3. juli
All signs pointed to this being unenjoyable for me, but hell it was cheap, and as we know Valve have complete dominion over our finances during the Steam summer sale.
Anyway, I played half an hour and was put off by the cringeworthy videos and surprisingly poor graphics (there are some good character models but the general scenery is reminsicent of a PS2-era title). I pushed on though and I'm glad I did! For some inexplicable reason, despite the fact that I dislike on the rails games, quicktime events, cringey comedy, button mashing... I found this really, really fun to play.
The ridiculous combos, though very easy to pull off, are a lot of fun and it's satisfying, in a 'channel your inner 8 year old' kind of way. Seeing a motorcycle leap off the group and kick the crap out of enemies in a pseudo-Transformers fashion never gets old. The gameplay is pretty varied in general and though Twisted Pixel walk the line of overusing mechanics, they don't quite cross it.
IRIS is a good character with entertaining dialogue, though Pablo wears thin quite quickly, unlike his trousers. Some of the acting is atrocious in the video sequences and the jokes within them will miss more than they hit, but clearly Twisted Pixel were going for a campy, 90s-apeing style of comedy, so I can't be too harsh.
The game is smooth to play, with a clean interface and hardly any bugs. I once managed to turn Iris 180 degress after hitting a wall but it quickly sorted itself out, and bar one game crash, that's really it in terms of the technical side.
+ Fun in a pure, childish way
+ Skill trees add a sense of improvement and choice, and encourage you to keep playing
+ IRIS is no GLaDOS but still has some funny and generally enjoyable dialogue
+ Good campaign length -- the game doesn't outstay its welcome
- Reading Pablo's subtitles whilst driving -- poor game design!
- Limited replayability
- Sometimes a little too easy and simplistic
- Weak graphics, in spite of huge file size (no doubt due to the live action videos, which do look nice and crisp)
All in all, I can't even rate it out of 10. This isn't a game that can be summed up in a concise, empirical manner; some people would find it to be a 2 or 3, others a 7, 8 or even 9. It is a weird game, and in many ways a poor one, but if you can grab it in a sale, and you've got the HDD space, then give it a spin. Or a cycle, even.
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3 af 6 brugere (50%) fandt denne anmeldelse brugbar
6.4 timer bogført
Indsendt: 13. september
Take classic Outrun, make it almost casual button mashing game and pour absurdist humor all over it, including full motion video between chapters. You'll get satisfying fun short non-stop action casual game. It's worth its $2 I bought it for.
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1 af 2 brugere (50%) fandt denne anmeldelse brugbar
1.4 timer bogført
Indsendt: 27. september
It's great fun. I can definitely give it that. You're a talking motorcycle, and you have machine guns, wheel-to-hand/door/flying-bloke combat training, and that's not to mention that you're also insane and completely unable to understand the Spanish mechanic being dragged along behind you. Quite often, this leads to some brilliant exchanges between the bike, named I.R.I.S, and her 'friend', Pablo. I.R.I.S will often speak using references and quotes with completely no idea what she's referencing, meaning that at one moment you'll be listening to Pablo begging for his life and telling her (in Spanish) that she's insane and should stop so he can free himself, then the next, I.R.I.S is ranting about 'Scottsburg, Indiana' and insisting that she has the need for speed.
Major exposition is done via live action cutscenes, which genuinely surprised me, however the acting isn't...the best. It's a bit like most attractive actors: Looks great, sometimes can be surprising in its context, but then when it gets down to the actual acting...well.
Let's just say it isn't the latest Quentin Tarantino flick.
Ahhhh, what else is there...?
Oh yeah, the fighting.
Most combat revolves around bike-to-car combat, involving machine guns, melee combat (if you can get near enough), and if the situation calls for it, a 'counter': Pressing a button at the right time to perform a rather smooth animation of I.R.I.S bashing her opponent in the face, or Pablo performing something he more than likely saw in a movie. There's other enemies apart from sedans and jeeps, including jeeps that throw molotov cocktails, trucks that can only be defeated by countering their missiles repeatedly, motorcyclists, and your male counterpart, S.P.I.K.E.
Now, the first thing you'll notice about the shiny spiky chopper is just how sinister he actually looks. Almost a bit over-the-top, to be honest. As far as story goes, I.R.I.S and S.P.I.K.E were being shown off to world leaders so that they could buy them and use them for military purposes. However, looking at their styling, you would almost think that some scientist somewhere was designing I.R.I.S so that she would go rogue, even going so far as to paint the female motorcycle purple so she looked more feminine. He also must have had a sick mind, because he also made her quite curvy.
Basically, Motorcycle Scarlet Johannesen.
Anyway, the encounters with S.P.I.K.E are fairly infrequent, almost boss fights in a way, and all of his lines are voiced by the other fictional killing cyborg, the T-1000 (Otherwise called Robert Patrick). A wise choice, to be honest, since who else would be a more befitting voice for a hunter-killer AI than the original hunter-killer AI? The interactions between I.R.I.S and S.P.I.K.E show the actual differences in tone; I.R.I.S requests he doesn't 'trip out', and he threatens to send her straight to the junkyard. Fairly moody, to be honest.
So, besides the good, there's always the bad.
As mentioned before, the live-action cutscenes aren't exactly the greatest, so we know about that.
Sometimes, the camera can decide that you want to look over there and not where you actually want to look (Also, the camera can't really be moved. Like, at all.)
Most major setpieces are, unfortunately, quick time events.
And most unfortunately, this is NOT, I repeat, NOT a full PC port. You will actually have to have a wired controller for this, and all attempts to play the game using a keyboard are made more difficult via the use of 'Press A' or 'Move the analog stick this way' prompts that the game likes throwing at you. If you don't have one, but still want to complete the game, you're out of luck: Pablo's repair mini-game requires the use of the Right Trigger, and do you see a trigger on your keyboard?
Thought as much.
So, while I really, REALLY reccomend this to anybody with a wired Xbox 360 controller, I'm just not able to say it's the greatest port of all time.
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9 af 18 brugere (50%) fandt denne anmeldelse brugbar
0.6 timer bogført
Indsendt: 4. juli
Bad Game. Gameplay is boring, graphics are ugly and frame rate is ♥♥♥♥, repetive (just mash b and press a to jump to a different enemy). Humour is lame.
This would be have been reasonably well received on ps1, got poor to moderate reviews on ps2. And as an Xbox One 'exclusive' this is embarrasing.
Lastly, I run most games at 1080p, some at 1440p including high end shooters. This game engine is so poorly optimised it won't run at 1080p with a solid frame rate, yet looks about the same as ps2 era games.
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2 af 4 brugere (50%) fandt denne anmeldelse brugbar
1.4 timer bogført
Indsendt: 13. august
Only worth it if you're going to play with a controller. I was having a pretty good time and then for no really good reason they decided to stick a set of timed minigames into the middle of a level, the third of which seemed impossible to do without a controller. I decided to humor it, but then the game wouldn't immediately recognize my controller when I turned it on, and when I restarted it it put me back about 20 minutes worth of gameplay, which was when I decided I was done with the game.
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6:32PM Update =
Just. WOW!
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4.0 timer bogført
Indsendt: 7. maj
I've witnessed a motorcycle:
-Piledrive another motorcycle
-Shoot down multiple battleships
-Shoryuken a helicopter
-Pull off midair martial arts
-Traverse warheads a la Just Cause 2
-Battle in the style of Street Fighter
-Ride above water
-Combat mechs
-Eat ice cream
-Imbue the elements into its wheels
-Throw cars
-Use an innocent man as a sawblade
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16 af 27 brugere (59%) fandt denne anmeldelse brugbar
5.9 timer bogført
Indsendt: 19. februar
[Rating: 62/100]
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Dissecting Japanese Imperialism in Anime
After the first two episodes of this season's Muv-Luv Alternate: Full Eclispe, it was hard to avoid noticing the similar thematic elements it had going with the classic Gunbuster. There is the idyllic school setting prelude to a blood bath of a war, the masses of faceless space monstrosities, and the rather hilarious acronym names given to them. Most importantly though, there is the abundant usage of of Imperial Japanese imagery and verbiage in both shows. That last bit reminded me of the following.
This is a series of essays written about a year ago dissecting Gunbuster and viewing it through a Japanese Imperialism lens. Knowledge of Gunbuster is not a prerequisite to understanding the content of the essays, but previous viewings of it as well as historical knowledge of Japan during the World War II period will help. (Note: I did not write any of these, nor contributed to any of them.)
Episode 1
Episode 2 (NSFW)
Episode 3
Episode 4
Episode 5
Episode 6
If you enjoy this form of analysis of any form of media, not just anime, the above pieces are definitely worth your time.
Not Game Related: Music as Narrative
I had a wall of text written speaking to my reactions to this Kids on the Slope, but in hindsight, it really was just an excuse to get people to watch and listen to the following. So I'll save that for a later time and keep this brief. Kids on the Slope sets up musical pieces as important points in its story: music that symbolizes the wishes and motivations of the characters. In this scene, we see Kaoru and Sentaro, two friends and musical partners, coming back together to reclaim both their personal connections as well as musical connections they had lost. Moving through My Favorite Things, Some Day My Prince Will Come, and Moanin', all pieces that set up major points in the story told so far, they remind each other as well as the viewers of just what they are reclaiming.
More, than anything else though, it just sounds so good. So listen, and smile.
Gundam 00 The Movie: A Wakening My Fanboy Rage
This post might be better titled "How Cross Textual Knowledge Bites me In The Fucking Ass"
I finally decided in a bout of grad school workload caused insomnia and depression to jump the shark and watch this movie. I always knew it was bad, but man. Mannnnnnnnn. The story and character portrayals are bullshit. Building the ultimate Gundam for the ultimate Innovator so it can go fly off and take a psychic history lesson about some pieces of living liquid metal? Seriously? I don't need to go into that. But what makes me angrier is all the ways it so clumsily tries to ape the better moments of superior shows and present loose ends of actual merit and discard them completely.
Descartes Shaman, one of the first innovators to appear after Setsuna, proved to be a xenophobic racist, calling non-innovators the inferior species. One would think when a wave of innovation(TM) is spreading across the human population, the movie would do well to touch further upon this racial tension right? Nope. Lets just kill him off. Further, lets completely abandon any notion of that sentiment and by the end of the movie, let a population with 40% innovators live in complete peace and harmony because apparently he was the only racist in the history of the species except for all the innovades that came before him.
And then there are the referential moments. Andrei Smirnov and four of his GNX buddies using transam to push a giant ELS capitol ship as it falls on earth, and exploding just as they succeed. Well doesn't that sound familiar? The movie was literally shoving a shitty tasting poopsicle in the shape of Char's Counterattack into my mouth and I was literally giving my computer screen the finger. You're going to replace Amuro with Andrei? Seriously? You couldn't at least do it was a character that was memorable in anyway and give Graham the heroic death he so dearly deserved despite his antics as Mister Mushido (His first Name Is Mister)? (For the record, SolBraves is a pretty awesome name for a MS team.)
And then of course there is the whole Jupiter Express of enemies. The fact that something in here reminds me of the glorious Diebuster is an absolute affront to the latter. But it doesn't take a seasoned film critic to know that this show can ONLY end with humans and aliens finding peace. So what better way to present an alien enemy than ones completely devoid of any character at all. In shows such Diebuster or Gunbuster where the mass of characterless aliens are titled the Space Terrible Monster Crowd, that is excusable. In fact, that is what you should be doing. In a show where our man protagonist is suppose to be having a dialogue with them at the climax of the movie, this does not effing work god damnit. The fact that it made all combat between the armada of GaGa Squadrion in GN Lance costumes and the Feddies a snore fest is not lost on me either.
Though for the sake of being fair and balanced, I will say one thing. At least the Zabanya was entertaining to watch. Lockon actually used its bits (fins, funnels, fangs, DRAGOONs, WHATEVER) dare I say, intelligently. Rifle bits are fucking RIFLES and shoot from far away. They don't go charging into melee range. Shield bits are shields and they not only defend the MS itself, but also the rifle bits from incoming shots, prolonging its combat capability. Totally nominating the Zabanya for Saimecha 2013 because it made me enjoy this movie for just a few moments, and that is a fucking momentous achievement.
It's Robot Voting Time
The nomination phase for the second annual Sai Mecha has started once again. This is a time for bloody battle, vitriol filled hate, and the drinking of the tears of anyone who thinks Shin Getter Robo has a chance of being nominated. Head over to the the main site for all the information on how the brackets will break down, but I'll leave the rules for submissions here.
1. Choose up to 10 mecha, and email them to executiveotaku@gmail.com. One entry per person. Please put the series the mecha is from after each.
2. The 32 mecha with the most nominations will be put into a randomized bracket and split into the Earth Side and Colonies Side.
3. The following 4 mecha cannot be nominated as they are the final four of the previous year and are already seeded: Zaku II, Eva Unit 01, VF-1 Valkyrie, YF-19 Excalibur
For all of you guys going "Fuck you and your animu robots. I'd rather nominate something out of Mechwarrior", go watch Flag, and then nominate the HAVWC. That's about as real world practical but remain sci-fi fancy as you can get.
Here are my own submissions in no particular order. The VF-1 is my first love and YF-19 my true love, so it's a good thing I don't need wax emotionally about those two and have two more slots in my list. I have a general lean towards reals over supers, so anyone wondering why Gurren Lagann is not on there, there you go. (Also I'm trying to have as few renomination as possible and Gurren Lagann made the list last year.)
1. YF-29 Durandal (Wings of Goodbye). It's the latest variable fighter entry in the Macross franchise and oh god what a beauty this thing is. While the VF-25's Tornado pack might let it roll like no tomorrow, the Durandal has a slimmer, far snazzier frame while still inheriting the VF-25's ridiculously good looking battleroid mode.
2. GP-03 Dendrobium Orchis (Stardust Memories). Probably my favorite design out of the Gundam franchise, it is a giant mobile armor weapons platform carried on the back of a Gundam. It fits its flower derived name as it is one giant flower of death for entire fleets with its array of beam rifles, bazookas, chain mines, and cluster missile packs. All this firepower takes up space, and it's nice to see one of the few mecha designs in general that does not streamline it all into the frame, and instead gives it a proper amount of bulk. Also a fantastic enough of a design that Marvel Comics ripped it off wholesale.
3. Genesic GaoGaiGar (GaoGaiGar Final). It is a robot that runs on courage. If you dislike it, you are a horrible person who does not deserve to see the light of day. Unless that light is caused by GaoGaiGar swinging down the full might of the planet sized Goldion Crusher.
4. Big O (The Big O). When the class of your super robot is called a Megadeus, you envision something that exudes gigantic strength. Something that is thick, lumbering, seemingly indestructible. That sums up the design philosophy behind the Big O. When it punches with its arms, you can feel the raw power behind those strikes. It also helps that it is piloted by the mother fucking batman as well as a far more awesome Robin, and serviced by an Alfred that knows how to use grenade launchers.
5. Knight of Gold (Five Star Stories). While the lead Mortar Head of Five Star Stores, it is not my favorite design in that universe. (That vote goes to either the AUGE or the Blazing Empress). However, it is the only one that was animated and is still one hell of a sight to behold. It tugs at my heart strings for mecha of a very regal design along with a beautiful golden color scheme, just as the name suggests.
6. Escaflowne (Vision of Escaflowne). Speaking of mecha with regal ass designs, you really can't go wrong with this one. The show (much like FFS) has it's armored beings serve not just as usual pieces of military hardware. They are the swords and steeds of knights, and look and act as such. As a sword, Escaflowne is clad in white armor. It needs no fancy schmancy weapon platform system, satisfied with the sword in its hand that allows for duels. As a steed, it turns into a mother fucking dragon.
7. VF-25F Messiah (Macross Frontier). Another variable fighter coming out of Macross Frontier, the Messiah is probably the first one of its kind with a battleroid mode that I'd consider pretty. Also that pitch. That yaw. That mother fucking roll. (Can anyone tell that I'm a giant fan of Kawamori's designs yet?)
8. Delphine (Broken Blade). The trope of putting an inexperienced pilot in a relatively overpowered suite is not a new one. But the way Rygart's fights with the Delphine plays out most definitely is not the norm. Swords, kunais, nunchucks, spiked bulldozers with a sword in it, and a giant ninja star yoyo of death. It's final fight was one of my favorite moments of last year, and I still stand by that.
9. Mazinger Z (Shin Mazinger Z). The original Mazinger series was way beyond my time, so I am quite happy with the ability to watch it yet again. I've always liked the design of the Black Castle of Steel: simple with a great color scheme. It's modernized version still boasts many of its iconic moves including the rocket punch and breast fire. But it also has a few more tricks up it's sleeves. Such as turning into a giant rocket punch, or summoning a legion of rocket punches that turn into one giant rocket punch. For the super robot that originated that attack, it definitely makes the most of the incredible legacy.
10. Hyaku Shikki (Z Gundam). Here are the reasons: 1. It is piloted by the most awesome version of Char (the one that wins because he's a good guy for once lol). 2. It looks pretty as all hell. 3. It's designed by Kawamori. I really wish Gundam Unicorn's Delta Plus kept that gold paint job. I'd nominate that instead if it did due to its transformation that looks better than almost every other new variable mobile suit Z Gundam vomited out on a per episode basis.
Calling for all ME3 articles
It's probably with some depressing irony and self-hatred that the situation surrounding this game has turned into a rather fitting topic for a paper in one of my communications courses. I won't bore anyone with the preliminary outlines of the paper. What I'm asking for is links to any articles or reviews published in reaction to either the game itself or the community reactions towards the game.
Yes, I realize I'm asking you guys to help do some of the research leg work for me. But taking advantage of the sprawling network here is probably going to be a lot more effective than trawling on Lexus Nexus. Feel free to either leave the link in the comment section, or sent to me as an PM. Thanks all for your help.
Noboru Ishiguro Passes Away
I'm personally not familiar with many of his works where he served as director. Shows like Lupin III, Astro Boy and Space Battleship Yamato were too far before my time. But there are two that served as the most formative experiences I've had with the anime medium. Super Dimension Fortress Macross drew me in and never let me go when I watched a syndicated version of it in China in 1990, 8 years after its initial release. After all, what 4 year old boy could say no to F-14 Tomcats that turned into robots fighting aliens in space? And about 19 years after that initial experience, long after many, me included, thought Cowboy Bebop may have been the apex of the medium, I stumbled upon Legend of the Galactic Heroes, and realized the anime that would ruin all other anime for me through sheer brilliance was created back in 1988.
So here's a cheer to the man that that directed two of the most marvelous animated experiences of my life.
Persona 4 Episode 4: Three's a Trend, And Our Heroes are Helpless
When I started my attempts at internet blogging about two years ago, one of my first entries was on Persona 3. What drew me to that game was the nature of the enemy, and the futility of the conflict. The ultimate evil in that game was Nyx. It was a being of death manifested by and attracted to the negativity of mankind. It knew no malice and did not seak power. It was instead manipulated by mankind's unconcious negativity. Our heroes fought against it, and even with the "Power of the Universe", the strength to perform miracles, all the main character could do was use his own life force to create a seal, blocking Nyx off from man kind's thoughts.
The conflict was against a being of man's own creation and unconscious manipulation, and fighting against it directly was futile, as refuting the will of all mankind with just your own was futile. Far outside the JRPG norm, this is what made Persona 3's story appeal to me. When Persona 4 came around, I loved it, and yet couldn't help but feel a twinge of disappointment because of how the balance of power played out in the conflict. The heroes fought against the monsters, and each time came out victorious. Personal acceptance of one's demons became less life threatening as the ability to fully subdue them over and over was always there.
And then came along the Persona 4 anime. Within the last 3 episodes, we have seen three boss fights and none of them gave us an Investigation Team victorious on their powers. Narukami fought Shadow Yosuke to a standstill at best. Shadow Chie had Jiraiyah and Yosuke tied up with her bondage hair. Shadow Yukiko's flames were more than even Pyro Jack's absorb flame affinity could handle. Once is a fluke, but three is a trend. The conflict puts emphasis on the futility of combating psychological beasts with brute strength. Every time, it took a change in mind set on the part of the host to give our heroes a fighting chance.
While the criticisms of melodramatic nature of the self-acceptance is understandable, in this sense, it also makes sense. One cannot win through fighting, and hold the shadow back is already a near impossible task. The priority is acceptance, one that the heroes need to work towards through emotional appeals more than anything else. The change in this emphasis is also backed up by an expansion on the back story and motivations of the characters that I have praised in previous writings. The true source of Chie and Yukiko's friendship, the set in stone routine of Yukiko's life at the inn, what people really think about Yosuke behind his back, these moments help gives depth to this new priority.
Persona 3 showed the supreme power of the subconscious. It is good to see the Persona 4 Animation following in those foot steps.
Persona 4 Episode 3: The Rights and Wrongs of Social Links
Social Links are the non-linear story threads of the game. It allows for the player to delve and discover the depths of the many side characters the game throws at you. They are not required for progression, and yet are essential for fully experiencing the game. However, they are again, non-linear. Persona 4's attempt at translating this into the linear anime format leads to success and failure, both conveniently placed in the same episode.
Episode 3 begins with what is probably my favorite scene so far. As you develop the Chie social link, one of the later levels has Chie telling you about how her and Yukiko met, little lost puppies and all. It helps further develop their friendship. The show takes perfect advantage of this, placing it within the same episode as Chie's confrontation with her shadow.
Her hidden motivation for being friends with Yukiko, the enjoyment of being Yukiko's master, the latter whom cannot do anything without her, is meant to be her true face. The game responds to this not with grim acceptance at her own perverse motivation, but with a "the ends justifies the means" kind of attitude, that as long as she and Yukiko are friends, nothing else matters. This has never sat all that well with me. It wasn't a true acceptance of self, but pretending its alright because of what it results in.
However, by adding the social link scene so early on as the show has done, it brings a new level of legitimacy to this line of thinking. Chie and Yukiko befriended each other long before this perverse relationship between them came into being. They became friends as children, innocent of all the faults that currently tarnish them as teens. Their relationship had a pure beginning, and that's what counts in the end.
On the other side of this magnificent scene however we have the symptoms of over indulgence in references rearing its head. A proper reference gives much to those that catch it, but does not take away from those that do not. And the following moments fail this rule.
There was no reason for the Kou Ichijo scene, and its presence felt very much like a "hey, remember this guy" moment. The sports team social link however is not the only one at fault. It merely is the least subtle. In the second episode, the auditorium announcement is preceded by a quick pan of the teachers standing on stage. And of course, one was a gym teacher, one was wearing a pharaoh head dress, and one had his right up holding a sock puppet. Not as heavy handed as the Ichijo moment, but any viewer unfamiliar with the game would probably look at the characters, and be dismayed by the ridiculousness.
In other less analytical news, Narukami's cheating ways continue. Two more rank ups in stats and pyro jack all before Yukiko's castle is even finished? How dirty are you going to play.
Persona 4 Episode 1: Success and Failure in Familiarity
Adaptations are tricky things to get right. Cross-medium adaptations are even more difficult. Like others before it, Persona 4 wades its way through trying to capitalize on the source. And like others before it, the results are mixed, though I'd say it succeeds more than it fails thus far.
Both in visual and audio, the episode strives for familiarity. Tracks from Persona 4's OST are inserted properly through out the episode with the OP theme being the opening track for the game in full. Visually, things like the above calender and the persona summoning eye catch are seen, certain to bring much delight to fans of the game. The usage of the status growth screen as the episode eye-catch is particularly interesting. One can only speculate, but perhaps they will let it develop just as it did in game, hinting at possible S.link based plot points in up coming episodes as it reaches the proper number of courage points to down the curry.
Max Knowledge First
As I said previously though, its attempt at familiarity is both success and failure, and I don't just mean how the MC's name is not "Charlie Tunoku". Certain scenes simply do not translate from game to anime all too well, the most obvious being the initial entry into the television world. The televised version simply felt rushed and Yosuke's urine antics leading to the falling into the TV, instead of delivering a good laugh as it did in game, had me raising an eye brow at in annoyance at how absurd and poor that scene felt.
The MC's silent protagonist retreatment also bears mentioning. One can count the lines of dialogue he has in the episode on your fingers and toes. While that is not bad unto itself, his incredibly reserved, shy, and passive personality is simply not the type of character he presented himself as in game, regardless of player decisions. Things do get a bit more lively and heated during the combat scene (and I don't just mean when he starts stripping) as he utters a few emotion filled lines, and one can only hope his personality does not remain so blank.
Delicious Jacket Unbuttoning
Familiarity is a double edged sword, and perhaps Persona 4 will wield it well. The first episode was far more good than bad despite my criticisms, and one can only hope it keeps going that way.
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iRobot Rebuilds Its Scooba Robot Mop With 3x the Power
LAS VEGAS -- iRobot’s line of robotic home cleaning assistants continues to grow, and the latest addition is an update to its Scooba Floor Mop called the Scooba 450. This new intelligent mop is slightly heavier and larger than its previous incarnation, the Scooba 390. According to iRobot, it's also three times more effective at clearing dirty floors than the last model; Scooba's internal components, including the motors, brushes and fans, have all been replaced.
Why iRobot's CEO Welcomes Our New Google Robot Overlords
Roomba 880 Has More Sucking Power, Trouble With Obstacles
The Roomba, the automated robot vacuum, is more than just a great idea -- it's an inevitable one. As technology progresses, it just makes too much sense to relegate simple, menial tasks to automatons. I have no doubt that one day, most homes will have robot cleaners of various shapes and sizes performing all the thankless tasks that go hand-in-hand with maintaining a home.
Military Robots Will Patrol World Cup
Even non-soccer fans know how hooliganism can quickly turn a harmless match into a veritable war zone, full of riots, stabbings, even death. To help keep the peace at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, FIFA has decided to go high-tech by enlisting military robots for security.
iRobot Mirra Tackles Pool Muck
Unless you're a five-year-old kid, there's nothing fun about dirt. It builds up everywhere and nobody really wants to clean it up. iRobot knows this. That's why it keeps spitting out fresh new robots to do all the dirt-ridden jobs we struggle to avoid. The Massachusetts-based company started with robot vacuums for our dirty floors and moved onto robotic mops and even a tiny Scooba that will roll behind the toilet so you don't have to.
Robot Hand Picks Up Nyan Cat, What Else is Possible?
Humans take their hands for granted. We’re just as quick to make an obscene gesture with them as we are to paint the next Mona Lisa. For those building robots, however, dexterous hands are a never--ending conundrum. Building them is tough and expensive. Roomba manufacturer iRobot is working on innovating its way around at least a few of these major obstacles to build effective, affordable, and maybe even intuitive digits.
This Is How a Throwable Robot Sees My Office
iRobot Gobbles up Evolution Robotics for $74M
Guess what Roomba got for its 10th birthday? A nice, shiny new company to play with. iRobot, the company that makes the Roomba robotic vacuum will acquire competitor Evolution Robotics for $74 million in cash, according to a joint announcement. Though iRobot went public in 2005 and Evolution Robotics remains a privately-held company, the two companies have otherwise followed a somewhat similar trajectory for the last decade.
Roomba Celebrates 10 Years of Cleaning Up After You
Roomba, the world’s first multi-million unit-selling home-helper robot, turns 10 today. iRobot has cooked up a self-congratulatory infographic filled with a collection of interesting and, occasionally bizarre facts to mark the occasion. A decade ago, I tested and wrote about the first Roomba robotic home vacuum. Back then, I described it as looking like “an oversized CD-player” (remember those?).
This iRobot Has its Mind in the Gutter
Best known for its Roomba vacuum cleaner robot, iRobot has reportedly sold 8 million consumer robots over the last 10 years, but not all of them are Roombas. Along with the vacuum cleaners, garage clearing Dirt Dogs and intelligent floor mops is the gutter-cleaning Looj. If that sounds like a joke, it’s not. Sure gutter cleaners get no respect, but this robot is about to get a major upgrade with the Looj 330.
iRobot Releases Smartest Roomba Yet
iRobot announced on Tuesday the latest vacuum cleaning robot in its Roomba lineup, boasting a wireless command center that schedules cleanings and allows users to control the device from anywhere in the house. The new Roomba 790 -- available now for $699.99 -- gives users more flexibility in cleaning. By using the Wireless Command Center remote control, it's possible to steer the Roomba to any spot in the house and schedule it to routinely clean during certain hours, even when no one is home.
YouTube Sensation Does the Robot in $10 Million Roomba Campaign [VIDEO]
Dubstep master and YouTube sensation Marquese Scott is back with another jaw-dropping routine. His 2011 YouTube dance video gained more than 43 million views. This time, he is promoting the Roomba robotic vacuum cleaner. iRobot Corporation -- behind the Roomba and Scooba automated cleaners -- is making moves with a robust $10 million ad campaign, appealing to fans on T.V. and online. Scott appears in the T.V.
Who is ultimately responsible for the behavior of autonomous robots? That's the central question that a new conference on robots aims to tackle. Why ask the question? Well, imagine that today's robot vacuums and floor washers (like the recently upgraded Scooba) eventually spawn cousins who mow lawns and trim hedges. Now imagine that robot hedge trimmer chopping off your neighbor's arm.
Scooba Robot Floor Scrubber Gets an Upgrade, Still Not Quite Skynet
The Roomba robot vacuum is world-famous, but it's cousin, the Scooba floor washer, not as much. Will the new Scooba 390 change that? iRobot, the company behind both, hopes so. If you found the old Scooba difficult to use, iRobot says the 390 has been upgraded for better performance and 30% longer battery life over its predecessor, the 380.
iRobot's Roomba Revenge Attacks Virtual Dust Bunnies
Ever since iRobot launched Roomba, the disc-shaped robotic floor vacuum, it's been hard to ignore the sometimes comic possibilities. SNL once famously parodied the product, which has sold millions of units since 2002, in a memorable fake commercial for the "Woomba" feminine hygiene robot. iRobot, laughed quietly in the background, but was never really in on any of the jokes. Until now.
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Let's Make Robots!
Raspberry Py
The Social drink Machine
Ro-Bot-X's picture
Well, the Romanians at Robofun have built a drink mixing robot. It's not looking like the famous Bar2D2, it's looking more like a 2 axis CNC machine, but it has it's share of coolness. To order a drink, you scan the bar code with your smart phone, get to the site and choose a drink. Then wait for a bar code to be displayed on your phone, place a glass in the machine and show the bar code to the machine's webcam.
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Comic Vine News
Comic Vine Battle of the Week RESULTS: Guardians of the Galaxy vs. X-Force
What happens when these two teams fight? Come see who won and why!
Brian Michael Bendis' Guardians of the Galaxy or Christopher Yost's X-Force? The community had all week to think about this brawl and now only one side is left standing. One team kept a moderate lead the entire time, but the poll did fluctuate to some degree and there was never too large of a gap between the two sides. Well, after five days of discussion and voting, the winner is clear: the Comic Vine community sides with the Guardians of the Galaxy.
The combination of skill, firepower and powers gave the Guardians of the Galaxy a decent lead over Wolverine's team. The group of aliens earned 54% and X-Force took 40% of the votes. 6% believe this one is too close to call.
The Viner arguments and Corey 'Undeadpool' Schroeder's post are crazy long this week, but they're also extremely entertaining. The first post is incredibly confident the Guardians will dominate the battle and the other two explain how they think the fight would play out in out in a very, very fun way. So, let's just go right ahead and jump into these detailed posts.
Viner Argument of the Week for the Guardians of the Galaxy is by Oy_the_Billy_Bumbler
"Here's why The Guardians absolutely destroy X-Force. This is a no contest in my honest opinion. Several of the Guardians could solo all of X-Force without even breaking a sweat.
X-Force is full of a bunch of Street Level characters to just above Street Level. Sure, they pack a little extra in healing factors and probability manipulation. They can stomp most of Earth based street level teams with ease. They aren't taking on Earth based heroes in this though. The Guardians are characters that were busy saving the universe every day while the Earth based heroes were in the middle of a "Civil War" over a law that was, in the grand scheme of things, very insignificant.
Take Tony Stark for example. Tony Stark joined the Guardians, because he wanted to see what more was out there. Tony Stark has arguably the best tech on Earth. Tony Stark has admitted that he is at least a generation behind what the rest of the universe has to offer in tech. The Guardians have some of the best tech in their weaponry, which puts them even further ahead of even the Iron Man Armors. Rocket Raccoon repeatedly embarrassed Tony and made fun of how primitive the Iron Man armor was in comparison to even the simplest of what Rocket could do with his weaponry, which brings me to Rocket Raccoon.
Rocket Raccoon could blow the entire team away with one shot. There is no debating that. Going back to DnA's great run that established the Guardians, they spent a lot of time trying to keep the Cancerverse from overtaking the 616 universe. In one such occasion, they were battling the Universal Church of Truth. The UCT was trying to bring the Cancerverse into the universe to help resurrect their savior (Thanos). Anyways, they brought a massive Cancerverse creature through the portal. Adam Warlock and Phyla-Vel tried to push the creature back through the portal. Their combined powers were too weak to perform the task. That's why the Guardians have a genius strategist/weapons specialist in Rocket Raccoon. Rocket's grenade packed enough punch to hurt the creature and push it back through the portal. His grenade packed more punch then the combined power of Adam Warlock and Phyla-Vel, who are high tier cosmic level beings.
Staying on Rocket, he is also a master strategist. He was engineered on halfworld to have a genius intelligence for strategy and tactics by the humans who left him to protect the loonies. He also trained to become the sole protector of the loonies on halfworld, which is why he is so dangerous today. Starlord has traveled the entire universe. He has encountered people like Captain America, Tony Stark, Reed Richards, and even Thanos. Starlord has claimed that Rocket Raccoon has the best tactical mind out of everyone he has ever met in the entire universe.
Rocket was the brains behind dropping the babel spire when Ultron and the Phalanx conquered Hala, the homeworld of the Kree. Rocket came up with a plan to have Groot and Mantis take out all of the forces within the babel spire. This is a good time to talk about how easily Groot could destroy X-Force with ease by explaining his powers.
To topple the Babel spire, Groot rooted himself in the structure of the tower. Groot grew so he was as large as the Babel Spire. That's how big he can get when he wants too. That's the Empire State Building size, if not bigger. Groot also gained the ability from Mantis through her pyrokinesis to let Groot manipulate his sap at a molecular level so he can become flammable at will. In case you didn't know, Groot is fireproof, which is one of the first powers he demonstrated way back when he was a villain and has demonstrated recently in his mini-series with Rocket Raccoon. Anyways, Groot burnt down the entire babel spire, and regrew himself from a sprig. This was the decisive move that toppled Ultron.
Groot's size manipulation through growth give him an excellent healing factor. I would argue it is much faster then both Wolverine and X-23's. It is getting better by the day too. If you have been a long time Guardians fan like myself, then you would know that Groot used to be able to talk normally. Now he is only able to say, "I am Groot!". That's not because of him being dumb like most people think. It's because his species wood grows more and more durable as they age. Groot is actually a genius at Reed Richard levels. Maximus explained this to the Guardians, and this was later proven when Rocket traveled to Planet X. Anyways, Groot has become so durable that he has tanked shots from Thanos on two separate occasions and has been left without any damage. Even if Groot is damaged, he can instantly regrow his damaged limbs.
Groot's age has also given him immense strength. I would put his strength quite a bit above a base line savage Hulk. There is plenty of proof to back this up too. Groot has hit Thanos with enough force to make his body fold in half from pain. Groot, more recently was the member picked between both the Avengers and Guardians to put the beat down on Thanos. This roster included the Hulk. Groot puts a pretty impressive beating on the Mad Titan that Hulk has never been able to do to the same effect. Another of Groot's strength feats is killing the Monster of Badoon. The Monster of Badoon has fought the Thing, and beat Grimm in their fight. Groot, however not only beats the Monster of Badoon, he hits him so hard it knocks his head clean off. The Thing is well above a 100 tonner, and Groot hit with strength much higher then the Thing ever could.
Groot could also use his Dendrokinesis for a very easy win. Groot has the power to absorb, and control anything made of wood. He has the power to build a net of trees that is strong enough to carry a village through space, without killing the people in the village from the effects of space, and all the way to his home planet on Planet X. Groot can turn any piece of wood on the battlefield into a living weapon. Groot can also drop sheds of himself, that are basically small dupes of himself. He can create an army of mini-Groots to fight for him. This is one of the reasons why Groot is arguably immortal also. In Groot's current age, he has the power to instantly change his size at will. He can grow from a sprig, to a ten story giant in the matter of seconds. If Groot is destroyed, one of his sheds can grow and get back in the fight.
Another member of the Guardians with a healing factor that is even better then Wolverine and X-23's when combined with her natural durability is Gamora. Gamora has survived the burning of the sun and healed from it. She has intentionally submerged herself in burning lava and acid so she could kill her opponent by dragging him with her. She came out of the lava and acid with absolutely zero damage to her body.
Gamora is more then just a healer though. She was trained by Thanos to master more martial arts styles then even Batman. Batman may have mastered every fighting style on Earth, but he is limited to Earth based fighting styles (unless I'm mistaken and Batman knows some Alien styles too). Gamora has earned her title as the deadliest women in the galaxy. She has fought Ronan the Accuser to a stalemate. Ronan the Accuser has stopped characters as strong as Black Bolt in his tracks and has absorbed Black Bolts power with no damage, but he still had trouble with Gamora. Gamora could easily destroy all of X-factor on her own with her enhanced physicals, healing factor, and far superior skills (sorry Wolverine).
The other mean and green member of the Guardians is Drax. While he is not quite what he used to be as a cosmic level threat, he still is more then enough to dominate X-Force level characters. Drax is easily a 50 tonner, and is said to have a healing factor. To be honest, I don't know if he has a healing factor, because he has never taken any damage. Drax has gone up against an entire army of Annihilus forces when he was abandoned on a planet overrun with the opposing army. Drax was able to fight his way through an entire horde of the Annihilation Wave before making his way to Annihilus ship, where he kills Thanos.
Last but not least on the Guardians is Starlord. Starlord, while not without his own share of impressive feats, is not always the one dealing the huge blows like the rest of his team can. Starlord instead uses his expert leadership to put his team in the right place to win. Included in Starlord's victories by leadership and/or strategy include, the Annihilation Wave, the Phalanx Conquest, and Thanos outwitted on three separate occasions. Starlord always looks like he is flying by the seat of his pants, but he excels at this. He also always has a hidden agenda unknown to anyone but himself. He keeps himself three steps ahead of even the genius that is Thanos at all times. He's proven this time and time again. Batman better watch out, because Starlord is moving in on the title of Prep-Master. If three wins over Thanos because of prep doesn't earn him that title, it definitely puts him as a pretty close contender.
So one of the best leaders in the universe is taking a squad of characters that tackle cosmic level Universe ending threats on a monthly basis to take on a team of Earth based characters that are just above street level at best? Ya, I'll take the Guardians in a 10/10 no contest win here."
Viner Argument of the Week for X-Force is by AustinCY
"Two of my all-time favourite Marvel teams. This is honestly the closest battle I can possibly imagine. Having read Yost's & Remender's X-Force and both Abnett's & Bendis' Guardians of the Galaxy, I'm going to break down what each character contributes to this all out battle:
X-Force: Wolverine is the charismatic and experienced leader who has led many X-Men teams and knows how to fully utilize his team mate's strengths. The X-Force is comprised of cold-hearted killers who are maneuverable and stealthy, which gives them an advantage in this given scenario. Note that, since Wolverine and X-23 having healing factors, they will last longer throughout the battle, in addition to Warpath being extremely resistant to injury. Domino is a wild card because of her probability manipulation which will be troublesome for her to die. Archangel has his metallic feathers that are laced with poisonous chemicals that will paralyze his opponents. Wolverine & X-23 are exceptional hand-to-hand combatants, especially with their adamantium. Warpath is a powerhouse tank that relies on his brute strength and speed. Domino is the clever marksman that will try to pick off the enemies. Archangel will be used to isolate one of Guardians via flight & grab, and will fight one on one somewhere else (as shown in the Dark X-Men series against Bullseye).
Guardians of the Galaxy: Star-Lord is a knowledgeable and crafty leader who is the most familiar with his team mates and what they are capable of doing. However, his leadership skills are not demonstrated as skillfully compared to Wolverine. The Guardians are best shown when fighting individually as opposed to as a team. This will be their greatest downfall. Gamora is the deadliest woman in the universe equipped with a healing factor. Drax the Destroyer is also a powerhouse tank who relies on his brute strength and speed. Both Gamora and Drax are superb killing machines. Rocket Raccoon is the most resourceful with his array of weaponry, explosives and jet pack. Groot is a mighty creature capable of regenerating and expanding his size. The Guardians of the Galaxy are mainly used to fighting lots of alien armies and solving catastrophic galactic problems. Battling the X-Force will offer them a unique challenge.
The Battle:
The fight would begin with the X-Force splitting off into the darkness in which Wolverine has assigned which of his team members would battle who based on the Guardians appearances, weaponry, size, and his limited knowledge on the Guardians. Star-Lord will start making quirky remarks on how mutants are usually friendly and then Rocket Raccoon would join in the chattering. Joking aside, his leadership will not be taken seriously from Drax and Gamora, and would therefore split off from the team to hunt the X-Force down by themselves. Both are very proud warriors who are confident in their fighting skills. Groot follows orders tentatively and stays with Star-Lord and Rocket Raccoon. However, out of nowhere, Archangel shoots his metallic feathers towards the three, forcing them to separate in which Archangel would swiftly swoop and take Rocket Raccoon out of the battle. Star-Lord would try to use his element gun to stop Archangel but it is shot out of his hand by Domino and luckily shatters into pieces due to a weakpoint in the gun. Meanwhile, Warpath would challenge Drax and test each other's might. Both wielding knives in each hand. However, Warpath's knives are bowie knives that are composed of Vibranium which gives him the advantage in this dual. Spectacular battle of knives and muscle but Warpath would end up besting Drax through multiple stabbings. X-23 would sneak attack Gamora from within the shadows but Gamora would deflect that attack. Both combatants are extremely and heavily trained fighters both with a healing factor. Bloodiest dual ever. In the end, Gamora will claim victory and stays true to being the deadliest woman in the galaxy. Wolverine will naturally test Star-Lord's wits and engage in battle but Groot would unexpectedly swipe his woody arm against Wolverine's small stature and send him flying, hitting a nearby building. Without the element gun, Star-Lord is vulnerable and takes cover so that he can think of a strategy to get his team out of this situation. Domino is assigned to taking out Star-Lord and exits the building in which she was sniping from.
Meanwhile, Archangel drops Rocket Raccoon, only to notice that the clever creature strapped his jetpack to Archangel before getting dropped. The jetpack is then detonated as the furry raccoon drops midair. The explosion badly damages Archangel as he spirals to the ground, forcing him to take cover while shooting his feathers. Similarly, Rocket Raccoon will be taking cover, shooting, and talking smack about how he was chosen to get isolated from the team. In the end, Rocket Raccoon will outsmart the Apocalypse Horseman strategically through means of various blasts of weaponry accurately aimed where Archangel cannot protect himself. However, Rocket Raccoon would have to return back to the battle without any transportation. Wolverine fights Groot head-on and manages to take apart Groot piece by piece. Wolverine is a swift samurai who can outspeed Groot's predictable attacks. In the end, all there would be left of Groot would be a splinter of wood. Domino would eventually hunt down Star-Lord but to her surprise, Star-Lord manages to catch her off guard and disarms her weapon. Star-Lord would begin to flirt his way out and mention that his element gun was his favourite weapon. Although Domino would be flattered, she would agree to fight him hand-to-hand combat seeing that she destroyed his element gun and wouldn't mind to fight fairly. A very interesting fight would occur. In the end, Wolverine would show up and slash Star-Lord from behind, terribly wounding him from continuing to fight. Wolverine would say something about how he lacks the respect from his team and the leadership to execute the battle. Star-Lord would smile and say something about how he was wrong about mutants being friendly. To make things short, Wolverine, Warpath and Domino would take on Gamora. X-23 would unexpectedly attack her and Gamora would be defeated by all four. Afterwards, they would hunt down the lone Rocket Raccoon. He will use up all of his ammunition and explosives to defend himself to the best of his ability, but his weapons would eventually deplete and would be taken out by the X-Force.
Ultimately, X-Force would win under Wolverine's cunning strategic leadership, stealth, and bloodthirsty mentality."
Corey 'Undeadpool' Schroeder, Comic Vine Writer
"I still don't see how it's any of our business what a bunch of earthbound mutants get into..." Gamora scoffed, circling at the back of the group, her rifle raised, but contempt obvious in her voice.
" extraterrestrial parasite infects some of the deadliest mutants on the planet...and heroic ones, no less...we get involved." Quill muttered, his eyes darting back and forth, his breaths coming in quick, measured moments.
"The tree and the rodent being here ain't helping our incognito status, evacuation or not..." Drax pointed out, emerging from one of the many desolated structures.
"What'd you call me?! WHAT DID YOU CALL ME?!" Rocket broke formation and strode up to the man three times his height, lowering the massive launcher on his shoulder.
"I AM GROOT!" intoned the massive wood man.
"That's right! And...wait, what?" Rocket spun from Drax, looking up, "Oh damnation!" he readied his weapon and fired at the shape. The rocket exploded nearby, sending him crashing to the ground next to Groot. He righted himself, his metallic wings firing bladed feathers in a cloud, embedding themselves in the tree's hide. He underestimated how fast the not-ent would be, though, finding his neck clutched in unyielding hands that squeezed with incredible force.
"Eyes open! They're likely to-" Gamorra was cut off by a the sound of glass breaking, followed by a strange smell and finally small figure leaping from a rooftop and tumbling through a doorway with her just as it began to rain. The strange thing was, the bottle hadn't come from outside her group... Drax readied himself as, predictably, another shape leapt from the shadows on him, massive knives clashing against his own as he rolled back, righting himself and readying as an animalistic shape leapt on Raccoon, but the smaller Guardian evaded him, leaving an unexpected gift stuck to his back in the form of a silver disk.
"What?!" the disc exploded, driving thousands of needles downward, sending Wolverine to one knee, twitching and growling.
"It's called a nanoplague! Picked it up a galaxy and a half away. Should override your healing factor AND kill whatever's got your brain in such a tiz-" Raccoon had either underestimated Wolverine's healing factor or the plague was a little too slow-acting as Wolverine rose up and stabbed him through the stomach, "Oh, you little upstart..." he coughed and slumped forward just as Logan lost consciousness.
While this was happening, Gamora and X-23 had separated in the sewer, both circling one another. "Listen, little wolf, you might be the deadliest woman on this planet, but I'm the deadliest woman in the gal-" Laura screamed and leapt forward, popping her four hand claws and slashing Gamora across the stomach and arm. Her armor prevented the wound from going too deep, but she shoved X off, snarling herself and taking quick stock of her situation. When Laura pounced again, she found both her arms paralyzed as Gamora struck her vital nerve clusters. "Enough! Enough of this! Is anything of you still left?!" she needn't have asked as she saw the red, vacant look behind Laura's eyes and she lunged, both of her arms useless. Gamora expected a kick, but not the blades that extended, embedding themselves in her side and neck. They stuck in her skeleton, however, and X-23 had no idea of Gamora's healing factor as she grabbed the smaller fighter, forcing her head into a recently formed puddled, choking off her breath as she inhaled a breath of water and lost consciousness, Gamora staggering back, pulling her from the water before slumping over.
Drax and Warpath fought without verve nor finesse. Two warriors merely fighting in its purest form, knives sinking into flesh, fists striking bone, knees and boots cracking against bodies and voices growling in determination. A mutual headbutt ensured neither would be getting up for an our nor seeing straight for a week. Back where it all started, Archangel's wings sliced Groot's arm off, but the tree man was unfazed, grabbing the flier's ankle and slamming him into the ground. He turned, sending another flurry of metallic feathers.
"Enough! Enough of THIS!" still another flurry reduced Groot to kindling, but Archangel sensed there was still life in the fragments. Before he could formulate a solution for the problem, Quill had already fired several rounds of his rifle into the back of the dark angel's head. He began to adjust the gun to properly kill him when he heard a noise behind him. Four had been dealt with, but wasn't there a fifth? He turned in time for a vicious roundhouse to the side of his head, knocking him off balance and sending him staggering back. He fired wildly, but the shot went wide and Domino advanced nonchalantly, punching him in the stomach. He chuckled, pulling a pistol from his waist and firing. Domino fell to one knee, gritting her teeth and trying to right herself on numbed legs. The gun had been set to incapacitate, so he made a slight adjustment to ensure a kill and grinned down at his target. His grin reversed when he pulled the trigger and the gun exploded in his hand, sending him staggering back, clutching the burnt limb. He fell to his knees in confusion as Domino shook her head, holding a strange device to his head. "Now THAT'S unlucky...for you, I mean." She pulled the trigger and an ear-shattering noise filled Quill's head as he collapsed, a strange, silver worm crawling out of his ear.
Domino sighed and tsked loudly before training her weapon on the slithering being and bombarding it with sonic waves until it burst, "Next time, Quill," she said as he passed out, "skip the detour to Seti-Alpha 6."
Here's a teaser for next week's battle. Is that Squirrel Girl vs. Stilt-Man? Or could it be Armless Tiger Man vs. Condiment King? Have fun guessing below and check the homepage on Monday to see who the combatants are!
Previous 'Comic Vine Battle of the Week' results
Want to suggest a Battle of the Week? Feel free to comment below or send it to Gregg via Twitter. Keep in mind, it doesn't have to be Marvel or DC only, but it must be comic related!
Edited by The Stegman
WOW I applaud ALL viner of the week arguments. Very detailed and well spoken.
Posted by patrat18
Too long.
Posted by 2cool4fun
Next one seems like it has green lantern.
Posted by dondave
The teaser on the right is Colossus
Edited by Oy_the_Billy_Bumbler
Wow, I'm surprised I got a pick for a comment after reading the other two by @austincy and Corey. That was like reading the script for the next story arc. Nice job. Great write up by @k4tzm4n as always too.
Posted by frozenedge
That was amazing though I was rooting for X-Force to win. Next battle looks like it'll be featuring Colossus
Posted by BritishMonkey
Can't I vote DnA's Guardians of the Galaxy instead of Bendis'?
Posted by Deranged Midget
Dayum, now those are some commendable arguments for both sides! Well done duders!
Edited by arw1985
I didn't know too much about the GOTG, so I bowed out of this one. I'm a little shocked at the results. It's good to know that "The awesomeness of Wolverine!!!" didn't help X-Force win this one.
Posted by kidman560
@deranged_midget: oh man if DM is complimenting than they really did do a good job...
Edited by Oy_the_Billy_Bumbler
@dondave: You could tell that from his shoulder. lol. That's impressive!
Who do you think the other side is? It almost looks like it could be Radioactive Man.
Posted by Deranged Midget
Lol dude, I'm not above anyone else. Just a regular guys who appreciates wicked debates and from what I've read, these guys definitely know what they're talking about! :)
Posted by kidman560
@deranged_midget: lol I know but you happen to be very good at debating and compliments from you carry some weight because of your reputation (I was being serious with a bit of joking in there man. I meant this but I thought my first comment was funnier)
Posted by Deranged Midget
Ha, well I really appreciate the kind words dude regardless of whether I agree with them or not.
I still you a debate one of these days though, just have to find time ;)
Posted by CheeseSticks
It's Colossus vs someone i'm sure i saw that picture but i can't remember.
Edited by Jonny_Anonymous
Edited by Oy_the_Billy_Bumbler
Posted by kid Apollo
hmmm i disagree. but oh well, thems the brakes
Posted by kidman560
Edited by GraniteSoldier
I must say I'm with the majority on this one, I think the Guardians should edge the victory. The ease of which I'm not sure, but I think they'd pull the win overall.
Posted by OreoAssassin
@k4tzm4n: Awesome Battle! (Forgot to say that last week)
Edited by Jonny_Anonymous
Reallllllllllllllllllllllly looking forward to DnA returning to the Guardians of the Galaxy for the anniversary issue
Posted by Fallschirmjager
@dondave: Teaser on the Left is X-O Manowar
Posted by k4tzm4n
@fallschirmjager: @dondave: Oh man, that would be a pretty cool match-up, wouldn't it? It's just too bad those images look nothing like the teaser, amirite?
Posted by Fallschirmjager
@k4tzm4n: I claim temporary bout of insanity for ever thinking it.
Posted by k4tzm4n
Posted by laflux
@dondave said:
The teaser on the right is Colossus
Seriously man, how are you so good at these things.......
Posted by Ostyo
Can't beat the universe's best team.
Edited by redhoodx
X-O Manowar VS Cable
Posted by _Genesis_
Sweet X-O Manowar vs Colossus
Posted by dagmar_merrill
@k4tzm4n said:
Posted by Life_Without_Progress
Posted by k4tzm4n
Edited by JasonHamilton
x-force get the nod to me but it would be a great battle indeed
Posted by DEGRAAF
can someone post the link to voting for this match up. I dont remember if i voted or not and would like to find out
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http://www.comicvine.com/articles/comic-vine-battle-of-the-week-results-guardians-of/1100-147924/?comment_sort=m.dateCreated&comment_direction=ASC
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dclm-gs1-076530001
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[
"Ultron"
] |
0.039106
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<urn:uuid:0dfa35fb-b338-45bb-81e0-a6acd6567dbc>
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en
| 0.933396
|
"T3" reduced to a computer game?
Hold onto your joysticks game fans, "The Terminator" is coming to all major console gaming platforms. Atari announced today the development of a videogame based on "Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines", which will be a first-person action game enabling the player to be the character played by big Arnie. This marks the first time Arnold Schwarzenegger’s voice and likeness has ever appeared in a home videogame.
"The Terminator series is one of the most popular movie franchises in existence today and its latest incarnation, ‘Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines,’ is one of the most highly anticipated movie releases of 2003," said Jean-Philippe Agati, senior vice president and head of Infogrames, Inc.’s Los Angeles studio. "’Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines,’ the videogame, will capitalize on every aspect of the feature film’s popularity from a mind-bending plot that closely follows the movie’s script to the first ever appearance of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s likeness and voice in a videogame. Gamers and Terminator fans alike are literally going to be blown away when we give them an opportunity to become one of the most advanced fighting machines ever created."
"Videogames have become an entertainment medium as big as the movies they are based on," said C-2 producers Andy Vajna and Mario Kassar. "Now the Terminator has found the most exciting and authentic expression as a videogame of what made these movies a hit in theaters around the world and we are proud to be partnered with Atari in bringing ‘Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines’ into homes everywhere."
The "Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines" videogame storyline will weave in and out of the movie script as players face enemies from the present in which the War of the Machines looms on the horizon, to the apocalyptic future where the War itself is waged on all fronts. While following the feature film’s plot closely, "Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines" will go one step further by providing fans of the Terminator series with a deeper look into the movie’s universe and the role of the Terminator, a futuristic fighting machine reprogrammed to save humanity from the SkyNet holocaust.
Much like the feature film, when Terminators clash in "Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines" all hell is sure to break loose. Terminators are designed to utilize the most readily and efficient means available to eliminate any particular foe — when that enemy is a Terminator this leads to absolutely brutal hand-to-hand combat. "Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines" will allow players to engage in true movie-like Terminator combat as they repeatedly face the ultimate killing machine, the T-X, throughout the single-player game. Smashing opponents into walls, massive two-handed chops and crushing kicks are just a few of the dozens of moves in the Terminator’s arsenal.
Developed by Black Ops Entertainment, "Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines" will make its debut on all major console gaming systems in Fall 2003.
|
http://moviehole.net/20032023t3-reduced-to-a-computer-game
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dclm-gs1-093710001
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[
"Skynet",
"T-X"
] |
0.085748
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<urn:uuid:a4604479-9de8-4708-a53b-9c8883a44671>
|
en
| 0.816592
|
Take the 2-minute tour ×
I have a 5MB xml file
I'm using the following code to get all nodeValue
$dom = new DomDocument('1.0', 'UTF-8');
$games = $dom->getElementsByTagName("game");
foreach($games as $game)
This takes 76 seconds and there are around 2000 games tag. Is there any optimization or other solution to get the data?
share|improve this question
I can't imagine optimizing a loop without knowing what the loop does. – Herbert Sep 4 '11 at 15:15
look this link [enter link description here][1] [1]: stackoverflow.com/questions/188414/best-xml-parser-for-php – steve Sep 4 '11 at 15:15
@steve: maybe you can elaborate and put that in the form of an answer. How can SimpleXML speed up the loop to get at the data? – Herbert Sep 4 '11 at 15:18
You can find some useful suggestion in this [link][1] [1]: stackoverflow.com/questions/188414/best-xml-parser-for-php – monish Sep 4 '11 at 15:19
The loop is empty... – run Sep 4 '11 at 15:19
show 1 more comment
2 Answers
up vote 0 down vote accepted
You shouldn't use the Document Object Model on large XML files, it is intended for human readable documents, not big datasets!
If you want fast access you should use XMLReader or SimpleXML.
XMLReader is ideal for parsing whole documents, and SimpleXML has a nice XPath function for retreiving data quickly.
For XMLReader you can use the following code:
// Parsing a large document with XMLReader with Expand - DOM/DOMXpath
$reader = new XMLReader();
while ($reader->read()) {
switch ($reader->nodeType) {
case (XMLREADER::ELEMENT):
if ($reader->localName == "game") {
$node = $reader->expand();
$dom = new DomDocument();
$n = $dom->importNode($node,true);
$xp = new DomXpath($dom);
$res = $xp->query("/game/title"); // this is an example
echo $res->item(0)->nodeValue;
The above will output all game titles (assuming you have /game/title XML structure).
For SimpleXML you can use:
$xml = file_get_contents($url);
$sxml = new SimpleXML($xml);
$games = $sxml->xpath('/game'); // returns an array of SXML nodes
foreach ($games as $game)
print $game->nodeValue;
share|improve this answer
Thanks for your help. I have two questions what is the slash before the games. and How can I get the string in this element: object(SimpleXMLElement)[8991] string 'Handball' (length=8), I want the handball – run Sep 4 '11 at 17:30
No probs... The slash in /game shows the root of the document. This is how XPath works (Google XPath for more info). In order to answer your second question I would need to see an example of the XML you are using. If you edit your question and paste it in, I can see it. – AlexW Sep 4 '11 at 21:16
SimpleXML also loads the whole file, which brings absolutely no speed improvements. DOM itself has XPath support, too. – cweiske Sep 5 '11 at 9:15
@cweiske - Did you not notice I suggested XMLReader first? This is faster. To OP: Please read through these pages for everything you need to know about PHP and XML ibm.com/developerworks/xml/library/x-xmlphp1/index.html – AlexW Sep 5 '11 at 13:22
add comment
I once wrote a blog article about loading huge XML files with XMLReader - you probably can use some of it.
Using DOM or SimpleXML is no option, since both load the whole document into memory.
share|improve this answer
SimpleXml is quite good, I tested on an xml file, the DOM took around 30sec and the SimpleXML took 1sec:) – run Sep 5 '11 at 11:01
SimpleXML has proved perfectly useful for OP and DOM is too slow - exactly as I suggested. XMLReader is the fastest along with SAX. – AlexW Sep 5 '11 at 13:23
add comment
Your Answer
|
http://stackoverflow.com/questions/7299957/xml-domdocument-optimization
|
dclm-gs1-104060001
|
[
"T-X"
] |
0.754919
|
<urn:uuid:2cf2529a-7f74-4878-8908-18cf8e1d76c1>
|
en
| 0.861228
|
Take the 2-minute tour ×
Wat happens if two applications try to listen to the same port?
share|improve this question
add comment
2 Answers
up vote 2 down vote accepted
The second one that binds to the port will get an error saying something else is already listening on the port.
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Does the program check for itself if some other program is listening to the port? – Wintermute Mar 3 '11 at 20:33
The operating system does the check. – carson Mar 3 '11 at 20:41
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Unless they are spawned via tcpmux, the first application binds to the port and listens for connections to it, while the second one cannot bind and cannot listen.
share|improve this answer
What is it that prevents the application from binding to the port? – Wintermute Mar 3 '11 at 20:36
When your application makes the relevant system call to "grab" the port, the operating system will "inform" it (via a relevant error code) that it is already taken. – adamo Mar 3 '11 at 21:17
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Your Answer
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http://serverfault.com/questions/242912/two-applications-listening-on-the-same-port?answertab=votes
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Submitted by shodan74 355d ago | opinion piece
In light of the disappointing sales performance of both Resident Evil 6 and Dead Space 3, survival-horror enthusiast Mark Butler argues that publishers are making a grave error by trying to attract Call of Duty fans. (Call of Duty, Capcom, Culture, Dead Space 3, EA, PC, PS3, Resident Evil 6, Xbox 360)
NYC_Gamer + 355d ago
This is what happens when publishers listen to focus groups instead of gamers
#1 (Edited 355d ago ) | Agree(32) | Disagree(1) | Report | Reply
GamerElite + 355d ago
Damn right
rezzah + 355d ago
Follow the devs who don't follow CoD. Even those who are forced to do so may not allow it to stain their main ideas.
The effect of CoD if mostly MP, this is good news for me because SP won't be heavily effected (if at all).
3-4-5 + 354d ago
Focus group made up of non gamers.
They are chasing the " this it hot now " audience and soon enough COD type games won't be "cool".
Why even try to make a watered down version of a game that nobody wants ?
Bimkoblerutso + 355d ago
Don't know how many times developers have to see their games ran into the ground before they realize this. CODheads don't want to play COD-inspired games....they want to play COD. They want to play it so bad that it can essentially be released dozens of times with minor changes, but if it has COD in the title, that is all that is required.
Summons75 + 355d ago
couldn't agree more, you'll get so much more money giving gamers and fans what they want, need, and making things unique and interesting.d
DaReapa + 355d ago
Very nice piece. Sadly, the stove is never too hot for publishers. And as a result, they won't quit this practice until the next iteration of a "COD crowd" is forged from the masses by means of another game.
HarryMasonHerpderp + 355d ago
This article is spot on.
The thing is most COD players are interested in COD and COD alone, they don't care about Dead Space or Resident Evil because they don't need to.
They are perfectly happy playing the same franchise every year.
Making you're survival horror series more action orientated is not attracting anyone and only results in losing you're core fanbase.
#5 (Edited 355d ago ) | Agree(13) | Disagree(0) | Report | Reply
Dms2012 + 355d ago
They need to learn that in trying to appeal to everyone, you end up with a mediocre game. Its like when you mix every color on your pallet, you end up with brown.
JCENAdaBest + 355d ago
I'm glad Dead Space 3 and RE 5/6 sucked... These publishers needed to learn the hard way. As if RE4 and DS 1/2 didn't make enough money!! They still had to make their games shitter to get more money - hard lesson but hopefully they will learn and come back with the game we all want.
josephayal + 355d ago
Nothing can beat COD
rezzah + 355d ago
From a business point of view, Maybe nothing (for now?)
From a passion point of view, many games have accomplished this. Look to the games that are unique and try to be innovative with new sequels or series.
Sticking to the same formula until it runs dry is fear of losing profit, not passion.
Edited for missing word.
#8.1 (Edited 355d ago ) | Agree(2) | Disagree(0) | Report | Reply
USMC_POLICE + 355d ago
Look at socom Sony's best online title with countless fans. They made socom 4 like cod and we all hated it. Now zipper is closed and so com is gone. Its quite sad
DEATHxTHExKIDx + 355d ago
they need to stop trying to be something there not.
HonestDragon + 355d ago
It's like I always say: There's an audience for everything...unfortunately. In the case of publishers trying to turn their games into these COD inspired action fests, I totally agree.
Completely true. I just played Dead Space 3 and I couldn't be even more disappointed. The first two were great, but this installment just sucked out everything that made Dead Space a great horror game. No revenue system, two weapon limit, lack of suits, universal ammunition, and practically no genuine horror.
Resident Evil 6 is the same thing. The whole sequence where Chris and his team are in that city fighting BOWs with firearms practically felt like Gears of War 3. The narrative of Resident Evil 6 was pretty much lackluster and haphazard. It's so tacked on that it really had no business to exist other than to milk the series one more time.
Mainly because they are too busy rage-quiting or stroking their egos to their "skills" in any and all COD games. Plus, nothing can replace COD in their eyes. Everything else is imperfect to them.
Unfortunate, but true. Anyone remember the good ol' days when Metal Gear Solid, Final Fantasy, and Spyro the Dragon were heralded as some of the best games around? Yeah, those were good days indeed.
"But the starker reality is that CoD’s impressive following is driven primarily by a huge level of interest from individuals who, frankly, couldn’t give a sh*t about other games."
Again, unfortunate, but true. This is especially considering that quite a number of said individuals are kids that look exactly like the one they have pictured there. Kids are always looking into what's popular and want to be cool, so they practically bribe or annoy their parents into buying them COD. Then parents complain of how violent it is and the media gets wind of it and starts the vicious cycle all over again. Argh! *tears hair out*
Then you have those adults who play nothing but first person shooters (primarily COD, Battlefield, Medal of Honor, and Halo). While Halo isn't a modern military shooter (and I much rather play that), the other games I listed are just first person military shooters. They really have nothing going for them in the long run other than intense action, chest pounding, juggernaut stamping realism.
And that's the problem. This sort of thing just caters to the uneducated masses of gamers that like the least common denominator of entertainment and don't delve into other prospects merely because it doesn't have guns and explosions. Same could be said of sports gamers who would much rather play football on television rather than with an actual football with real friends and family, but I digress.
This is one of the unfortunate realities of this generation and one that I hope becomes a thing of fiction in the next. I would very much like to see developers let their creativity grow and publishers have the courage to support that so innovation may thrive. Hopefully that will be the case.
#11 (Edited 355d ago ) | Agree(5) | Disagree(0) | Report | Reply
Magnus + 355d ago
Publishers and creators should be not turning a great solid franchise into something they are not. If you want a game that appeals to the COD fans create a new franchise. Changing an existing franchise into something its not hurts the fans of the franchise and it also ruins the franchise to the point where people won't buy it. Only franchises I can think of with EA that would come close to COD is Battfield and Medal of Honor. As far as I know Capcom has nothing they should rebuild Dead Space and Resident Evil from the ground up and support those fans first.
#12 (Edited 355d ago ) | Agree(1) | Disagree(0) | Report | Reply
Hudahudahuda + 355d ago
Yet they refuse to copy one of the things they do right, 60 FPS
ShaunCameron + 355d ago
Call Of Duty is right now what Super Mario Bros. was in the 1980's and 90's, and Grand Theft Auto in the 2000's. A cultural force to be reckoned with. Not much new under the sun.
And I do agree with the article. The reality is there are lot of people that only care about whatever's popular and little else and are content with it.
IWentBrokeForGaming + 355d ago
Publishers need to FORCE the COD audience into accepting other/better/diverse playing expierences than just FPS...
I feel a Developers games only are as good as the Original Vision expressed in the product. If they design to what their vision of the product is and not the vision of whats "popular" to others... I feel they produce BETTER games in those instances!
Don't EVER sacrifice vision/quality to strive for a rediculous milestone!
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http://n4g.com/news/1216130/publishers-are-chasing-the-call-of-duty-audience-and-its-a-big-mistake
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Announcing VclFiddle for Varnish Cache
As part of my new job with Squixa I have been working with Varnish Cache everyday. Varnish, together with its very capable Varnish Configuration Language (VCL), is a great piece of software for getting the best experience for websites that weren’t necessarily built with cache-ability or high-volume traffic in mind.
At the same time though, getting the VCL just right to achieve the desired caching outcome for particular resources can be an exercise in reliably reproducing the expected requests and careful analysis of the varnish logs. It isn’t always possible to find an environment where this can be done with minimal distraction and impact on others.
At a company retreat in October my colleagues and I were discussing this scenario and one of us pointed out how JSFiddle provides a great experience for dealing with similar concerns albeit in the space of client-side JavaScript. I subsequently came to the conclusion that it should be possible build a similar tool for Varnish, so I did and you can use it now at and it is open-sourced on GitHub too.
VclFiddle enables you to specify a set of Varnish Configuration Language statements (including defining the backend origin server), and a set of HTTP requests and have them executed in a new, isolated Varnish Cache instance. In return you get the raw varnishlog output (including tracing) and all the response headers for each request, including a quick summary of which requests resulted in a cache hit or miss.
Each time a Fiddle is executed, a new Fiddle-specific URL is produced and displayed in the browser address bar and this URL can then be shared with anyone. So, much like JSFiddle, you can use VclFiddle to reproduce a difficult problem you might be having with Varnish and then post the Fiddle URL to your colleagues, or to Twitter, or to an online forum to seek assistance. Or you could share a Fiddle URL to demonstrate some cool behaviour you’ve achieved with Varnish.
VclFiddle is built with Sails.js (a Node.js MVC framework) and Docker. It is the power of Docker that makes it fast for the tool to spawn as many instances and versions of Varnish as needed for each Fiddle to execute and easy for people to add support for different Varnish versions. For example, it takes an average of 709 milliseconds to execute a Fiddle and it took my colleague Glenn less than an hour to add a new Docker image to provide Varnish 2.1 support.
The README in the VclFiddle repository has much more detail on how it works and how to use it. There is also a video demo, and a few example walk-throughs on the left-hand pane of the VclFiddle site. I hope that, if you’re a Varnish user you’ll find VclFiddle useful and it will become a regular tool in your belt. If you’re not familiar with Varnish Cache, perhaps VclFiddle will provide a good introduction to its capabilities so you can adopt it to optimize your web application. In any case, your feedback is welcome by contacting me, the @vclfiddle Twitter account, or via GitHub issues.
Command line parsing in Windows and Linux
I have been working almost completely on the Linux platform for the last six months as part of my new job. While so much is new and different from the Windows view of the world, there is also a significant amount that is the same, not surprisingly given the hardware underneath is common to both.
Just recently, while working on a new open source project, I discovered a particular nuance in a behavioural difference at the core of the two platforms. This difference is in how a new process is started.
When one process wants to launch another process, no matter which language you’re developing with, ultimately this task is performed by an operating system API. On Windows it is CreateProcess in kernel32.dll and on Linux it is execve (and friends), typically combined with fork.
The Windows API call expects a single string parameter containing all the command-line arguments to pass to the new process, however the Linux API call expects a parameter with an array of strings containing one command-line argument in each element. The key difference here is in where the responsibility lies for tokenising a string of arguments into the array ultimately consumed in the new process’ entry point, commonly the “argv” array in the “main” function found in some form in almost every language.
On Windows it is the new process, or callee, that needs to tokenise the arguments but the standard C library will normally handle that, and for other scenarios the OS provides CommandLineToArgvW in shell32.dll to do the same thing.
On Linux though it is the original process, or caller, that needs to tokenise the arguments first. Often in Linux it is the interactive shell (eg bash, ksh, zsh) that has its own semantics for handling quoting of arguments, variable expansion, and other features when tokenising a command-line into individual arguments. However, at least from my research, if you are developing a program on Linux which accepts a command-line from some user input, or is parsing an audit log, there is no OS function to help with tokenisation – you need to write it yourself.
Obviously, the Linux model allows greater choice in the kinds of advanced command-line interpretation features a shell can offer whereas Windows provides a fixed but consistent model to rely upon. This trade-off embodies the fundamental mindset differences between the two platforms, at least that is how it seems from my relatively limited experience.
PowerShell starts to blur the lines somewhat on the Windows platform as it has its own parsing semantics yet again but this applies mostly to calling Cmdlets which have a very different contract from the single entry point of processes. PowerShell also provides a Parser API for use in your own code.
New Job, New Platform
Queue a Team Build from another and pass parameters
Effectively comparing Team Build Process Templates
Using the script is as simple as:
.\Remove-IgnoreableXaml.ps1 -Path YourBuildTemplate.xaml
.\Remove-IgnoreableXaml.ps1 -Path YourBuildTemplate.xaml -Destination YourCleanBuildTemplate.xaml
PowerShell Select-Xml versus Get-Content
Override the TFS Team Build OutDir property in TFS 2013
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A system (lets stick with Kara-te) is usually defined by certain key aspects. Some of which are:
1) The required Kata and the method to execute the kata
2) Specific 2 man drill sets
3) Knowledge of the system's Dojo Kun and/or guiding principles
4) Sparring (point, continuous, semi to full contact
5) Positioning of blocks/kicks/stances
Now once an individual starts his/her own dojo after achieving a certain rank in that designated system they instruct how they feel is the best way to distribute their knowledge. Some of their training methods may be unorthodox. But they remain with the CORE basics of the curriculum. Therefore everyone who sees them can understand that they teach.... Uechi Ryu, Shotokan, Shorin Ryu, Shito Ryu, Goju Ryu, etc. And if anyone from that same system moves and finds another instructor who teaches what they have previously studied they can basically pick up where they left off based on the STANDARDIZED CORE CURRICULUM.
That being said.. RYUKYU KEMPO was devised by Seiyu Oyata and this was the orgininal name prior to being changed to RYU-TE.
The main CORE aspects of this type of kara-te are:
1) The kata taught in a specific sequence and positioning:
Naihanchi Shodan
Naihanchi Nidan
Naihanchi Sandan
Tomari Seisan
Pinan Shodan
Pinan Nidan
Pinan Sandan
Pinan Yondan
Pinan Godan
Naihanchi Shodan (Timing done for Shodan level) - Unique to Ryukyu Kempo from my understanding.
2) Tuite/Kyusho/Atemi Jitsu - Although inherent in all systems of combat it seems Ryukyu Kempo was one of the first (not the first) to revitalize this aspect of training.
3) Bogu Kumite - A hard system of full contact sparring devised by Shigeru Nakamura of Okinawa Kenpo (Oyata's primary instructor and where the 12 empty handed kata come from).
The question that now comes to mind is this.... Does DKI teach this core curriculum. And if not... how can you say that you truely are teaching/learning Ryukyu Kempo?
Kind regards,
"I'm gonna come at you like a spider monkey"
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Second Skynet satellite to launch tonight
Pay-as-you-go satcomms for the UK forces
Evaluating the cost of a DDoS attack
The second Skynet 5 UK military communications satellite is to launch today at 2204 GMT from Kourou in French Guiana, aboard an Ariane 5 rocket. It will share the ride with a Brazilian telecomms bird.
With Skynet 5B online, joining the Skynet 5A sat already in space, the Skynet 5 system will be fully operational; however an on-orbit spare, Skynet 5C, will be launched in 2008. The system will offer satellite bandwidth to the British forces anywhere from the eastern US to eastern China.
Skynet 5 is unusual among UK military equipment in that it has been provided under a Private Finance Initiative (PFI). The £3.6bn satellites and supporting infrastructure are owned by Paradigm Communications, which bought them using City money.
"Other European militaries and procurement agencies have been sceptical that we could put this satcom network and services together," said Paradigm MD Malcolm Peto, talking to the Beeb.
A Paradigm executive explained the company's business model to the Reg earlier this year.
He said that the MoD wanted its own satellites, but had no money to pay for them to be built, nor any cash to run them. (The MoD equipment budget in recent years has been under a lot of pressure, for various reasons.)
However, Paradigm's management and investors noted that extra Treasury funds were available for "conflict resolution" - that is for fighting wars, as distinct from the normal defence budget. The biz community were reasonably confident that conflict-resolution money would continue to be part of Treasury plans for long enough to recoup even a hefty initial investment. They were also confident that the British forces would need satellite bandwidth in order to operate, and thus that they would spend money on it.
With the UK in Afghanistan for the long haul, and probably with a rump presence in Iraq for some time, that seems like a sensible assessment. Not to mention the likelihood of other "conflict resolutions" being required in future. Paradigm should indeed be able to offer a sound return to its investors, especially as the sat-bandwidth-hogging Predator-B/Reaper drone comes into UK service. That won't be the only thing needing to squirt a lot of data back and forth, either; and often enough for the military, satellite is the only option.
A different PFI is planned to provide refuelling tanker aircraft, another thing the UK forces often need critically but have failed to find money for. The negotiations on that one are proving tricky. Tanker planes are more likely to run combat risks than satellites are, the demand is unpredictable, and nobody except the military does air-to-air refuelling; whereas satcomms can be sold to other customers.
Paradigm feel confident.
"With one satellite already in orbit, people are starting to take notice," said Peto.
"With two in orbit we will have nothing left to prove." ®
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Do you understand the existence of extraterrestrials ?
Do you know the existence of extraterrestrials ?
Tags: aliens, extraterrestrials, people, star
Views: 5716
Replies are closed for this discussion.
Replies to This Discussion
Thanks quite amusing. Which brings the question what if one of the space visitors parks off to experience life on this planet in an avatar body (like the movie avatar) so that they pass as earth human, for their own research in the study life and culture to document a scientific journal or perhaps write book at the end of their time spending life, to see weather or not open contact would work out well or be a disaster, and if they were serious and open to the reason of living on this planet if any of the planet's inhabitants asked, it would be a fact that no one ever know that they were here, and would dismiss the visitor to be looney ?
Just curious, Danielle, do you actually think an avatar body is possible? or shape shifing?
Yes it is, if one can clone another human being, with an advanced enough computer, they would be able to transfer the consciousness from one original body to the clone. In the case of an avatar, one could access the body remotely. To be honest , this technology has been experimented by the military in top secret projects. Shape shifting is something that's more impossible, and I dont buy into the rubbish and disinformation of extraterrestrials where some conspiracy theorists believe shape shifting reptilians are running this planet. To accomplish shape shifting one would have to re-arrange their molecules and DNA. An illusion of shape shifting is more possible, that is creating a holographic cloak over the existing body which is crude and a poor and primitive disguise.
Sorry, but in line with my commitment to challenging outlandish claims, I would like to know your evidence for the claim that 'the military' is transferring consciousness and/or remotely accessing the consciousness of a cloned individual.
Also - how is it that you feel justified calling the reptilian conspiracy claims rubbish while simultaneously feeling it unjustified for others to call your rubbish 'rubbish'.
When you have done research and found things, including throwing in what you experienced , and see the sources of information you find, taking note that if some people are selling it or sharing it, often people who sell things for money do it for sensationalism, and make a lot of things up rather than documenting events. People who dont outsource the information often get confuse, and dismiss everything entirely and put off topic by the lunacy, dismissing the minority of genuine facts altogether. Then bringing the government into it again, they as well are selective with media and politically aprove and disprove to be in aid of a motive for the industrial military complex. for example religion and theism is one of oldest motives in manipulating people
I disagree. We already have species on this planet that shapeshifts, maybe not like Shang Tsung, but impressively enough to have you realize that this could definitely be a possibility for an extraterrestrial if you extrapolate what the cuddle fish can do.
Kings of Camouflage
Putting on a color show or assuming camouflage is hardly shape-shifting. Changing from a human into a wolf...THAT is shape-shifting.
Even in the movie Mimic, the creatures couldn't withstand close scrutiny.
It's not just a colour show, not only can they change the pigment of their skin, but they can also alter the texture of their skin dramatically, even make protrusions that extend far outward from their body to take on the appearance of coral. Now, if you extrapolate this ability to something honed by an extraterrestrial, you can only begin to imagine the possibilities. Lycanthropy would be child's play.
Yeah, well, imagination far outstrips the actual biological possibilities. Changing the texture of the skin is a far cry from changing skeletal structure.
And to be indistinguishable in all regards in social interactions? That's way beyond far-fetched.
Well, ultimately, I think these things will become congruent, the imagination and the biological possibilities, that is. The cuttlefish doesn't have a skeleton, by the way. There's the T-1000 in Terminator 2 that was an interesting concept of shapeshifting, but the way I'd imagine it working organically is that these contortions on the skin would condense enough to allow structural support in lieu of having some kind of morphing skeleton, and so you wouldn't necessarily need a skeleton.
After watching the cuttlefish and octopus videos a few years ago via NOVA, I found it very interesting to consider the existence of a parallel biosphere of creatures with highly advanced camoflage.
YES! I have seen those cuttlefish videos, and they're incredible!
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User Score
Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 975 Ratings
User score distribution:
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1. Feb 13, 2013
2. Feb 13, 2013
The so called "Professional Reviewers" Are FAR to harsh with this game. Okay Granted it has its flaws (The AI is Wonky in Single Player) Yet the campaign is still rich and engaging within the Aliens Universe. Its a Blast to walk around famous scenes from the movie with a Pal or two and Blast some Xenos into next week. Multiplayer IS fun and refreshing from other games out there (This one isn't some COD rip off Thank god!). People need to give this game a break, and give it credit where credit is due, not just look at its flaws and say its terrible. Unfortunately since I don't get paid to write articles about "How my opinion is better than everyone else's" This truthful review will be buried by hate and not see the light of day. At least I don't have my head up my ass... Expand
3. Feb 13, 2013
First off I enjoyed this game to a point, there are however some glaring problems that just should not have made it through to the final product. AI dropping off completely, this happens all the time. A team member will randomly just stand around doing nothing; enemies will walk straight past them as they stare off blankly into space. Aliens will find a spot to zone out and wait for you to shoot them. This can be a problem if you are required to kill everything in some points of the game to progress onwards, it did not happen to me but if it does happen it will be game breaking.
Textures, there are so many bad textures, Gearbox are terrible for this, optimisation is no excuse on a PC version of a game. In 2013 I should not be looking at textures in a game that aren’t even up to par with the original Alien vs. Predator. That is where my complaints end, I didn’t notice any kill streaks or such garbage during my play through, the story had decent pacing and some decent elements and a few good twists to the Alien creature itself that made for some good reference material when thinking back to the movies. There are a few eye roll moments and some small plot holes, that don’t have much of a negative impact on the plot. It is a big fan service, and people who aren’t diehard fans of the franchise will be left feeling a bit ripped off.
The gun play was quite good, the sound assets were brilliant, there could however be a bit more kick to the rifles, all they do is spread. The old pulse rifle needs to have a bit of jump to it and the fact that the grenade launcher by default is the “f” key makes for some frustrating moments as being used to other games that the use key is f will get you killed in a close quarters situation, like trying to open a door. It’s an easy rebinding, but still a pain that it was not really well thought out.
Overall I give AcM a 6/10, it definitely needs work. Hopefully the modding community will get on top of a texture pack, and Gearbox will patch the godforsaken AI. It’s not going to be for everyone, and I can understand the disappointment in it, saying to go in without expectations for the canonical sequel to one of the best sci-fi movies ever made is stupid, I would say that diehard fans should check it out when at the very least a decent patch comes out. Shame on you Gearbox, you can do so much better.
4. Feb 13, 2013
5. Feb 13, 2013
I'll try to be short and sweet with my review. I'll start by saying that this is a game that will not win any GOTY awards, however it's not nearly the train wreck that some people have made it out to be. Also I've heard alot of complaints on how easy the game is. Set the difficulty at hardened or greater and you should get a good challenge.
Audio 9
Overall the game has great audio,
well done and authentic sounds from the movies .
Graphics- 7
I'd say that the graphics on this game are average to good for this console generation, that being said on PC, it would be nice to really be able to max everything, although the PC graphics are better than the console versions.
Well, they tried, unfortunately trying doesn't guarantee success. With some professional writers and a bit more thought and time they could have made a very compelling story, but they didn't
Ok, so the single player campaign isn't the best, and if this were a single player only game, that would warrant a 3 out of 10. But there is also a multiplayer element to this game that I find very entertaining and addictive(although the marines seem a bit more overpowered than the aliens, but it could be because my alien toon is low level. If they continue to develop multiplayer maps and features, then this game could turn out rather well. Let's be honest, no one is buying COD black ops for the single player, and if they did, they would be pretty disappointed. I would compare aliens CM to COD Black ops in that respect. Sure the single player is mediocre at best, but the multiplayer can pick up the slack.
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7. Feb 13, 2013
The trouble I find with a game like this is everyone has such high expectations and only seems to like to pick out the bad bits, completely forgetting the rest.
It's an Aliens game, its going to be limited in what it can do without destroying it's own universe (you may think all the AVP films and games did that, but lets forget those never happened), throw in that any high budget game is
nearly always made for the console then ported to the PC and you have another issue, technology limitations. So why expect something that it never will be?
Starting with the good:
- You got to be a fan of the film, not the franchise, just the film. I mean the sort of fan that will watch it a few times a year and can recite most of the quotes. If you're not then you'll probably just think of it as a generic shooter. Which I am!
- Sounds and music are great, it really does sound like a pulse rifle and motion tracker, and lets face it you'll pretty much just be using those the whole game.
- Some nice touches re-creating the Aliens scenery, finding the med bay, the room where Burke let a facehugger loose on Ripley and Newt, and even the trike you see at the beginning of the directors cut.
- First time around it's great to shoot up a load of Aliens, hordes of them and even the single hunters that hide and wait for you. Can get old fast with the AI Marines with you though.
- Fun coop on Ultimate Badass mode, provided you haven't played the single player yet. "You go first", "No YOU go first"
The no so impressive side:
- Buggy AI, seems to get stuck sometimes and teleport in front of you. Not sure what that's about but there has been worse around. Give it a rest.
- Can't use the motion tracker to find enemies in the next room until you open the door and get attacked. Maybe they're just not moving, it is a 'motion' tracker and not a 'stationary' tracker after all.
- Fight too many humans, a little was fine but bleh, it's called Aliens so should have lots of them!
- Checkpoints seem to make things behind you disappear, leaving no reason to watch your six.
Non-Issues, things people whine about because they can:
- Graphics look a bit flat, but it doesn't struggle. The Sulaco and Hadleys Hope wasnt exactly build with textured wallpaper.
- Story and Voice acting. It's not the best but it's about as annoying as being forced to cut your toenails once in a while. It's minimal and you just deal with it.
- Marines get a boost in multiplayer just by playing the campaign making being an alien rather difficult to begin with.
That's all, now please stop whining.
8. Feb 13, 2013
Graphics- 6
Sound- 10
Gameplay- 7
Replay- 7
9. Feb 13, 2013
Yes, this game is arguably underwhelming from the expectations that everybody had set for it but then, what did you expect? The game has spent 7 years in development accumulating hype from a fan-base in what I call the Duke Nukem Effect. The game spent a good portion of it's development indefinitely postponed, and when it came to fixing it up, there really hadn't been 7 years of development put into it. Maybe two at most.
However, this doesn't mean it's a bad game. Sure, the AI is a little dumb and the graphics are mediocre, but then games with similarly poor graphics never really receive the abuse that this has. Campaign wise, yes, the story is... way off for an Aliens game, but that doesn't mean it's not enjoyable if you forget the game's relation to its source material.
There are also loads of little references to the film that are nice for fans, and the atmosphere is quite well done the lighting in this is excellent, as is the fact that you can see your own feet and shadow really adds to the immersion.
A:CM is not perfect, by any stretch of the imagination, but if they can sort out the AI, it'll at least be respectable. It deserves more than it got, but less than the game should've achieved.
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2003 AI сложности).
Не AlienBreed 20го DeadSpace1-2 высер!
14. Feb 13, 2013
OK. so I've played the first 3 or 4 missions of Aliens: Colonial Marines and I love it!!! The enemy A.I. can sometimes be a bit thick and I've seen some small glitches that maybe a brand new game should not have. The Aliens in multiplayer are extremely hard to use and will need a lot of practice before I can get more than 2 kills. The marines are awesome and have access to full customization. The weapons sound like they are straight from the movie and you can play as Hudson, Hicks, Apone and Drake, who all have the original voice talent from the movie. I think it's awesome and anyone who loves the Alien franchise would be able to overlook the odd glitch and the odd dodgy choice of cover by the A.I.. I think it was well worth the money. I am a big fan of Aliens and to be able to explore locations from the movie is awesome. Don't listen to these negative reviews, It's brilliant. Expand
15. Feb 13, 2013
GOOD -Up to 4 player co-op -Xeno 3rd person perspective -Interesting multi-player modes -level up system for xenos -Customization of your guns BAD -Graphics are a bit rough -Alien AI is sketchy -More action less atmosphere in single player -Overall Polish -No dedicated servers? -It lets you carry too many weapons -Limited online functions (eg cannot search a game by ping) Matchmaking only
-No real feeling of terror in single player, multi player can make you fear the aliens though playing as a marine.
I don't think any parts of it are terrible (pc version) but there are plenty of things which could be improved. Which is why it was panned so bad I think, it being Alien franchise it has a lot to live up to. It being in development for 6 years is a joke really.
I would describe the game as a pick up and play decent budget game.
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18. Feb 13, 2013
Thoroughly enjoyed this game and can imagine myself playing it for a few months to come.
Take this game on its own merit and ignore a few flaws and you're bound to get dragged into the atmosphere of the game.
But truthfully was any title going to live up to the mighty aliens movie? this could have been the best game ever released but a combination of a long waiting time and being part of
one of the most successful movie franchises ever, this game was never going to start any fires no matter who developed it. Expand
19. Feb 13, 2013
After laying multiplayer some more and get some more control of the alien im adding 3 points to this game review it will even go to an 8 if most problems will be adressed and when there will be new (usefull) content.
At first it was horrible now its just a game that just lacks love from the developers.
Alien controlls still are clunky but manageable.
Campaign is quite the generic walk d
own a hallway and shoot stuff but gets you special guns.
AI is just silly voice acting could be good only its to repetetive and should change during the campaign levels.
Graphics are okay its not bad and it isnt marvelous either.
server browsing should be added it is one of the things that keeps multiplayer alive.
Servers should be able to migrate host to counter abrupt game endings and need to search a new game again.
marine weapons feel alright altough a little overpowered in escape mode (my opinion).
weird friendly fire system no damage from bullets but explosions do so it should be changed to on or off.
Overall fun to play online, campaign could be fun on hardest dificulty.
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25. Feb 13, 2013
The short version is that IT'S NOT THAT BAD!
Main problems are it's too simplistic and lacks polish. But it's no worse than all the others games based on this franchise. There is enjoyment to be had here, but no more so than with your latest Cowadooty game. I'd give this mid-60's rather than mid-40's. It really doesn't deserve the slating it's taken, although it can mostly blame itself
for raising expectations so much at E3. Expand
26. Feb 13, 2013
Oh my, I don't understand wave of hate for this game. The single-player campaign is mediocre I guess, if you playing on ultimate badass mode it's pretty hard, and tense, but I've expected more. And there are bugs, lots of them, poor graphics, AI, clipping issue and so on, nothing game breaking though.
For SP I would give 6/10. But here comes the meat which is MULTIPLAYER!
Hell yeah, mul
ti is GREAT! It's one of very few games that requires actually thinking and strategy! When you rush marines up front you will die! Fast. Maybe that is the reason for many raged cod-kids for their 0/10 reviews, because they can't win in this game. But there are also flaws in MP like lack of dedicated servers and no host migration. So for awesome MP I'm rating this game as 8/10! Since day 1 GBX is patching this game, so there's hope for bugs being ironed out soon!
PS: Hunting in pack as aliens for piss-scared marines is badass!
27. Feb 13, 2013
And now the real deal:
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Where to begin?
ll of not knowing if an alien will attack is gone.
Shooting through your team-mates as if they weren't there.
Aliens literally going through platforms, as if they weren't there.
32. Feb 13, 2013
I was a bit skeptical when i saw all harsh reviews, but then i played a the game, its true that the graphics are dated, but that's not the straw that broke the camel's back (straws in this case), it doesn't feel like an aliens game, or a horror movie for that matter, the Xenos come at you in plain sight, and you have more than enough ammo to gun them down, the game suffers from broken AI, quirky animations, forgettable characters, You'll find yourself stepping right through some debris, and chunks of alien organic materials found on the ground while walking around like its not there, i haven't tried the multiplayer yet, so i have no opinion on that. if you're a fan of movies, you might tolerate some of the inconveniences that i've mentioned, or you'll just rate it harshly out of bitter disappointment like all the 1's and 2's found on here, as a for me i feel like i flushed my money down the toilet. Expand
33. Feb 12, 2013
Is Aliens: CE a great game? Not even kinda. However, if you were to ask me if it were a bad game...well then the answer is no, not really. In my opinion, the honest truth is that Aliens: CE is just an average game with an Aliens brand, and perhaps that's why it's being trashed. So lets examine the game's faults right away. First and foremost, the graphics are mediocre to downright bad. I've run the game on max settings and I'd be a colossal liar if I said it compared to the other 2013 titles. The dated look instantly made me think of Duke Nukem Forever. Up second is the AI, which isn't too bright either. Under the most ideal circumstances, there was one or two times where the Aliens made a maneuver that I didn't expect, but sadly the majority seemed content to just rush you from different angles. Granted, I myself could get past these issues fairly easily, but what really keeps me from loving Aliens: CE is the single-player campaign, which considering its title as a true canonical sequel, should be one of the most important aspects. Instead, single-player quickly becomes a shooting gallery of great set-pieces brought down by average fight sequences. Furthermore, the campaign is just too easy for any terror or tension to really emerge. I myself played on the Hardened difficulty, where the enemy could three-shot-kill-me, as it should be, but the dull AI and never ending discharge of bullets wrecks the atmosphere. That said, the campaign isn't a total miss, there are plenty of homages and tributes to the film, as well as some decent setpieces, but ultimately the atmosphere these things are trying to create just never really happens. Finally, several technical bugs have been reported in the game, though I myself have not run into any of these, it certainly isn't doing the game any favors.
And yet, Aliens: CE isn't a total loss, which is why I'm so reluctant to be complacent with a 4.5 average score. As said before, the environments and game entities have some tender love and care, and are accurate recreations of the sets from the films. At times the game is absolutely brimming with fan service, such as collecting weaponry used by the cast of the Aliens movie, or scouring the game for secrets and achievements named after movie events. All the iconic weaponry handles well enough (minus the half-baked cover system), and some of the action sequences started to make me feel like a bad-ass. Multiplayer, assuming it doesn't die in the next few weeks, was actually quite a satisfying experience and is where the game really shines. A good variety of modes, a solid mix of weapons, and some great tactics that only emerge when humans are at the wheel instead of AI's gives a pleasant glimpse into what the game should have been. In the rounds I played it was enjoyable to see xeno players find ways to lure and trick opponents, while marine players would develop strategies for staying safe and well protected. The multiplayer is also packed with customization options to fine-tune your playstyle with gun accessories, perks, armors, and plenty of cosmetics for both humans and aliens.
After six years in development, its understandably depressing that your patience has been rewarded with rather unremarkable sci-fi horror corridor shooter that sometimes grasps for greatness, and oftentimes falls flat on its face. And yet despite all the flaws, there's just enough gory, acidic goodness in the game to give me hope that an amazing aliens video game is not quite as impossible as it might seem.
34. Feb 12, 2013
I have played for about 3 hours and I would score it about 55/100. Graphics are at least 5 years out dated, You don't get any advantage using a 120hz monitor as the game runs at 60fps doesn't matter if vsync is on or off. So I don't see any reason spending $120 USD on this game.
35. Feb 12, 2013
I guess people needs to be less fan-boys. Yes this game isn't the same as previous games, it's more like action game. Graphics are good, really not bad. So I don't get some people saying that graphics are outdated. AI? I don't know... I didn't encountered stupid AI, but I'm playing on bad ass difficulty, so maybe there's no time for them to act stupid, because they kill me in one or two hits. This game is not bad and it didn't disappointed me. Expand
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38. Feb 12, 2013
My collectors edition arrived today when i opened box i was happy. Collectors edition looks very nice but when i installed the game... I started playng with friend and from the begining i had problem is black screen (bug) i sorted out using forum. When we was playng for few hours i decided this game looks boring for me all the time waves of aliens incoming you just shoots them, balistic looks like in COD very close to it and i didnt like it. I used max setting on video but graphic looks like 4 years old comepletly horrible comparing to new games. I didnt try multiplayer atm but what i can say i expected much more from gearbox. Borderlands series is awsome but making aliens and stoping project then continue again.... in my opinion this project isnt finished yet. They also should add more staff or items better costumization. This game will become borring very soon!!! Collapse
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40. Feb 12, 2013
Ok for a start this game has terrible AI and its very much noticed on Mission 2 the most(1 mission out of 11). The games Graphics are Fine..Omg the amount of people moaning about the damn graphics its sending me crazy.(GFX are about the same as COD on the PC).
I have have played upto Mission 6 and i'm super enjoying it for sure i can not see what the problem is. The multiplayer is truly
fun (team Death-match and survivor). Marines play completely fine to me but the Aliens are very clunky BUT after a few hours you do start to get a hang of it (upgrades help alot with speed and power)
What im tryin to say is i cant see what the problem is with this game apart from Bad AI and OK graphics and a 7hour Single player. The reviews have been well to harsh i say. My score 6.8/10
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42. Feb 12, 2013
Is it GOTY material? no.. is it better than Farcry 3? no.. is it a decent satisfying game experience set in the ALIENS universe? yes.
The hate-fest is silly and doesn't reflect reality at all. its a 7/10 game, no less and no more.
43. Feb 12, 2013
After 1,5 hours of playing i can say that this game is sadly not a horror game I was really hopped for a great horror/shooter. They made the shooter part well, but not the horror part. The story is so typical, a ship send out a distress signal, marines roll in much of the squad gets killed in the first few minutes and only you remain to save everyone ass. The graphics are fine, not to shiny not to rusty. The gameplay is just a go from A to B and meanwhile kill Xenos. Expand
44. Feb 12, 2013
It's sad when a beloved franchises gets the "EA" treatment. I might be embellishing a bit, but it's understandable since i used to be a fan. The game is, for lack of a better word, "MEH". I didn't get to play much since i did so at a friend's house, but what i did get to play kind of left me wanting. What the hell was i playing? It certainly didn't feel like an "Aliens" game. Somewhat Clunky and Heavily scripted, the purpose of which, i'm guessing, is inspiring suspense, but it doesn't really matter because it fails to do so in any other way except for those moments of eerie silence when you're walking alone And those are nothing new. Outside of excluding the Predators as a playable race, and adding some menial reward mechanisms you see in EVERY OTHER FPS out there, i don't see how this can be viewed as anything other than a dumbed-down AVP3 clone. The optimization itself seems to be horrendous, as the already non-stellar gameplay suffered almost omnipresent lag spikes. IN SINGLE PLAYER. How the hell does that happen? This might be a huge issue with paying customers, since some of them coughed up quite a sum by pre-ordering. One other thing that seems to follow every game of late like the plague, is the over-dramatization of already "dramatic" events. I don't understand what the issue is there, and why does it happen so often, but it sucks to see marines acting as if this is some Aliens soap opera. How, in their right mind, would anyone take this game seriously after that fact is beyond me. I should have known, after seeing Randy Pitchford's smug little face on the trailers, that this game is going to bomb. The AI is pathetic. I've seen better enemy reactions in Wolfenstein. I give it a 5 out of sheer devotion to the franchise, nothing else. If this was any other generic fps, it wouldn't even sell at the bargain bin. My advice is, play something else. Until it gets a couple of well-deserved patches, you should forget that this "thing" even exists. Expand
45. Feb 12, 2013
Pretty solid if you're a fan of the series. It's basically just a fan service game layered over a mediocre cover shooter. But it's not that bad, and it has Steamworks integration, co-op, and some novel multiplayer modes. I wouldn't drop $50 on it, but it's easily worth $20 or so.
Sound is dead on for rifles, xenos, etc. Voice acting is good.
Environment/atmosphere. They really c
aptured the visuals from Aliens 2.
Steamwork integration party system.
FoV slider unlike many ports brought to PC.
Limited graphical options, relatively poor quality for a 2013 release.
Occasional animation bugs.
Extremely stupid AI (both friendly and hostile)
Most exciting moments are scripted.
Very easy even on hardest difficulty. ("Ultimate Badass" is about where normal should have been.)
46. Feb 12, 2013
Don't believe the trolls, the game is good. I have been playing it for hours. It looks very nice. I play it on a 50" tv at max with a gtx 680..The co op is a lot of fun as well. i took HD screenshots in steam to disprove the lairs calling ti ugly.. Believe me, they are liars.. The co op and the multiplayer is fun. Gearbox is already on DAY 1 patching issues.. Who gives that kind of support? No one.. I am having a blast and if you don't buy it I feel sorry for ya.. Because you let troll cry babies ruing a good game for you. I don't trust meta critic anymore.. Their reviewers are mostly just trolls now a days it seems.. Crying constantly in every forum they can find as if it will save their life.. The game is good.. I like it.. Period.. Expand
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49. Feb 12, 2013
I'm the sort of Aliens fan that corrects the quotes of other Aliens fans. If you're after "the latest game" whose graphics have 13% more zing than your last latest game, your review will probably use harsh language. If you want another glorious day in the Corps, you came to the right place. You don't have to be an AvP marine on some dumbassed mining planet or a forest anymore, you get to step onto the Sulaco and creep through the remains of Hadley's Hope.
The writing does a good job of making the pieces fit (eg why the Sulaco is back over LV-426), but opts for an in media res approach instead of building the tension. I expected to stumble out of cryo and into a training tutorial (hell, I even hoped for cornbread), but instead you get a quick cutscene and find yourself at the airlock with your pulse rifle and shotgun. Your first xeno is a scant five minutes away, and I wasn't sure if your marine knew what they were beforehand or not.
The biggest complaints I heard have been (with my response):
1) Graphics not up to par: Yeah, I guess if picking over graphics is your thing. If you've been fighting xenos since Aliens Doom, they're fine. Around the level of the last AvP.
2) Squad AI is bad: They take cover, flank and they don't hang around waiting for you to take the lead. Haven't had a problem with them getting stuck or anything.
3) Guns are inaccurate: No, actually they feel more real. Play ArmA sometime.
4) Alien AI is bad: Yes, the one you are shooting at is running right at you. But y'know how right after that you fought another one point blank? Well, it wasn't. And I love how they sometimes stop and hiss.
5) It's too easy: If only they developed some kind of game mechanism where you could make it more difficult...
All in all, a fun romp. Doesn't live up to the "canonical sequel" tag. But honestly, how could it?
50. Feb 12, 2013
let's start off by saying that I've actually played through the entire campaign and spend several hours in multilayer. having said that, here's my honest opinion.
The game looks like an Alien movie, the amount of details spend in the environments is great, and you'll recognize a lot from the alien movies, but the graphics themselves are actually not up to par with recent games. if this
game would have come out 2-3 years ago, it's graphics would have been good, now, not so great.
The music, voice acting, sfx sounds are all good though annoying at times, beep beep beep ).
The story feels like a decent alien story, nothing to over the top, and actually believable if you know the franchise. it tries to fill some gaps between movies and does a decent but not great job of doing so. in comparison to recent fps games coming out this was one of the better stories.
but this is where most of the praise ends.
The guns feel to strong most of the time I would heavily advice you to play on harder or impossible difficulty the aliens while decently strong please note that this is written after a harder play-through
now the game play, this is where the game doesn't hold up to expectations. there's some scare moment, but far to little for an alien game. it's not uncommon to slaughter a lot of them for as long as you have ammo. while ammo isn't infinite there's definitely enough around to play out the game with 3-4 different guns only. and there's about 12 of them depending on how you count aliens leap but rarely hits, when they attack they stand still for a moment, allowing an easy melee to stun/stop them or just blast them into heaven(?). the game feels easy and you feel like a super soldier half of the time. and while there's plenty of variety in your weapons, the aliens lack strategy and diversity.
the human characters seem to lack all facial expressions except for eyes and mouth movement, aliens move sporadically between you and your ally(s) and often only target 1 at a time. and it's not uncommon to see an alien forget you after it walks past you.
missions and area's are diverse enough that they won't bore you through the campaign. but instead of feeling like the ultimate deadly enemy humans not included they feel rather simple and dumb.
you carry all your unlocked weapons with you, and you can select 2 main, a side-gun(pistol) and a grenade at a time, and you can swap between them in real time by opening up the real time weapon menu.
you gain levels as you kill aliens which grant you unlocks to upgrade your weapons and load-out. you have an armor which you have to replenish by finding armor pieces, and a health bar which is put into 3 parts. and you generate a bar as long as it isn't fully replenished.
I actually like these systems, the game feels more like an older fps where you have to be careful with your health and armor then the modern day shooters where you regenerate your arm every 30 seconds.
for the multilayer you keep the weapons/unlocks that you build up in single player, unfortunately there's no alien single-player, so your heavily behind in as alien as you start in MP. aliens feel underpowered, and lag is a huge issue all auto matching, expect half your matches to be to bad to play still it has it's fun moment, and if you do get a good kill it feels rewarding enough to keep going.
the game has a lot of potential, and it's unfortunately that gearbox did as much perfectly right, as that there lacking in parts. it also definitely needs some balance issues for pc. i can only hope they can fix this with some patches/dlc.
good atmosphere, but mediocre shooter with some decent alien mechanics. stands out above most modern mediocre fps due to a decent story and some more old-school mechanics.
if your an alien fan, try to buy it at a discount. if your just an average fps player, i don't advice you to buy this.
51. Feb 12, 2013
I totally LOVE the Alien movies, and I think this game will recive a open heart from us. For the rest of you guys that Isn´t that in to the movies, I´m sure you will find a hard time with it. Sure, they got some stuff they could have tweeked here and there, bit I´m enjoying it, and that´s what counts.
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53. Feb 12, 2013
This game is not bad i see that is better on the pc because the pc versions do not have problems whit graphic.The gameplay is ok you will get scared sometimes and if you play it on a harder difficulty the game gets harder and better.My biggest issue is the stupid friendly AI it is just stupid it lets the xenos kill you without helping but they still help sometimes.The game does not deserve 1 and 4 it deserves a 7 or a 6.6 out of 10 if you do not like aliens you will not like this game a lot but if you like aliens and you have friends that have time to play co-op whit you than thee game gets better.My final verdict is a 7/10 Expand
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57. Feb 12, 2013
The campaign doesn't have the most cinematic quality nor does it's story seem genuinely riveting. It suffers from poor facial animations and has some low rez graphics but it is still a lovingly crafted Aliens game which is telling in it's set design, accurate to the movies and it's enemy AI and animation. NPCs are underdeveloped but this still has some of the best Alien animation, AI and avatars I've seen in any official game from the franchise. The bravado of the marines may seem distasteful or unrelated to the franchise at first but for real die-hard fans of the movie it's quite humorous and almost self-referential. The guns in this game are well crafted, compared to previous AVP outings, and feature the original sounds as well as a ton of customization.
The multiplayer looks promising, being based on asymmetrical games Like L4D and allows you the opportunity to play as a Xeno in 3rd person.
58. Feb 12, 2013
59. Feb 12, 2013
There are so many problems with this game that it's not even funny. The story is so bad it's good, there are parts of the levels that are so unpolished it's embarrassing and there's too much time shooting other humans rather than hunting bugs. As a single player game, it's a dead loss. If you stop to examine it, it's really stupid on many levels.
If you want an Aliens game, as a
Marine, no Predators around, you and your mates shooting aliens for about seven hours, it's okay. I mean it's not brilliant but it's a fun, reasonably challenging cooperative shooter and there aren't many of those around for the PC. I enjoyed the coop campaign in ACM more than I enjoyed my first play-through of Left 4 Dead or the Syndicate coop missions and it had a much smoother process to set it up than the latter.
It's a long way from polished but I think it offers something that is all too rare on PC, a solid coop first person shooter experience. I got seven hours out of it, which isn't much for a full price game, but they were seven good hours, so I don't think it's that bad. Wouldn't recommend getting it except on sale though really. But just to reiterate, it's only saving feature is the coop, it does that well enough to be worth a dip into a bargain bin.
60. Feb 12, 2013
Well this is a game i have been waiting for a long time. And, truth be told, it's not great. First of all, the grafics are "ok" on the pc version. Not great, but ok. But they are not the problem with this game. First, the campaign is just bad. From the first 10 minutes into the game, it felt really wrong. If this is suppose, to be a direct and legit sequel to aliens, well... It sucks. The characters are all forgetable. I cared for none of them. NONE. They are a generic copy and paste from old school action game characters with no personality. If you liked Hudson, Hicks Vasq, drake, ect... None of the marines in this game come even close to them. You just DON'T CARE!!! The story was meh, the missions on the Sulaco were forgetable, but it gets better once you get to Hadley's hope. And the ending is just terrible. The campain is just 5 hours long give or take. Now... some of you might not care about the story. You just want the atmosphere and tensions from the movie right? Did gearbox pull it off? Well... To be fair, sound is good, music is accurate and yes Hadley's hope is very detailed and looks very accurate to the movie. But here is the thing where GBX messed up... And it's no small issue. The ALIENS... My god... the Aliens! They walk and move around like retards, they don't scare you, they just pop at you in (badly)scripted events. Think it stops there? I am just getting started... The AI is... It's..... I can't describe it. But Half-life 1 had a better AI then this piece of crap. Yes. HL 1, a game that came out YEARS ago, did better. ALIENS ARE RETARDS in this game. And don't think that they get smarter at higher difficulty setting... They don't, they just hit you harder. Like the motion tracker? don't bother using it! Aliens just pop in front you and try to give you a hug. What happened to the most feared monster in the galaxy? They just run at you like retarded zombies. I never felt ANY tension during the campain. (Well, except the stealth level, the only good moment in the campain). The AI is by far the kiss of death of this game. This migh just be a zombie game, it wouldn't make any difference. Co-op is a welcome addition and will definitly spice-up the experience. Provided that you set the difficulty level up, as the game dosen't scale according to the number of players in co-op. Multiplayer is probably the only enjoyable part of this game. Escape mode is fun to play as a marine as FINALLY you are facing Xenos with BRAINS. The motion tracker is usefull again. So yes it's fun and i can see myself playing it for some time... BUT........ playing as a xeno is... HORRIBLE! Wall climbing is by far the worst in ANY alien game i have seen so far. IT'S USELESS! You can't aim properly and perform attacks while you are on the wall. This is THE important part of being an alien, BEING ABLE TO ATTACK FROM ANY ANGLE!!!!! Why choose to make a 3rd person view to avoid people getting sick while wall climbing if wall climbing is broken in the first place? Screw the multiple alien races, an alien that can't climb on the wall properly is a dead alien. In short, they got the alien COMPLETLY wrong. Both in the Campain (Bad AI) and the multiplayer (Wall climbing+ attack is not much of an option). I used to have a lot of trust in gearbox games. But Duke Nukem forever, and now THIS! You have the greatest franchise of all TIME to toy with and this is what you DO with it? I swear, GBX needs to pull itself together. Expand
61. Feb 12, 2013
62. Feb 12, 2013
63. Feb 12, 2013
64. Feb 12, 2013
Enjoying myself fully after 3-4 missions in the cinematic single player part of this game. Not as scary as the earlier AvP games but a solid SP experience. So far my only real complaint is the scripted pauses where the tracker is not accessible. The unlocks and leveling feels well integrated and solid and adds more game within the game.
Good: gfx, sound, control
Not as good: Scripted,
interrupting pauses, tracker feels a bit scripted Expand
65. Feb 12, 2013
66. Feb 12, 2013
67. Feb 12, 2013
I wasn't sure what to expect with this game before release, I pre-ordered it, which is something that I rarely do, and desperately hoped that it wasn't ass. Usually I will wait for the game to be released, have a look at the general consensus of online opinion, and then buy the game if I feel it's worth it. But I'm glad I didn't wait, because my opinion of this game is very different from the consensus so far and in hindsight it would have been a shame to miss out on it. Graphically, the game is solid, if a little dated at times. There is some evidence of console-porting in that the items that matter (guns, creatures, characters) are highly detailed and look pretty damn good, but many incidental environmental textures, such as certain switches, signs, monitors are quite low-res, presumably to save memory usage. At first I was a little disappointed but it stopped bothering me very quickly as the overall atmosphere, look and feel of the game drew my attention. I hope that perhaps there will be a high-res pack for PC users released as there was for Crysis 2 and Skyrim, but even if there isn't, it still looks pretty awesome. The sound design is simply amazing, weapon and creature sounds, music, and almost everything else that you can think of is taken straight from the films, and serves to completely immerse the player in the world. The sound of a battle of Xenos vs. pulse rifle-wielding marines really got my heart racing many times. While the story leaves a bit to be desired, I didn't find that a hinderance to my enjoyment. The game was rather well paced, with moments of high-tension interspersed with action setpieces at complimentary intervals. I was constantly excited to see where we were going next, what locations we would discover, and frankly, I didn't want the game to end. Complimenting this are some spectacular moments, e.g. a space battle between two FTL ships, your first sight of Hadley's Hope as rain pelts you sideways and debris falls from the sky, the eerie silence of the ruined corridors when you first set foot inside the colony, and the enormous interior of the derelict ship. Lastly, the voice acting is full of emotion and truthfulness (the only exception I felt was, surprisingly, one of the original film's actors, who sounded rather dead a lot of the time). I found all this was enough to keep me eagerly moving through my 6-hour completion time of the campaign. Now if you are inclined to complain about the length of the campaign, I ask you to think of any of the modern CoD games, which all can be completed in 6 hours or less. I'm not implying that this is a virtue, but merely offering a comparison. For example, Modern Warfare 3 was repetitive, entirely derivative of its predecessors, and poorly paced with an overemphasis on mindnumbing and relentless action, and yet it gets 80% across the board and this gets 40%? Ridiculous. One more thing I'd like to mention is the MP. The MP aspect of the game is equally as rewarding as the single player campaign. It pits Aliens vs. Marines in alternating teams, in a number of nuanced, and varied locations. At first I felt that the teams were unbalanced, as I began as a Xenomorph and had trouble competing with a skilled group of marines hiding in a corner. But after a short while I came to see how deep and rewarding the combat system was Xenos must be cunning, finding ways to surprise Marines and force them to respawn whereupon they can be tracked down and taken on 1-on-1, while Marines must work together and cover each other, blocking each possible method of infiltration. The variety of Xeno classes allows varied tactical opportunities for the skilled player. Similarly, a strong sense of team-work and one eye on the motion-tracker is invaluable to a Marine. There are bugs, tow be sure the wall-climbing is not quite perfect, and my game locked up when I used the Lurker's pounce ability, but I have no doubt that a simple patch will fix that right up. All in all, I am loving this game. I can only imagine that the nay-sayers are playing on console, or held immense expectations. I however, found it to be as entertaining, and more immersive than I had anticipated, and the MP is truly enjoyable and compelling. Expand
68. Feb 12, 2013
Ahhh, Aliens. The series that everyone around the world has heard about. There have been numerous games over the years based on the Aliens franchise and to this day, none of them have quite managed to hit that 'sweet spot'. Aliens: Colonial Marines attempts to fix this by plunging you into a world or terror and action, allegedly providing the (quoted from the back of the box), "ULTIMATE ALIENS FIRST PERSON SHOOTER". Although Aliens: Colonial Marines does not quite live up to this expectation, after all, buggy AI and annoying multiplayer glitches have swarmed their way into the game which will hopefully be addressed in a patch soon to come.
Now with that out of the way, Aliens: Colonial Marines, on PC at least looks brilliant. Maybe not the best graphics you could possibly get today, but good, nevertheless. I feel that the game's main strengths come through the tension-riddled scary sequences, followed by the high-octane action sequences, both of which are incredibly well scripted and thought out. Your arsenal feels real both visually and through their sounds, adding to the dramatic feel of the game.
Overall, Aliens: Colonial Marines is a superb game, especially on the PC. It incorporates the tension of the Aliens movies as well as their thrilling action sequences. This game is well worth your money because although not being a particularly original or 'new' kind of game, it is EXTREMELY fun to play! ***RECOMMENDED***
Pros: Fun gameplay, excellent sounds/music and good level design
Cons: Lousy AI and bugs (both alien form and glitches)
69. Feb 12, 2013
Short review; If you want a generic run n' gun game that just happens to be set in the aliens universe, then this is the game for you. If you however want a suspensful scary gloomy game that will bring you back to Aliens (the first movie) fear levels Then this is not the game for you. PC graphics, while not stellar, is survivable. Gearbox has paid attention to detail when it comes to recreating Hadleys Hope as it was in the movie, but everything else is lackluster, 5/10 from me. Expand
70. Feb 12, 2013
A fun game I enjoyed my time with it and the coop is solid however the inescapable fact is that the campaign was only 3-4 hours long which is just unacceptable from a full price game. I do not pay £40 for a well dressed up teaser trailer for DLC it's a despicable trend and is utterly pathetic.
71. LMW
Feb 12, 2013
Played it for 3 hours in 4 people coop mode on Ultimate Badass. 6 11 missions accomplished. What can I say? What I like:
- 4 people coop makes game a lot better. While not perfect, you have sort of cooperation and tactic while killing stuff.
- Sounds and music are not bad at all. Weapons, well-timed music and big booms are all there.
- Weapons. While there are basically 3 categories
(rifles, shotguns and pistols), all of them have their own style and feel.
What I didn't like:
- Story. Story is meaningless. It doesn't make you care about key figures. Who was that guy over the radio? Who cares, let's move, aliens won't kill themselves.
- Aliens and enemy soldiers AI. Well, nothing much to say here they are just plain stupid. The only way they can attack you is by jumping straight at you. Oh, they can also just stand and watch you killing them (or just running around waving their claws). And yes, they die A LOT. Packs and packs run at you and you just shoot them in the face. No challenge. Easy as that.
- Level design is lackluster. Corridors over corridors, watered with boring cut-scenes, where developers try to make you care about characters around you. Nothing spectacular here, at least so far.
- Almost no challenge. Yes, we died several times during these 6 missions only because we were running straight ahead almost all the time, shooting stuff without any problems (I did check our difficulty level twice I still can't believe it is so easy to play on the Ultimate Badass), but nothing really challenging. Aliens die in a matter of seconds, almost without any effort from our part.
As it was said before, game feels like another generic FPS. There is nothing special about this title whatsoever. Is it fun? If you play it not alone maybe, but I can't imagine playing it myself all alone (I did finish 2 missions alone, by the way). And yes, graphic is not that terrible. Of course it is quite outdated, but not that bad as many people state. While not at Far Cry or Crysis level, it doesn't make you puke either.
Overall, 5.5 (maybe 6.0) out of 10 for me.
72. Feb 12, 2013
Season Pass:
73. Feb 12, 2013
Quite frankly not good enough.
74. Feb 12, 2013
Oh how I wanted to love this game. The campaign for the most part is a soulless, standard FPS with wildly inaccurate guns which make trying to kill mercenaries in cover a chore. The low res textures make the game look dated, attempts are generating atmosphere are a bit hit and miss, the dialogue is nothing special, and the multi-player is a guilty pleasure, but I got to the point where all I wanted to do was play the xenomorphs and got bored whenever I was forced to play as the marines. Leaping around the arenas and crawling across ceilings and walls is mighty good fun, but often the game can't understand exactly what you're doing due to the complex nature of the terrain and your character will start doing donuts a wall or something. At least I managed to pick it up fairly cheap. Meh. Expand
75. Feb 12, 2013
76. Feb 12, 2013
77. Feb 12, 2013
78. Feb 12, 2013
I would rate the first part of the game below average, That part is set on a space ship, and this is where you encounter human enemies besides aliens. The main problem of the game is the DUMB AI. This ruins the fight with human enemies, but ultimately ruins every part of the game where you are teamed up with human npcs. Team mates get stuck frequently, they are left behind, stay in front of you at the wrong times (basically they are useless and annoying...I would rather go alone, than with a marine that is not good for anything...). The second part is set on LV-426 (Aliens took place here). I would rate this part of A:CM average, with some better than average parts. It was fun to encounter the sets of Aliens (especially if you love the universe of the movies). Here the game focuses on the aliens. There is also a mission where you need to rely on stealth (it was a highlight of the game, with creepy lighting and sounds). There are some tense moment in the game, but I never felt scared (There were some intense moments, but I felt the game is lacking tension). The movement of the enemies felt clunchy. This is probably due to the small and closed spaces where most encounters with aliens took place. Many time they are spawned behind the player or just running around. Weapon customisation was a nice addition. The story is average, while characters are very "two dimensional" (with many cheesy dialogues....). Overall the game felt like a generic shooter, set in the Aliens universe, which would deserve a better game than Aliens: Colonial Marines. Expand
79. Feb 12, 2013
80. Feb 12, 2013
Generally unfavorable reviews - based on 40 Critics
Critic score distribution:
1. Positive: 1 out of 40
2. Negative: 23 out of 40
1. Jun 10, 2013
2. Mar 15, 2013
3. Mar 12, 2013
|
http://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/aliens-colonial-marines/user-reviews?sort-by=date&num_items=100&dist=neutral&page=2&user_review_id=2949778
|
dclm-gs1-273820002
|
[
"Xenomorphs"
] |
0.033071
|
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|
en
| 0.948912
|
Samuel L. Jackson, a.k.a. Nick Fury, releases confidential Elizabeth Olsen news: She's joining "The Avengers" sequel.
Samuel L. Jackson does play S.H.I.E.L.D. honcho Nick Fury. So why shouldn't he be breaking casting announcements for The Avengers sequel?
Jackson let slip to The Wall Street Journal that Elizabeth Olsen would be joining the cast of The Avengers: Age of Ultron.
"I don't think we begin shooting before March of next year. I know we're shooting in London, that James Spader is Ultron and going to be the bad guy, and that we added Ms. [Elizabeth] Olsen, but I don't know what she's doing, if she's on the inside or the outside. I haven't seen a script," said Jackson.
The Internet has been buzzing ever since, seeing this as confirmation that Olsen will play the long-discussed role of Scarlet Witch in the sequel to the superhero hit.
It's another big role for indie-fave Olsen, the younger sister to Mary-Kate and Ashley, who also stars in the much-anticipated Godzilla remake due out in 2014.
Jackson, who was discussing his Nick Fury cameo on ABC's Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., did not confirm who would play Scarlet Witch's mutant brother Quicksilver, long rumored to be Kick-Ass star Aaron Taylor-Johnson. Perhaps the Journal can throw in a follow-up question.
|
http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/movies/2013/10/03/samuel-l-jackson-elizabeth-olsen/2915307/
|
dclm-gs1-275650002
|
[
"Ultron"
] |
0.032824
|
<urn:uuid:caeef705-3dc9-46ef-825c-308bb516c512>
|
en
| 0.966376
|
The legendary Syndicate will take over on the 19th of January.
The original sci-fi strategy Syndicate will be released on for $5.99 this Thursday. This gritty cyberpunk treasure shows up here with some bonus content: the game manual, dark SF artworks, and avatars.
As you can read in this review Syndicate is “A modern masterpiece. The self-respecting gamer should ensure they have Syndicate nestling snugly on the games shelf as soon as possible.” Follow the wise advice and get Syndicate in just two days for $5.99.
While you’re waiting, we’re having a fun contest to keep you guys occupied until Thursday:
Syndicate is a game set in a grim future. As the world’s multinational corporations grew, their profits began to rival those of small countries. Soon they owned small countries and corporate influence was felt at the highest level of world government. Smaller corporations were swallowed up like plankton in the wake of behemoth mega-corporations. needs your help to take over the world. You and three friends--real or imaginary, past or future--are going to form a team that you’d recommend to us to lead the charge to make the world’s biggest Syndicate.
We want to know if you’re up for the challenge.
Assemble your team of cyborgs, give us your Team Name, Method of Operation, and any other relevant information you'd like.
Go on, spread your influence across the globe and tell us how.
1 free copy of Syndicate for the 10 posters who have the best Syndicate team. We’ll be reading through all of your posts (Hello, discordiac, our new marketing manager who “volunteered” for this job!) and picking the ones that we like best.
1. Only one entry post per user. Feel free to comment & edit until the contest closes.
2. You may enter into similar contests that we are running on Twitter and Facebook, but only once via each different channel.
3. We will be picking 10 of our favorite teams from this thread to win their free copies of Syndicate.
4. The contest will end on Thursday the 19th of January 2012 at 7:00 AM EST.
team name: MIzFITz
members:Slade{me} Chuck Norris {ya cant have a dream team without Chuck Norris} James bond {Sean Connery obviously} and Leonard "Bones" McCoy {every team needs a medic and why not grab the best}
method: using my talents at stratagem i use James Bond to infiltrate , scout and hit on every hot lady he sees. all while talking in a Scottish accent that noone can understand. at that time Chuck Norris is walking threw the group while they are distracted by the
"British" accent round house kicking anyone who crosses his path, and finally Bones will be dishing out meds and patching the team up all while making sure everyone on the team knows that hes a doctor dammit...
Team Name: Lunatics of the Fringe
Team Members: "Recon" Garrett from the Thief Series... a stealthy bastard.
"Hacker" JC Denton from Deus Ex... Doors are affraid of him.
"Assault" Doom Guy from DOOM... BFG's kill everything.
"Leader" Myself from Real Life... Ive always wanted to lead these brave men into battle against evil mega corperations like the men behind EA's Origin Service. :P
Method of win: Infiltration... Send in JC and Garrett to aquire valuble assets, and free games of DRM. When finished Doom Guy can deal with the clean up, and by that I mean blowing the piss out of everything.
Our Enemy: DRM, SOPA, PIPA and EA (they ruined Command and Conquer) NO ONE RUINS COMMAND AND CONQUER!!!! NO ONE!!!!!
Post edited January 18, 2012 by axe12389
Team: Deadly Raiders of Mars
Members: The Avatar (From Ultima), Twinsen (LBA), Alpha 1 (Air Support from Freespace) And Cutter Slade (outcast)
A direct response team that gets dropped into comabt situations where our freedom to own what we purchase is in danger. They also do a double duty by finding and executing pirates. They may be expensive bad damn are they good! Heroes of their own universes there is no match to their might. Their enemies shall feel the wraith of the Avatar, The magic power of Twinsen, the Laser bombardment of the Terran-Vesudan Hero and finally the wit and one liners of the Ulukai, Hero of Adelpha!
Team Name: The Guerilla Gang
Method of Operation: Honor and sacrifice?...Nah, we prefer victory and survival. Fighting for freedom one hit and run at a time.
Members: A bunch of cyborgs who are good at running when the going gets too tough. As you might imagine, this makes keeping a roster of permanent members difficult, as they tend to run away. However, our mascot, The Gorilla, is a permanent fixture.
Post edited January 17, 2012 by maycett
Team: Revenge of the Ancestors!
Me: Armed with a Sniper rifle and a smartphone that also gives me uplink to the guardian of orion's sensors
Agent Rayne: For both distraction and CQB, she carries her blades and automatic shotguns
Guardian of Orion: for bringing terror and death from the skies
Yuri: Mind control FTW!
Method of Operation Tactical: I sit back and kill people on the flanks, Rayne does what she does best and will probably be killing the most people, Yuri will be mind controlling anybody who dares enter his presence, and the Guardian of Orion will be slaughtering whoever gets past us.
Method of Operation Global: Yuri is obviously our propaganda minister, The Guardian of Orion is not only our ship but also our main tool of intimidation (Want to nuke our base of operations? Well I don't mind but you need to talk to the guardian...and we just gave him better firmware for his ECM Suites so I don't think that your silly nuclear missile will go well with him) I deal with finances and Rayne is our tactical adviser
Main Objective: Go back in time and kill the man responsible for inventing DRM, nothing worse can happen right? I mean if we shook Adolf Hitler's hand then we wouldn't have world war 2 yes?
Post edited January 17, 2012 by Farthest_Outpost
I still have Syndicate on my Amiga's hard drive :)
Oh yes my Syndicate,
Name: J Miner's Revenge
Members: Paula: Uses infrasound to distract confuse and knacker lntel chipsets.
Gayle: Can interface with any known storage device to extract information
Fat Agnus: Uses the all powerful Blitter gun to instantly copy anyone within their ranks to swell their numbers and is leader of the group
68060: An adaptive AI directly connected to Fat Agnus to boost response times of the whole group.
Mission: To clense the world of unclean and unholy operating systems as directed their sig int Hazy Dave.
Base of Operations: Secret underground bunker located somewhere in West Chester Pennsylvania
Favourite Music Group: B52s
Post edited January 17, 2012 by Geraldine
Name: NNN (No Name Needed)
1. Me. Obviously.
2. Hitler.
3. Darth Vader.
4. General Zod.
Method of Operation:
Hitler will make funny, ranting YouTube meme videos. While you're kneeling with laughter before General Zod, Darth Vader will Force-choke you into submission. Me? As leader, I reap the benefits.
Thank you for this. :D
Team: Amissian Rising.
Squato- The Team Leader, it is his task to make sure the team is guided at all times towards making sure their success brings about a DRM-free future. Squato was not one who normally would have fallen for the charms of this desire, if not for the simple fact that as he grew older he wished for a simpler time when the one could access all the data they wished, and in a media which could be saved for as many uses as they might have wanted. It was a simple wish, but not an easy one to let happen in a world driven mad by the desire of the few to lock up the works of the masses so only the few could use them, and only via the will of the powers that be. Seeing that this cycle had to break, Squato took the step to make sure something had to be done.
Squata- The Pointman. The details of where Squata comes from are largely unknown, largely because those few who try to uncover her past soon make personal friends with her blades, the last friends they shall ever meet. To the group Squata is the agent who often used as both the silent assassin of the group, and their grenade. Something that doesn't matter to her, since her prey always end up dead one way or the other. Just as long as she has fun doing so is all that matters to her.
Vixa- Her role is simple, she is the one who takes up the rear position and makes sure to direct all others when they are on a mission so as to either make sure they are kept away from danger, or to make sure their targets are safe from their actions. This position is something that has put herself into conflict with members of the team over the years, but it is something she has always stood by because of the life lessons she picked up from her parents. Namely that one doesn't learn to fire a gun, they learn to use it.
Fez- The supply officer/medic. Fez while young, has the heart of an old soldier who has seen events which they might never forget. Now while Fez has been in wars before, Fez knows what the cost of these battles can take. It is with these in mind that Fez always tries to make sure the team is not just fitted out as best as Fez can do so, but that the whole team is cared for as only Fez can.
This team is committed to the true freedom that shall only result from the DRM-free revolution. They are everywhere, everyone, and everywhen. You shall not see not hear from them, but you will know them when they come.
My team:
(Sorry Shemp. Don't even think of mentioning the name "Curly Joe")
Method of operation:
They led the charge against Hitler and won ( DRM should be a piece of cake.
My Team is as follows:
Cowboy Jesus: A rather dim witted fellow whose hobbies include long walks on the beach, flashing old ladies and is the current record holder most street pamphlet-hander-outerers successfully avoided in a single lifetime. Ironically, he hates both cattle ranches and religion.
Corn Cob Man: Fights evil with all the power of a freshly shucked cob of corn. Not very impressive, I know, but he sure gives it his all.
Ernest the Racist Hippopotamus: While his tolerance of ethnic minorities is sadly lacking, he makes up for this with his amazing ability to float in a river and scare people away simply by opening his mouth.
Rejected Cartoon Character: A crudely drawn vaguely male pencil outline of a somewhat humanoid figure. His hobbies include living in a giant bucket, discussing the nature of his spoon's impractical large size, walking into stop signs after an alien removes his eyeballs, beating other members of his species to death with a chunk of their own stomach or possibly showering them with his own eye-socket blood.
As a well-trained and generally somewhat difficult to spot team of stealthy amazingness, there is no official team name. Our name is changed every week to protect the identity of its members. This week, it's "Team Whiskey and Ice Cream Orgasm Face". Favoured tactics involve writing harshly-worded letters, walking around in a circle while waving placards and yelling at passers-by and finally not eating for hours at a time, as it's a proven fact that people who don't like you and would love to see you dead will suddenly kowtow to your every whim if you threaten not to eat a sandwich.
Naturally, we'll have the entire gaming industry DRM-free (and we'll also get rid of that pesky GPB and VYH while we're at it, because we're just that awesome) in no time. Do not question it. You know who else probably questioned things? Hitler. Ask yourself: Do you really want to be like Hitler? I thought not.
SLP2000: What about the expansion?
Paczyk: I am sorry, but this version of Syndicate is without the American Revolt expansion.
Aww, maaaaan :(
Wishlisted till AR or till I have no backlog anymore.
I'm not interested in entering a contest I'll never win, but I have been trying to get Syndicate into my cart all day. I keep clicking and clicking, but every time I click, nothing seems to happen.
It. Just. Will. Not. Work... at all. >_<
While I wait for this grievous issue to sort itself out (Something I predict will happen no later than the 19th of January. Just call it intuition, it's an even ten days after my birthday, so it just feels lucky is all...), I may as well make an entry with the least amount of effort possible, since I'm not going to win anyway, and even if I did, I'd probably have already bought it by the time I found out I won.
Team We Never Win
Team Members:
Shotgun Harry: In a battle against an opponent, who happened to be a right-handed wizard in a universe supposedly devoid of spellcasting, with a proficiency in "magic intended for healing minor wounds and illuminating dark corridors" (in all likelyhood hydrogen peroxide, gauze, and a flashlight) as well as the use of small one-handed wooden rods and a heavy penalty with ranged weaponry of any sort (it's said that he once utterly failed to pelt a bear, even once, with a fairly large satchel filled to the brim with walnut-sized stones... while it was asleep), this wizard was, for reasons I can't begin to fathom, wielding a shotgun in his left hand.
Aside from the difficulties of anybody who isn't the son of the legendary dark knight Sparda proficiently wielding a shotgun in one hand, much less their off-hand, we was also famously abysmal at any sort of combat, especially ranged. Shotgun Harry made a conscious effort to dodge, yes, but he just wasn't very lucky that day... or ever, really. Despite 1d400 odds, having to roll 400 just to avoid a critical miss (again, the wizard was very bad with the equipment he was wielding), he not only managed to shoot in the direction of his target, but his target failed the ten consecutive saving throws required to avoid a load of poorly-aimed shrapnel to the face.
If you haven't already guessed by now, Shotgun Harry is named Shotgun Harry, and part of "Team We Never Win", because he has a crater where his face should be, and the very sort of luck you'd expect from a member of this team. He's unofficially the leader, for the fact that he always enters a door before the rest of his squad (you never know when there will be on old lady with a shotgun or a field full of claymore mines just waiting on the other side...), inspires his team members with his impressive pedigree of misfortune, and never gives them orders they're unwilling to follow... or at all, since he is physically incapable of intelligible speech (...but nobody on a team like "Team We Never Win" would want to take orders from a member of Team We Never Win anyway. If they did that, they'd never win!).
Gamblin' Leonard: Back in his prime, Gamblin' Leonard was quite the gambler. He gambled his house, he gambled his kids, he gambled his neighbor's car, he even tried to gamble the casino itself, as he'd never managed to win quite enough of an education to understand the concept of "personal property", or anything else, for that matter. According to Gamblin' Leonard, the only way to gamble is "all or nothing"; in Leonard's case, however, it's simply "nothing". It's a miracle he's managed to acquire so many thing in his life to gamble in the first place, but he always manages to part with things just as quickly as he possesses them.
Down on his luck, even more than usual, Gamblin' Leonard, despite parting with his dignity a very, very long time ago, still possessed whatever freedoms you and I pretend to enjoy. He, of course, lost this too, and he's been an unwilling, but most certainly welcome, part of Team We Never Win ever since. He's usually in charge of the treasury and the armaments. For any other team, this would be a dire mistake.
"Moonman Stan" Stanley: When asked why people call him "Moonman Stan", Stanley fondly remembers his life before joining the team. A high-ranking member of a highly secretive space program (he was number four of ten members!), Stanley was in charge of watching the monitors. A cushy job with none of the worries of impacting on the surface of meteors like numbers eleven and twelve (numbers eleven and twelve frequently seemed to die; reducing the membership by two somehow resolved this issue), all he had to do was watch the monitors.
He did a great job watching the monitors, but a very poor job of interpreting what was displayed. He was, in fact, watching a set of monitors streaming images from cameras aimed at himself, which served him suitably as a makeshift mirror for keeping his hair kempt. It was just his luck that the cameras, of course, were on-board a shuttle, which explained the g-forces he often complained about prior to his realization that he was, in fact, in space. Crash landing on the moon, Stanley subsisted on a diet of gorillas that were frequently shipped to his little white satellite.
The gorillas were, unbeknownst to Stanley, plagued with radiation and all manner of experimental chemical compounds. These compounds were usually made from completely random assortments of chemicals, with the hope that one set of treatments would render one gorilla fully conscious of the mission he was meticulously trained for, and would signal, through a series of gestures involving pointing and sign language visible via telescope, the exact coordinates for the placement of "New Moon 1" and "New Moon 2", exact replicas of our moon placed in just the right way to allow the Earth to be triangulated by three moons, which would later serve to be "possibly useful" for future plans of some kind.
It was proposed as "more of a proof of concept, really, with the possibility for practical application in the future". The organization Stanley worked for considered themselves "visionaries", founded on the ideal that "looking at the big picture gets in the way of not only thinking outside the box, but progress".
One day, a shuttle landed, fully intact, which aroused Stanley's suspicion, as every other shuttle, including his, always landed in a state of complete disrepair. His suspicions were sound, as onboard the shuttle was a crew of his fellow colleagues. Horrified at the sight of a very, very pale Stanley amidst a sea of gorilla skeletons, the crew dragged Stanley back onto the shuttle, after which he would be be tried by a tribunal of his superiors.
Midway through transit, however, a particularly unstable Stanley somehow phased through the floor of the shuttle and fell careening towards Earth. Withstanding the dangers of entering the atmosphere and impacting with terra firma, you would think Stanley was actually a very lucky fellow, and in fact, he is easily the luckiest of the team. However, his exposure to various toxins has had a profound effect on his body and mind, which has caused nearly every hour to seem like one thousand years of excruciatingly painful torment. Also, he's the errand boy of the group, which is arguably worse.
Char-broiled Charlie: They said jumping in water could put out any fire. Charlie proved them wrong.
Together, this team proves that while some guys have all the luck, some of them have none of it... at all. I recommended GOG to Shotgun Harry. He complained that none of the games he bought were DRM-free. I told him that every game is DRM-free, but somehow he's managed to be unlucky enough to end up with some form of DRM every time.
Gamblin' Leonard, of course, bought the entire catalog, and gambled it. If he won, he'd have gotten every future GOG for free. He lost, of course, and now all of his games have three time activation limits.
Moonman Stan and Char-Broiled Charlie are in far too much agony to care about gaming, much less DRM-free gaming. I tried to explain the benefits of DRM-free, and gifted Moonman Stan copies of Planescape: Torment, Sanitarium, and Painkiller Black Edition. After playing, he expressed that "some guys have all the luck" (referring to the Nameless One, Max Laughton, and Daniel Garner). Then he stayed motionless for an hour, suddenly broke into laughter, paused, screamed a gut-wrenching cry, and then his mind appeared to wander into another plane of existence as he mumbled incoherently for the next few hours until I finally left, admitting defeat. Char-Broiled Charlie's computer recently fried, despite my lecture on proper cooling and the importance of thermal paste.
There's just no getting through to some people, I'm afraid. I certainly tried, but luck just wasn't on my side, it seems.
Note-Team Picture Attached
Team Name- Condition- Deconstruction
Team Members
-Agent "Hail" -
Methods of Operation- Security and Intelligence Infiltration, Urban Warfare
With nearly all body mass constructed entirely out of polymorphous bio-carbon, Hail is well known for nearly floating on air as he dances dual 9mm SMGs filled with explosive rounds through any alerted security forces. Any technological security system will fall at the hands of one of the most accomplished neural net hackers. He gets his call sign from the 2173 virus "Hail" which hacked all communications on the planet for 1 minute, ringing constantly with the sound of hail to any who would pick up. His love of automatic weaponry only helped concrete this.
-Agent "Social" -
Methods of Operation- Social Engineering, Assassination, Insurrection
Recruited during a staged CIA coup in North America during the bio-energy crisis of 2162, Social has impeccable charm even without the use of the dreaded neural weaponry he uses to brainwash enemy leadership. The oldest of the Condition team, Social leads the forefront of any Operation by identifying, tracking, and then tagging targets for assassination or persuasion.
-Agent "Gone" -
Methods of Operation- Sniper, Demolitions, Personnel Disruption
No key personnel are safe from Gone's impeccable aim and savage perseverance. This combined with his love of explosives proves that no target can hole up for long. When not actively setting up in a prime kill zone, Gone teams up with Hail and Social to identify officers and other components of the enemy's chain of command. The telltale sign of this agent is that of the bulk of an enemy's personnel running around in confusion.
Outstanding, can't wait for Syndicate to release on Thursday!
Okay, here's my team...
Team Name: Cyberpunk Legends
1. Major Motoko Kusanagi (Ghost in the Shell) - Team Leader
Specializations: Stealth, Hacking, Philosophy, Assault and SMGs
2. Rick Deckard (Blade Runner)
Specializations: Investigation, Recon and Handguns
3. Alex Murphy (Robocop)
Specializations: "Your move, creep."
4. Agent Smith (The Matrix)
Specializations: Pursuit, Interrogation, Martial Arts and Handguns
Prime Directives
1. "Convince" the remaining publishers to release their games DRM-free on GOG
2. Show the world how awesome Cyberpunk is
Method of Operation
Deckard recons and investigates possible targets. Murphy makes a frontal attack on the main forces whilst Kusanagi uses stealth cloaking to make a flank assault to take care of the remaining forces and uses hacking to steal any valuable info. Finally, any opposition that is left alive will be pursued, captured and "interrogated" by Agent Smith. Mwahahaha...
Post edited January 18, 2012 by haydenaurion
The GOG-Team
Nolan North
The man with a thousand faces (actually more but a thousand sounds like a nice round number) and even more voices, master of disguise and with his enhance vocal cords is able to voice/imitate any individual, just check his IMDb
Grant Imihara
Master builder, able to create almost anything out of nothing but spare parts and expert in robotics, thanks to the cybernetic implants in his brain he is able to communicate with computers with his mind. Some say he will one day bring about the robot apocalypse that is if the zombie apocalypse doesn't come first.
Summer Glau
Composed of skynet robotics, sent back in time by the GOG of the future, in an attempt to prevent the coming of DRM-Day where each person is implanted with an ID-chip, any product purchased is registered to that chip, only usable by that person and only usable when connected to the verification servers.
She has super strength, can self repair and is trained in hand to hand combat and firearms.
Their Story
In 2008 a crack team of gamers saw the state of gaming: draconian DRM schemes, unfair pricing based on buyers location. These individuals escaped from this DRM security like prison. Today they survive as an on-line distribution platform for DRM-free, classic PC games. If you have an old game you'd like to play, and if you can find them, maybe you can hire....The GOG-Team
(They may not have actually formed GOG but a guy can dream...of Summer Glau)
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The Matrix Reloaded
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The Matrix Reloaded
Poster - The Matrix Reloaded.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by The Wachowski Brothers
Produced by Joel Silver
Written by The Wachowski Brothers
Music by Don Davis
Cinematography Bill Pope
Edited by Zach Staenberg
Distributed by
Release dates
• May 7, 2003 (2003-05-07) (Westwood)
• May 15, 2003 (2003-05-15) (United States)
• May 16, 2003 (2003-05-16) (Australia)
Running time 138 minutes[2]
• United States
• Australia[3]
Language English
Budget $150 million[4]
Box office $738.6–742.1 million[4][5]
The Matrix Reloaded is a 2003 American science fiction action film, the first sequel to The Matrix, and the second installment in The Matrix trilogy, written and directed by The Wachowski Brothers. It premiered on May 7, 2003, in Westwood, Los Angeles, California, and went on general release by Warner Bros. in North American theaters on May 15, 2003, and around the world during the latter half of that month. It was also screened out of competition at the 2003 Cannes Film Festival.[6] The video game Enter the Matrix, which was released on May 15, and a collection of nine animated shorts, The Animatrix, which was released on June 3, supported and expanded the storyline of the movie. The Matrix Revolutions, which completes the story, was released six months after Reloaded, in November 2003.
Six months after the events of the first film, Neo and Trinity are now lovers. Morpheus receives a message from Captain Niobe of the Logos calling an emergency meeting of all of Zion's ships. Zion has confirmed the last transmission of the Osiris: an army of Sentinels is tunneling towards Zion and will reach it within 72 hours. Commander Lock orders all ships to return to Zion to prepare for the onslaught. Morpheus asks a ship to remain in order to contact the Oracle, in defiance of the order. The Caduceus receives a message from the Oracle, and the Nebuchadnezzar ventures out so Neo can contact her. One of the Caduceus crew, Bane, encounters Agent Smith, who takes over Bane's avatar. Smith then uses this avatar to leave the Matrix, gaining control of Bane's real body.
In Zion, Morpheus announces the news of the advancing machines to the people. Neo receives a message from the Oracle and returns to the Matrix to meet her bodyguard Seraph, who then leads them to her. After realizing that the Oracle is part of the Matrix, Neo asks how he can trust her; she replies that it is his decision. The Oracle instructs Neo to reach the Source of the Matrix by finding the Keymaker, a prisoner of the Merovingian. As the Oracle departs, Smith appears, telling Neo that after being defeated, he refused to be deleted, and is now a rogue program. He demonstrates his ability to clone himself using other people in the Matrix, including other Agents, as hosts. He then tries to absorb Neo as a host, but fails, prompting a battle between Smith's clones and Neo. Neo manages to defend himself, but is forced to retreat from the increasingly overwhelming numbers.
Neo, Morpheus and Trinity visit the Merovingian and ask for the Keymaker, but the Merovingian refuses. His wife Persephone, seeking revenge on her husband for his infidelity, betrays him and leads the trio to the Keymaker. The Merovingian soon arrives with his men. Morpheus, Trinity and the Keymaker escape, while Neo holds off the Merovingian's servants. Morpheus and Trinity try to escape with the Keymaker on the freeway, facing several Agents and The Twins, the Merovingian's chief henchmen. Morpheus defeats The Twins, Trinity escapes, and Neo flies in to save Morpheus and the Keymaker from Agent Johnson. In the real world, Zion's remaining ships prepare to battle the machines. Within the Matrix, the crews of the Nebuchadnezzar, Vigilant and Logos help the Keymaker and Neo reach the door to the Source.
The crew of the Logos must destroy a power plant to prevent a security system from being triggered, and the crew of the Vigilant must destroy a back-up power station. The Logos is successful, while the Vigilant is bombed by a Sentinel in the real world, killing everyone on board. Although Neo requested that Trinity remain on the Nebuchadnezzar, she enters the Matrix to replace the Vigilant crew and complete their mission. However, her escape is compromised by an Agent, and they fight. As Neo, Morpheus and the Keymaker try to reach the Source, the Smiths appear and try to kill them. The Keymaker unlocks the door to the Source, allowing Neo and Morpheus to enter and escape from the Smiths, but the Keymaker is killed shortly after by the Smiths when trying to close the door to the Source. Neo enters a door and meets a program called the Architect, the Matrix's creator.
The Architect explains that Neo is part of the design of the sixth iteration of Matrix, designed to stop the fatal system crash that naturally occurs due to the concept of human choice. As with the five previous Ones, Neo now has a choice to either return to the Source with his unique code to reboot the Matrix and pick survivors to repopulate the soon-to-be-destroyed Zion, or cause the Matrix to crash and kill everyone connected to it. Combined with Zion's utter destruction, this would mean mankind's extinction. Neo learns of Trinity's situation and chooses to save her instead. As she falls off a building, he flies in and catches her, then removes a bullet from her body and restarts her heart. Back in the real world, Sentinels destroy the Nebuchadnezzar. Neo displays a new ability to disable the machines with his thoughts, but falls into a coma from the effort. The crew are picked up by another ship, the Hammer. Its captain, Roland, reveals the remaining ships were wiped out by the machines after someone activated an EMP too early, and Bane is revealed as the only survivor.
Zee was originally played by Aaliyah, who died in a plane crash on August 25, 2001 before filming was complete, requiring her scenes to be reshot with actress Nona Gaye.[7][8]
The Matrix Reloaded was largely filmed at Fox Studios in Australia, concurrently with filming of the sequel, Revolutions. The freeway chase and "Burly Brawl" scenes were filmed at the decommissioned Naval Air Station Alameda in Alameda, California. The producers constructed a 1.5-mile freeway on the old runways specifically for the film. Some portions of the chase were also filmed in Oakland, California, and the tunnel shown briefly is the Webster Tube, which connects Oakland and Alameda. Some post-production editing was also done in old aircraft hangars on the base as well.
The city of Akron, Ohio was willing to give full access to Route 59, the stretch of freeway known as the "Innerbelt", for filming of the freeway chase when it was under consideration. However, producers decided against this as "the time to reset all the cars in their start position would take too long".[9] MythBusters would later reuse the Alameda location in order to explore the effects of a head-on collision between two semi trucks, and to perform various other experiments.
Around 97% of the materials from the sets of the film were recycled after production was completed; for example, tons of wood were sent to Mexico to build low-income housing.[10]
Some scenes from the film Baraka by Ron Fricke were selected to represent the real world shown by the wallmonitors in the Architect's room.[11] The scene where The Oracle (Gloria Foster) appears were filmed before her death on September 29, 2001.
Visual effects[edit]
Following the success of the previous film, the Wachowskis came up with extremely difficult action sequences, such as the Burly Brawl, a scene in which Neo had to fight 100 Smiths. To develop technologies for the film, Warner Bros. launched ESC Entertainment.[12]
The ESC team tried to figure out how to bring the Wachowskis' vision to the screen, but because the bullet time required arrays of carefully aligned cameras and months of planning, even for a brief scene featuring two or three actors, a scene like the Burly Brawl as the brothers envision would require more so, and even take years of compositing. Eventually John Gaeta realized that the technology he and his crew had developed for The Matrix 's bullet time was no longer sufficient and concluded they needed a virtual camera (in other words, a simulation of a camera). Having before used real photographs of building as texture for 3D models in The Matrix, the team started digitizing all data, such as scenes, characters' motions, or even the reflectivity of Neo's cassock. The reflectvity of objects needs to be captured and simulated adequately and Paul Debevec et al. captured the reflectance of the human face and Borshukov's work was strongly based on the findings of Debevec et al..
They developed "Universal Capture", a process which samples and stores facial details and expressions at high resolution, then capture expressions from Reeves and Weaving using dense aka. markerless capture and multi-camera setup (similar to the bullet time rig) photogrammetric capture technique called optical flow.[13]
The algorithm for Universal Capture was written by George Borshukov, visual effects lead at ESC, who had also created the photo-realistic buildings for the visual effects in The Matrix. With this collected wealth of data and the right algorithms, they finally were able to create virtual cinematography in which characters, locations, and events can all be created digitally and viewed through virtual cameras, eliminating the restrictions of real cameras, years of compositing data, and replacing the use of still camera arrays or, in some scenes, cameras altogether. The ESC team render the final effects using the program mental ray.[12]
Leitmotifs established in The Matrix return - such as the Matrix main theme, Neo and Trinity's love theme, the Sentinel's theme, Neo's flying theme, and a more frequent use of the four-note Agent Smith theme - and others used in Revolutions are established.
As with its predecessor, many tracks by external musicians are featured in the movie, its closing credits, and the soundtrack album, some of which were written for the film. Many of the musicians featured, for example Rob Zombie, Rage Against the Machine and Marilyn Manson, had also appeared on the soundtrack for The Matrix. Rob Dougan also re-contributed, licensing the instrumental version of "Furious Angels", as well as being commissioned to provide an original track, ultimately scoring the battle in the Merovingian's chateau. A remixed version of "Slap It" by electronic artist Fluke - listed on the soundtrack as "Zion" - was used during the rave scene.
Linkin Park contributed their instrumental song "Session" to the film as well, although it did not appear during the course of the film. P.O.D. composed a song called "Sleeping Awake", with a music video which focused heavily on Neo, as well as many images that were part of the film. Both songs played during the film's credits.
Box office[edit]
The film earned an estimated $5 million during Wednesday night previews in North America. Reloaded grossed $37.5 million on its Thursday opening day in North America from 3,603 theaters, which was the second highest opening day after Spider-Man 's $39.4 million and highest for a Thursday. The film earned $91.7 million in its first weekend,[14] and ultimately grossed $281.5 million in the US, and $742.1 million worldwide.[4]
Critical response[edit]
Reloaded had mostly positive critical reception, with a Rotten Tomatoes approval rating of 73%.[15] The film's average critic score on Metacritic is 62/100.[16] However, Entertainment Weekly named it as one of "The 25 Worst Sequels Ever Made".[17]
Some positive comments from critics included commendation for the quality and intensity of its action sequences,[18] and its intelligence.[19] Tony Toscano of Talking Pictures had high praise for the film, saying that "its character development and so crisp it crackles on the screen" and that "Matrix Reloaded re-establishes the genre and even raises the bar a notch or two" above the first film, The Matrix.[20]
On the other hand, negative comments included the sentiment that the plot was alienating,[21][22] with some critics regarding the focus on the action as a detriment to the film's human elements.[23][24] Some critics thought that the number of scenes with expository dialog worked against the film,[25] and the many unresolved subplots, as well as the cliffhanger ending, were also criticized.[26]
The film was initially banned in Egypt because of the violent content and because it put into question issues about human creation "linked to the three monotheistic religions that we respect and which we believe in."[27]
See also[edit]
1. ^ "Film Distribution". Village Roadshow Pictures. Retrieved February 11, 2014.
2. ^ "THE MATRIX RELOADED". British Board of Film Classification. Retrieved September 15, 2013.
3. ^ "The Matrix Reloaded (2003)". British Film Institute. Retrieved December 16, 2014.
4. ^ a b c "The Matrix Reloaded (2003)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved February 5, 2009.
5. ^ "The Matrix Reloaded - Box Office Data, DVD and Blu-ray Sales, Movie News, Cast and Crew Information". The Numbers. Retrieved December 16, 2014.
6. ^ "Festival de Cannes: The Matrix Reloaded". Retrieved 2009-11-10.
7. ^ "Aaliyah". The Independent (London). August 27, 2001. Archived from the original on 2010-06-06.
8. ^ August 27, 2001 (2001-08-27). "Aaliyah: A 'beautiful person's' life cut short". Retrieved 2012-07-11. [dead link]
9. ^ Job, Ann. "Chasing the Stars: Carmakers in Movies". Retrieved 2005-01-30.
10. ^ "Hollywood smog an inconvenient truth". Associated Press ( November 14, 2006. Archived from the original on December 15, 2006.
11. ^ "Movie connections for The Matrix Reloaded (2003)". Internet Movie Database ( February 16, 2010.
12. ^ a b Silberman, Steve. "Matrix2". Wired. Retrieved December 25, 2012.
13. ^ Debevec, Paul; J. P. Lewis (2005). "Realistic human face rendering for "The Matrix Reloaded"". ACM. doi:10.1145/1198555.1198593. Retrieved 2013-08-10.
14. ^ Weekend Box Office Results for May 16-18, 2003 - Box Office Mojo
15. ^ "The Matrix Reloaded Movie Reviews, Pictures". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 2012-07-11.
16. ^ "The Matrix Reloaded: Reviews". Metacritic. 2003-05-15. Retrieved 2012-07-11.
17. ^ "The 25 Worst Sequels Ever Made –". Entertainment Weekly.
18. ^ McCarthy, Todd (May 7, 2003). "The Matrix Reloaded". Variety. Retrieved 2007-07-12.
19. ^ William Arnold (May 14, 2003). "'Matrix' fans can't afford to miss 'Reloaded'". Retrieved 2007-07-12.
20. ^ Tony Toscano (May 20, 2003). "The Matrix Reloaded (2003) movie review". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on 2009-02-20. Retrieved 2007-07-12.
21. ^ Richard Schickel (May 11, 2003). "The Matrix Reboots". TIME. Retrieved 2007-07-12.
22. ^ Rene Rodriguez (May 14, 2003). "Sequelitis infects 'Matrix Reloaded' with talk - lots of it". Archived from the original on 2003-08-12. Retrieved 2007-07-12.
23. ^ David Sterritt (May 16, 2003). "Ready for a Neo world order?". Retrieved 2007-07-12.
24. ^ Nathan Rabin (May 13, 2003). "The Matrix Reloaded review". A.V. Club. Retrieved 2007-07-12.
25. ^ "The Austin Chronicle". The Austin Chronicle. 2012-07-06. Retrieved 2012-07-11.
26. ^ Mark Caro (June 11, 2003). "Movie review: 'The Matrix Reloaded'". Archived from the original on 2007-12-30. Retrieved 2007-07-12.
27. ^ "Egypt bans 'too religious' Matrix". BBC News. June 11, 2003. Retrieved 2007-07-12.
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Metroid (2002 manga)
3,530pages on
this wiki
This article is written
from the Real Life
point of view
Metroid is the name of a short manga series that takes place from Samus's childhood up to the story of Metroid: Zero Mission (which was released after the manga). The manga elaborates on Samus's past before she became a bounty hunter and describes a few events in Metroid: Zero Mission. The series was first printed in Magazine Z and later adapted into Metroid: Volume 1 (7 chapters), Metroid: Volume 2 (9 chapters), and an E-Manga remake of the first two chapters with color, sound, and animation. The story re-introduces many characters from Super Metroid (Nintendo Power comic), and expands on elements leading to the (currently) last game in the canon, Metroid Fusion. While only in Japanese, the Metroid Database has made an unnoficial fan translation of it.
While the content of the manga would be acceptable on its own, there are several inconsistencies between it and the main story of the Metroid games which hurts its standing as a canon source, such as Samus' relation with Adam, as in the games Samus is under his command for several missions while in the manga, she is only under him for a few minutes. At the end of the manga, Samus seemingly triumphs over her posttraumatic stress disorder and fear of Ridley, which is often believed to contradict the events of Metroid: Other M, where she is seen to be still afraid of him. However, it should be noted that Samus' strong reaction to encountering Ridley in Other M is taken to be a result of seeing her old foe alive again after a seemingly long time of believing him to be truly dead, a shock strong enough to trigger her PTSD.
There are also several scenes which take place in the manga that never happen in Metroid: Zero Mission and vice versa; an example is the manga portraying the Federation launching its assault on Zebes during Samus' mission, whereas the games state that the organization attacked Zebes multiple times prior to sending the lone bounty hunter. One of the more obvious differences would be Ridley never speaking in-game, but doing so in all of his manga appearances. In the Manga, Bombs and Missiles were uploaded to the Power Suit by Commander Adam Malkovich instead of being found on planet Zebes.
Another notable contradiction is Other M stating that Zebesian Pirates being incapable of working intelligently as a sentient species unless led by Mother Brain despite the manga featuring them actively and strategically attacking Galactic Federation-controlled planets long before they met the Chozo's central computer (However, it should be noted that this also contradicted other games that depicted the Space Pirates being quite capable of working intelligently as a sentient species even after Mother Brain and Ridley's destructions, such as the Prime games and even Zero Mission). It could be possible that there were actually a few Space Pirates that are actually smart enough to strategize on their own (such as the High Command in the Prime series) that lead the Space Pirates in the Manga as well.
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The Register® — Biting the hand that feeds IT
Halo's forerunner
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Disaster recovery protection level self-assessment
Antique Code Show Back in the early- to mid-1990s, the Mac wasn't considered much cop as a games platform. Sure, it had a sexier GUI than Windows boxes, but they could drop out into DOS and dedicate their CPUs' few tens of megahertz to games. Not so the Mac.
But that didn't stop coders from trying to make the most out the Mac. Early groundbreakers like Spectre and the original Prince of Persia showed the Mac could be a good games machine. But it was Bungie Software, the company that would go on to achieve world fame for the Halo series, to put Mac gaming on the map with the platform's first fast first-person shooter, the sci-fi epic, Marathon.
Marathon: the original UI
Marathon 1: too few CPU cycles for a bigger screen, unless you were willing to play HUD-less
Just as iD's Doom evolved out of the more basic Wolfenstein, Marathon built on Bungie's slower, more adventure-like FPS Pathways into Darkness. Running on the Motorola 680x0, Pathways could never deliver a Doom-like experience, but with the arrival of the PowerPC chip, Marathon could and did.
And it contained some impressive tech. iD's pioneering shooter didn't let you look up or down, but Heretic, a sword-and-sorcery shooter based on the Doom engine did. But it looked wrong.
Marathon 2's superior UI
Marathon 2:Durandal looked rather better
Marathon got the angles right by implementing perspective correction, though it took the game's sequel, Marathon 2: Durandal to fill the screen sufficiently to make this feature stand out. But the realistic physics model could be appreciated in the original, especially in the low-gravity environment of alien starships.
Marathon's sequels got realistic, literally immersive liquids at a time when the best rival titles could offer is a splash sound effect. Water, lava and slime rose and fell rhythmically, controlled by the same sine wave generator that powered the Marathon's dynamic, per-surface lighting.
The Marathon 2 engine added oscillating liquids
The trouble was, the Mac OS imposed a performance penalty that didn't hinder DOS-running PCs. That's why Marathon debuted with more HUD than viewscreen, leaving the player peering into a window. You could play full-screen, but it was slow and you were left HUD-less. Fortunately, Marathon 2, with an engine tuned specifically for the then-new PowerPC processors, was able to open this out into a full-screen vista the following year.
Still, even peering into a 320 x 240 window within the bigger HUD meant that objects didn't blur into a pixellated mess the way they often did in Doom, and while Marathon's gameplay was nominally of the same 'open door, kill monsters, find key, open next door' element, Bungie spruced it up with a proper storyline that evolved as you played the game.
Marathon: the Pfhor
Pfhor what we are about to receive...
Don't get me wrong: the events weren't shaped by your actions. The story didn't veer off in a different direction because you took too long to complete a certain level. But in an era when a typical game's storyline amounted to a couple of lines on the back of the box or the manual, Marathon was a tale that became more convoluted - and not the one you through it was at the start - as you played.
Marathon's mechanism for conveying events beyond the player's immediate vicinity were the ship's computer terminals. Tapping into the half-dozen or so in each level revealed not only mission details, but engendered a real sense that you were not necessarily at the centre of the action.
Marathon terminal: Durandal spills the beans
Terminal 2
Terminal madness: Durandal's bid for freedom revealed
The rape of the colony ship was taking place at many, many locations. Worse, it was being orchestrated by one of the vessel's own on-board AIs.
Poor Durandal. With an IQ in advance of any organic entity on the ship, he was left… operating the ship's doors and airlocks. No wonder he rebelled.
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johnkmccubbin91's Age of Ultron #1 - Book One review
The Age of Ultron Has Finally Arrived
I have been looking forward to this story for ages. Ever since it was teased in Avengers #12.1 I have been really looking forward to this story, as I'm a huge fan of Bryan Hitch's art, and I love Ultron as a character. I was however disappointed to notice low ratings on this issue, and was dreading how bad it might be. I still however hope the series good overall.
In an apocalyptic future Ultron rules, and the remaining heroes live underground. Hawkeye goes on a mission to rescue Spider-Man, and runs into Owl , and Hammerhead.
I have to say this issue was nowhere near as good as I'd originally hoped for, but not as bad as I dreaded after seeing other review ratings. Brian Michael Bendis has had an all be it inconsistent run on Avengers since Avengers Disassembled. Overall I have liked his work on Avengers, especially the original series of The New Avengers, and Dark Avengers, but his two series after Siege (Avengers, and New Avengers) were very poor overall. His work on this issue was nothing short of a bit lazy, with Bryan Hitch's art doing most of the work in the story. There's also not been any explanation as to why these events have come to pass, but I'm sure we'll get that later on in the series. It is however nice that Bendis is finishing his run on Avengers the way he started it with a story that involves Ultron.
Byan Hitch's art was fabulous, and the thing that really made this issue as good as it was (which wasn't that good). I've always liked Hitch's art ever since I saw it in The Ultimates, and was very happy when I heard that he'd be working on this series. After hearing how long it took him to actually draw The Ultimates, and after seeing his art in this issue, I can see why it's taken so long to finish, as his art in this is much better than his art in The Ultiamtes. His art is simply amazing, and the detail is phenomenal. I would dread to think how this issue would have been without his artwork, as to be honest it's what's made it as good as it is. The final thing I'll talk about in the art is the cover. I'd already seen the cover before, and think the image is brilliant, showing Ultron standing over the heavy hitting superhumans, with two of the biggest getting taken out easily. What makes the cover even better is that Marvel actually made an effort to make it a bit special. The cover is shinny, with the logo, and Ultron embossed (sticking out), which makes it a lot nicer.
This wasn't a brilliant issue story wise, like I already said, but it wasn't a terrible way to start a new story. I did however expect a lot more from this issue, and was still disappointed. I did like that it didn't start with Ultron in your face, and lead you into the story gradually. I say this as it's always confusing when you're put in the middle of a story, with no prior knowledge, and ton's of action going on, so it was nice that this wasn't like that. On the other hand there still wasn't enough action in this issue, considering there wasn't any explanation towards the back story either.
Hawkeye as the center of attention. Unlike other people who find this unnecessary, I actually liked this in this issue. Fair enough it did take up most of the issue, and I would have preferred a bit more explanation as to what's actually happened, but if the story's going to start of slow, it did it in a good way. I liked that it showed Hawkeye as a man that's willing to actually go out there, and do what needs to be done. We've seen Clint take a back seat in the past, and not care about others, but in the last few years it's shown him to be a more caring character. Another thing I liked about this was that Clint knows that there is a high probability that he's going to die, but he'd rather do it for something worthy, than hide in a whole whilst his friends get torturer.
That takes me onto my next point, Earth's remaining heroes living underground. I understand that if a AI unit like Ultron managed to take over the world in this fashion that it'd be the smart move to stay underground, but surely they'd be heroic and try and save people. The thing that shocked me the most was that Captain America was with them, not helping people. This confused me, as Cap is a character that doesn't back down from a fight. I'm sure that we'll get an explanation for this over the next few issues, and I'll be upset if we don't.
The involvement of Owl, and Hammer Head in this issue was a little unnecessary. I understand why they were added, but it still was unnecessary, and took up too much space in the comic. Anyway I'll explain why they were in the comic, or at least why I think they were. They were in this comic to show that Ultron wasn't the complete killer that he's appeared to be in the past, and that if you obey him, he'll let you live (the whole submit or perish slogan to the series). Although I liked that it showed this straight from the start, I still would have preferred more time to explain other things.
The lack of Ultron. Although I said earlier in my review that I was happy that the issue didn't start with Ultron in your face, I still would have liked to have seen more of him in this issue, than we seen. He's in it very little, and to be honest his limited appearance appeared to be simply to show that he was in control, and how everyone reacted to him. From the advert for the next issue at the back of the comic, I expect that we'll see more of Ultron(s) next issue.
Overall this wasn't as bad an issue as it could have been, but if the series continues at this level it will be a huge disappointment, but I doubt it will.
Final Verdict
This was a disappointing issue, and I expected better things from this issue. I do however still have a lot of hope in this series, and think that the series as a whole will be brilliant, and that this issue will be nothing more than a blip (although I thought that about Avengers vs. X-Men also). I would barely recommend this issue, but would advise patient people to wait and see if it gets better.
Rating: 3/5
Posted by TheAcidSkull
3 starts is too generous :P
Posted by johnkmccubbin91
@TheAcidSkull: The art alone deserves that. Plus it wasn't too bad, just not good. I'd give the art 5 stars, and the story 1 star making an average of 3 stars. I disparately hope the series gets better though.
Posted by TheCannon
This basically sums up my thoughts entirely of the book. Bendis is a great writer, so I hope it gets better.
Other reviews for Age of Ultron #1 - Book One
Why Marvel? 0
SPOILERS!i don't know where to start with this, i honestly don't. I've been really enjoying some of the other titles from marvel now, but then this came along, i just.....dear god.there is absolutely nothing good about this title, but before i get to the bad, i want to say the ONLY thing that is good here, which isn't much. Bryan Hitch's art is , as always, great. I really like the way he draws in these types of scenarios. His Art is gritty, which fits the setting, he isn't my favorite, but he i...
10 out of 15 found this review helpful.
Hawkeye and Spider-man in age of Ultron event Starts next issue 0
This well I could not wait for this event seriously could not wait for it when it was announced I immediately made room to buy it all as it looked suitably epic so you know how I felt when it got a lot of negative reviews (disappointed)PlotUltron has taken over the world and has destroyed most of it. Hawkeye breaks into a building to save Spider-man but meets resistance when he discovers it is run by Owl and Hammerhead.ReviewThis does not feel like the actual event it feels more like a prelude t...
8 out of 10 found this review helpful.
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Sai tok
107,830pages on
this wiki
Master Qui-Gon, more to say, have you?
"Sai tok roughly translates as "to cut body in half.""
Cin Drallig[src]
Sai Tok GH by Drew Baker
A Dark Jedi defeats a battle droid using sai tok
In lightsaber combat, a sai tok, frowned upon by the Jedi because of its Sith-like nature, was the act of cutting an opponent in half, usually separating his or her legs from the torso at the waist. Sometimes, sai tok could vertically bisect an opponent too.
It was one of the lightsaber techniques known as The Marks of Contact.[1]
Notable usesEdit
"…Luke, you could have killed her. Cut her in two…"
Mara Jade to Luke Skywalker[src]
Nomi Sunrider performs sai tok on Quanto, slicing him from shoulder to hip.
Before even beginning any formal Jedi training, Nomi Sunrider took up her newly-deceased husband's lightsaber, and literally "halved" the space pirate Quanto, as described by his companion Gudb. Sunrider's use of sai tok was unique in that she cleaved Quanto lengthwise rather than through the waist.[2]
A Jedi used the strike on Myles during the Battle of Galidraan.
The Dathomirian Zabrak Sith Lord Darth Maul performed this maneuver when defeating Mighella, Nightsister and bodyguard of Black Sun lord Alexi Garyn.[3]
Ahsoka Tano performed sai tok on three IG-100 MagnaGuards during her journey to Jabba's Palace. She bisected the MagnaGuard with a cloak on vertically and the others horizontally.[4]
Jedi Master Quinlan Vos also killed both the dark side Master Volfe Karkko,[5] and the Dark Jedi Kadrian Sey in this manner.[6]
Klatoonian Barada received a sai tok strike, from Luke Skywalker in a battle over the sarlacc on Tatooine.
Rapacious Malice
A Twi'lek darksider destroys a pillar along with her victim using sai tok
During their final duel on board the Death Star, Obi-Wan Kenobi would have received a sai tok from Darth Vader had Kenobi's body not disappeared into the Force upon his death.[7]
Vader also used the technique to kill several members of a hyenax pack on the planet of Vaal, including the pack's leader.
In 10 ABY, Dark Jedi Vill Goir died from a sai tok strike, severed from left shoulder to right torso, delivered by Jedi Kam Solusar during their duel on the planet Ossus.[8]
A year later, while confronting Dark Jedi Krdys Mordi on New Alderaan in defense of Master Luke Skywalker, Jem Ysanna killed Mordi through use of sai tok.[9]
During that same battle, Princess Leia Organa Solo also performed a sai tok maneuver against Executor Tedryn-Sha, slicing him from his left shoulder down to his right waist.[9]
During the Duel in the Dathomir landing meadow, Ben Skywalker killed a Sith Saber by performing sai tok.
An unidentified Aqualish Sith received a sai tok strike from Master Wolf Sazen in 137 ABY.
The same year, Vul Isen was sliced in half by Cade Skywalker while trying to poison Utapau's water supply.
Survival casesEdit
Obi-Wan Kenobi to Darth Maul[src]
Darth Maul is defeated through Obi-Wan Kenobi's use of sai tok.
In rare instances, it is possible however for the recipient of sai tok to survive, either by use of the Force or some other means.
One such case is that in an impressive display of lightsaber technique, Jedi Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi used sai tok to defeat Darth Maul during the Second Battle of Theed.[1][10] Maul, however, survived, his spirit kept intact by his intense feelings of hatred fueling the dark side of the Force, and escaped to Lotho Minor, replacing his severed lower body with a 6-legged cybernetic apparatus via the Force.[11] This shabby replacement was replaced years later by Mother Talzin on Dathomir with two legs similar to that of General Grievous.[12] Shortly after, they were replaced by Death Watch Leader Pre Vizsla.[13]
Another example would be the Dark Jedi Maw, who received a sai tok from Jedi Master Qu Rahn. Maw managed to survive this usually fatal attack by drawing on his anger through the dark side of the Force. His new disfigurement consequently made him a prime candidate for a completely unique form of lightsaber combat: Trispzest.
One other classic example would be General Grievous when his cybernetic apparatus was severed by Kit Fisto. The general managed to survive and escaped the Jedi. Soon after EV-A4-D replaced his legs.
Notes & ReferencesEdit
Lightsaber-resistant materials:
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Comment: Re:Wouldn't Java be a counterexample? (Score 5, Interesting) 394
by TopSpin (#45135699) Attached to: Oracle Attacks Open Source; Says Community-Developed Code Is Inferior
wouldn't Java be a example of the contrary to this?
Yes, but not the best one. The best would be Oracle's database. Despite the fact that Oracle Database Server is not the result of a 'community-based development model,' the product has a long, ugly history of vulnerabilities. For some reason it fails to be composed of 'low-defect code,' despite apparently having all the best financial incentives. The list of vulnerabilities is long and grows regularly.
The only reason Oracle Database Server has never been the victim of a SQL Slammer type exploit is that it is so expensive that most instances exist only well behind corporate and government firewalls that, if not well maintained, at least exist. Many SQL Server admins apparently don't believe in firewalls.
However, [Solaris] is more of Sun's creation than Oracle's.
Likewise with Java.
Comment: Re:the most basic data structures (Score 1) 598
by TopSpin (#45074849) Attached to: What Are the Genuinely Useful Ideas In Programming?
Point of order: 32-bit ARM code doesn't even have stack instructions
ARM's generalization of the classic PUSH and POP instructions has always been admirable (at least until they made THUMB which sadly does have these foul instructions,) but the real world uses STMDB (store multiple decrement before) and LDMIA (load multiple increment after) to implement stacks, which is exactly why these instructions exist. 32-bit ARM provides a stack pointer (R13 a.k.a SP as per ARM) and a return address (R14) register. This not merely software convention either; these registers are banked to allow distinct values for these specific registers across processor modes to accommodate the classic call stack in the face of exceptions.
32 bit ARM is every bit as "stack oriented" as anything that has explicit PUSH and POP instructions. There is no pretending otherwise.
Modern ISAs provide large numbers of registers specifically to avoid stack usage
Modern ISAs? Providing a large register file to avoid memory accesses goes back to Berkeley RISC-I (the inspiration for ARM, incidentally) at least. However, what you have then when executing real programs is merely a very limited stack inside the register file. From RISC I: A REDUCED INSTRUCTION SET VLSI COMPUTER:
Our approach is to break the set of window registers (r10 to r31) into three parts (Figure 7). Registers 26 through 31 (HIGH) contain parameters passed from “above” the current procedure; that is, the calling procedure. Registers 16 through 25 (LOCAL) are used for the local scalar storage exactly as described previously. Registers 10 through 15 (LOW) are used for local storage and for parameters passed to the procedure “below” the current procedure (the called procedure). On each procedure CALL a new set of registers, r10 to r31, is allocated; however, we want the LOW registers of the “caller” to become the HIGH registers of the “callee.” This is accomplished by having the hardware overlap the LOW registers of the calling frame with the HIGH registers of the called fmme: thus. without moving information, parameters in mgisters 10 through 15 appear in registers 25 through 31 in the called frame.
What we have here is a hardware accelerated stack based on a large banked register file. An optimization.
Stacks are a software things
If that's true it aligns pretty nicely with Genuinely Useful Ideas In Programming then, no?
And you go too far down that road, suddenly you're teaching FORTH.
Or the JVM instruction set, for something a tiny bit more relevant.
Comment: the most basic data structures (Score 4, Insightful) 598
by TopSpin (#45066539) Attached to: What Are the Genuinely Useful Ideas In Programming?
the heap, the hash table, and trees
There is nothing basic about these. Each is the subject of on-going research and implementations range from simplistic and poor to fabulously sophisticated.
An important basic data structure? Try a stack.
Yes, a stack. What majority of supposed graduates of whatever programming related education you care to cite are basically ignorant of the importance and qualities of a stack? Some of the simplest processors implement exactly one data structure; a stack, from which all other abstractions must be derived. A stack is what you resort to when you can't piss away cycles and space on ....better.... data structures. Yet that feature prevades essentially all ISAs from the 4004 to every one of our contemporary billion transistor CPUs.
Comment: Re:Scientific "break even", or practical "break ev (Score 2, Interesting) 429
by TopSpin (#45066403) Attached to: Fusion Reactor Breaks Even
I think this is a decent milestone. While the reactor design itself is unlikely to ever break even, hopefully they're at least learning enough about efficiently triggering a fusion reaction that they can apply it to more productive designs
This achievement opens the door for future designs. Inertial confinement works; it needs improvement, but we're no longer debating whether it's possible to maintain symmetry or any of the other many doubts the detractors dwelled on.
The haters of NIF — and there are many — won't permit followup; they'll have it shut no matter what. For them, the whole idea of seeking energy sources that don't demand energy poverty is inherently illegitimate, and they run the show now. But the work and the results won't die at LLNL; there are other people and other nations that haven't decided to turn themselves into a windmill powered nature preserve.
So we'll have to let them take the ball and run with it. At least it will continue, now perhaps with far more enthusiasm.
Comment: Re:Advatages of ZFS over BTRFS? (Score 0) 297
by TopSpin (#44880635) Attached to: OpenZFS Project Launches, Uniting ZFS Developers
and it'll be as good / better than ZFS soon
No. Sorry.
There hasn't been a commit to the official BTRFS tree in over two months. There have only been five distinct contributors during the entire third quarter. The second quarter saw only 70 commits.
That pace is way too slow for a file system with so many 'to be implemented' features. While not dead, at this rate BTRFS will never surpass ZFS in any notable way.
I'm sincerely sorry about that. Linux contributors just aren't getting it done wrt BTRFS, and that's a crying shame; other operating systems should look on in envy at marvelous Linux file systems.
And yes, I should be in there plugging away at it. So should you. But we're not.
That's not Oracle's fault, either. People just don't care enough to put in the effort. We're just here griping about Oracle and the ZFS license issue and poasting about BTRFS being the answer, waiting for someone to do all that brutally hard work.
We're deluding ourselves.
Comment: Re:Off the pig! Time to get rid of OSs on VMs. (Score 1) 335
by TopSpin (#44879481) Attached to: New Operating System Seeks To Replace Linux In the Cloud
The entire Linux kernel, virtual filesystem, daemons, user commands, etc, are just along for the ride.
A JVM relies heavily on a kernel for scheduling, storage (journalling, RAID, LVM, etc.,) network stack (IP stack, filtering, bridging, etc.) and virtual memory management, at least. All of those capabilities must exist; they weren't created because someone was naive. Either they land in some library used by the guest JVM or they land in the hypervisor.
This isn't to say the now 40 year old IBM LPAR model is wrong. It clearly works, and VMWare is independently evolving into the same thing. But there are some exaggerated claims of simplicity being offered here.
The fact is recent x86 CPUs and chipsets have gained powerful virtualization capabilities, including hardware accelerated IO, MMU and interrupt virtualization. This stuff only began to appear in x86 hardware in late 2005 with important new capabilities such as VMCS Shadowing appearing as recently as Haswell (circa June, this year.)
It isn't surprising that people are creating hypervisors to leverage this power. When hardware manufacturers give you a powerful virtualization platform the question is do you use a legacy OS retrofitted to utilize it[1] or adopt something supposedly better by virtue of being built with hardware virtualization as a given.
Stay tuned.
[1] FreeBSD 10 offers the bhyve type 2 hypervisor the relies on VT-x + EPT. It can virtualize x86, like VMWare could do in the late 90's, but FreeBSD hasn't had to synthesize a virtual sandbox from scratch because the hardware provides the hard parts, and the end result is superior.
Comment: Re:Movies used to be about the art, the story. (Score 5, Interesting) 1029
I came up with the exact same summation; too much Indiana Jones. Some parts were great. Bilbo and Gollum under the mountain were truly excellent; it really did the book justice. The trolls weren't bad. The dwarf backstory was ok, going far beyond the book and doing it well.
But damn... Radagast the rabbit sledding superhero? The interminable goblin chase sequence....? wow. The whole mountain giant sequence was an exercise in excessive CGI combined with some unexplainable contempt for continuity. At some point during production someone had to think "wtf is this?"
There are two more. It is conceivable they didn't promulgate these mistakes to the remainder, but given that they've undertaken to stretch this relatively simple story over, what, 7.5 to 8 hours of movie... we could be in for a lot more fail.
Comment: Re:Netbeans! (Score 3, Interesting) 543
by TopSpin (#44299823) Attached to: Visual Studio vs. Eclipse: a Programmer's Comparison
I concur with this. NetBeans is not attempting to be a generic GUI application platform; it is a mere IDE so it weighs a lot less than Eclipse. I moved to NetBeans because Maven integration with Eclipse is still half baked after all these years; with NetBeans you just open the Maven project and things work correctly. I stayed with Netbeans because it performs better and just has fewer hairs. Eclipse not spamming .project and .classpath all over the place is just fabulous as well.
It is Oracle, however. One day it might cost $6000 per "seat."
Comment: Re:Bullshit (Score 2) 139
by TopSpin (#44254809) Attached to: First Exoplanet To Be Seen In Color Is Blue
It seems improbable that a gas giant would
Does it seem improbable to you? Life on Earth evolved in a fluid.
Even if genesis is not possible in a gas giant atmosphere, large planets tend to have lots of moons and, therefore, lots of opportunities for primitive life to emerge. Extremophiles from such a moon could survive a short trip through space to a gas giant's atmosphere. Some small fraction of those would thrive and evolve in the new environment.
I suspect gas giant atmospheres may actually be very fertile. Life is good at producing simple sphere shapes needed for buoyancy. There are probably gas giants with billions of tons of biomass drifting around.
Comment: Re:Rust (Score 1) 407
by TopSpin (#44254257) Attached to: Why JavaScript On Mobile Is Slow
* memory management is explicit [merriam-webster.com] -- what does this mean?
Quantifying the Performance of Garbage Collection vs. Explicit Memory Management
Automatic vs. Explicit Memory Management: Settling the debate
* deterministic [merriam-webster.com] -- what does this mean?
I thought it was self evident. Here is a discussion of the matter.
* endemic [merriam-webster.com] use of a garbage collector... -- what does this mean?
Pervasive would be a better word. Languages that make garbage collected allocations for most or all things. For example in Java, aside from primitives, all allocations conceptually occur on the a garbage collected heap.
reference-counted heap objects
Reference counting: counting the number of references to an object.
Heap: an arena of memory maintained by a memory allocator. Also CPUs typically have no knowledge of how software manages heaps. You may be thinking of virtual memory
Objects: object in the generic sense of some amount of memory managed on a heap. These lecture notes show the same usage. The editors of this page also use the word 'object' in exactly the same manner when discussing pointers. It's not that hard to follow.
Putting it together we have objects on a heap for which reference counts are maintained; reference-counted heap objects.
"exchange" heap -- what does this mean?
* "local" heap -- what does this mean?
The link I provide to Patrick Walton's blog would get you there. Also, there is documentation, Sorry if discussing a new programming language involves terms you haven't heard. Computing can be like that sometimes.
(note: there is only one "heap" on most CPU architectures, so now we have added abstraction)
Now you are definitely confusing heaps and virtual memory. There are usually many, possibly thousands of heaps on a system at any given time with many distinct implementations of which the CPU is entirely ignorant. Memory allocators and virtual memory are different things.
* via an "owned" pointer -- what does this mean?
Similar to a C++ auto_ptr or unique_ptr. Again, the link I provided would get you there.
* wild pointers -- what does this mean?
Dangling pointer and wild pointer are synonomous.
Use of the exchange heap is exceptional and explicit yet immediately available when necessary -- what does this mean?
I provided a link directly to a discussion of this.
Memory "management" is reduced to efficient stack pointer manipulation -- uhh, what? the language sits around modifying content at %esp and %ebp along with some offsets? sounds far from efficient)
Incrementing a decrementing stack pointer registers is very efficient. Offsets are computed at compile time and the instructions typically require one CPU cycle and no memory access, given a naive model of a CPU. These techniques are a ancient and ubiquitous. Sorry you weren't familiar with them.
or simple, deterministic destruction -- what does this mean?
Others seem to have no difficulty with these terms. In particular, they are not compelled to link merriam-webster at each use, for some reason.
(note: 2nd use of word "deterministic")
Reusing words is an important feature of language.
Compile time checks preclude bad pointers and simple leaks so common with traditional systems languages -- what does this mean and how does this work, considering that the value stored at a pointer (or what it points to) can be manipulated at run-time, so how would the language "deterministically know" (see what I did there?) what's "bad" vs. "good"?
"bad", "wild" or "dangling" pointers are memory safely faults or violations. It is an feature inherent to Rust that they can't exist. Feel free to learn about it.
* ... that is productive, concise
Holy shit! An opinion on Slashdot? Say it isn't so.
Comment: Re:Article itself is a waste of memory (Score 4, Insightful) 407
by TopSpin (#44247149) Attached to: Why JavaScript On Mobile Is Slow
The market decided long ago that fewer programmer hours was better than users waiting a few seconds everyday for their device to GC.
No, actually, that's not what happened. As the summary and the story itself (both of which went unread apparently,) point out, one of the most successful systems to emerge in the market recently, iOS, is not a GC environment.
Over here you may learn about iOS memory management. Without getting too far into that wall of text one discovers the following:
If you plan on writing code for iOS, you must use explicit memory management (the subject of this guide).
Ok, so your claim that GC is the only viable solution for contemporary application development is demonstrably false. Lets look some other assertions:
programmers are inherently bad at memory management. Memory will leak [if programmers must manage it].
First, the vast number of iOS applications not leaking shows that a non-GC system doesn't necessary have to leak. At least not badly enough to compromise the viability of the platform, which is the only meaningful criteria I can think of when it comes to the market.
Second, why assume programmers are inherently bad at a thing when that thing has traditionally been exposed via terrible, error prone, demonstrably awful mechanisms? It seems to me that among widely used tools we leaped from 'systems' languages with truly heinous MM primitives (C/C++) directly into pervasive GC systems. Aside from Objective C+ARC there just aren't enough good non-GC systems to make broad generalizations. Thus, you may be right about programmers, but you can't prove it, and I doubt it.
Finally, what proof is there that pervasive GC is better at not leaking than a good explicit MM system? Anyone with an Android system and a bunch of apps will quickly discover that pervasive GC does not eliminate leaks.
[some phone] comes with a whopping 2GB of RAM
Goggle Glass has 682mb of RAM. There is always a new platform into which we much fit our software and the new platform is usually resource constrained, so there will never be a day when questioning the cost of GCs is wrong. Maybe the wearable you eventually put on will have 8 GB of RAM. The computers you swallow or implant or sprinkle around the lawn probably won't. The fact the next generation of phones can piss away RAM to greedy GCs just isn't particularly informative.
Comment: Rust (Score 2) 407
by TopSpin (#44245601) Attached to: Why JavaScript On Mobile Is Slow
Memory management is an issue that has me excited about Rust. Rust memory management is explicit, easy to use, deterministic, efficient and safe. The language designers understand that garbage collection is costly and that endemic use of a garbage collector limits applicability.
Although Rust does have reference counted heap objects on the so-called "exchange" heap, memory is normally allocated on the stack or on a "local" heap (via an "owned" pointer) that has "destructor-based memory management," much like C++ objects but without the leaks and wild pointers.
The result is the vast majority of allocated memory is not managed by the garbage collector. Use of the exchange heap is exceptional and explicit, yet immediately available when necessary. Otherwise, memory "management" is reduced to efficient stack pointer manipulation or simple, deterministic destruction. Compile time checks preclude bad pointers and simple leaks so common with traditional systems languages.
There is a series of detailed blog posts about Rust memory management here.
Rust was inspired by the need for an efficient, AOT compiled systems programming language that is productive, concise and at least as safe as contemporary "managed" languages. Its memory management scheme goes directly to the point of this story.
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http://slashdot.org/~TopSpin
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dclm-gs1-127880003
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<urn:uuid:8ba5f5d9-d338-49de-a0d6-9294fecf7fbc>
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User Score
Generally favorable reviews- based on 1548 Ratings
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1. Jun 15, 2012
This movie is just okay to me. The story doesn't make any sense to me neither. My fiancee and I was completely lost and don't even know what actual story about. Action is pretty good but story of itself is weak.
2. Jun 15, 2012
3. Jun 15, 2012
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Amazing. This movie is so terrible I find enjoyment in pointing out it's flaws. Obviously the script was so poorly written that they made up for it by vague implications of philosophical questions about existence. In the hopes that their audience was too high from illicit drugs, and mesmerized from the graphics departments high budget visual effects to notice. The acting was either so over the top, or so emotionally dry they had to play a portion of a good movie to fool you into believing they made a good movie. Although the beginning I found rather whimsical in it's introduction of rolling landscapes, and a waterfall. I now find tacky, and disappointing. The characters or scientists prove themselves to be nothing more than a bunch of vagrants an eccentric old business man that looks like Johnny Knoxville dressed as an old person found in the closest bar, and put aboard a ship with a robot that apparently runs on chicken wire, paper mache, and tapioca pudding. Nothing scientific happens in this movie other than the occasional add-lib of "Hypothesis" and calling everyone a doctor before they speak to them. Their method of command is nothing less shallow then a group of drunk twenty somethings trying to drink, take drugs, and **** each other. Each person is only capable of making poor life decisions that will inevitably get themselves or someone else killed. Even the aliens weren't consistent as if the writer's could never fully agree on what was actually on the planet, but decided to put their own story in, and not tell anyone until it came to theaters. Every action scene was lame, and anticlimatic that made you wonder why would they do that? Pointlessly leaping over gaps when what you are standing on will slowly shuttle you to solid ground, running in straight lines from falling objects moving in one direction, acting like the dog whisperer to an alien worm nut sack, leaving safety to race a harmless razor sandstorm, opening the door to your dead exorcist geologist co-worker. Ridiculous. On top of it all, the way this movie portrayed itself was like it was groundbreaking on all of your scifi, action, horror movie senses that it was delusional from the fumes of it's own mystical self worth. It was non of these. Sadly, the blatantly obvious undertones of religion, the constant there is going to be another movie implications, and the superficial life questions confused as depth made this movie completely miserable to watch. In fact the only satisfaction I have is from knowing other people think it is as terrible as I do, and be able ridicule it online. Expand
4. Jun 15, 2012
Very intellectual movie and one of it's kind that hasn't been around in at least a decade. Much praise goes to this movie and I have to give it to Scott for making a movie that both feeds to the hungry Alien fans and the minds of its viewers. My only drawback was that every time there was a moment to pause and reflect on what was going on some type Alien fan-service swept me away from my train of thought. At times it felt like a movie that was stocked full of goodies and other times it appeared to flow very gently. Though not a direct prequel to the classic Alien movie it stands proudly beside it with plenty of events taking place that can be pen-pointed to the Alien lore. From David and the "space jockey," to the Waylen Corp. and their deviance way of doing things, and even the aliens themselves. Expand
5. Jun 15, 2012
Unanswered questions and a watcher's ignorance do not spell plot holes. I start with this statement for the simple fact that after a week of pondering the symbolism and theological ramifications that Prometheus set down on the screen, I decided to see what others had gleamed from the Alien prequel. What i found was a deeply intelligent discussion peppered by "I don't understand and so it was stupid" comments. Not every movie is meant for every audience member and I do understand that, but a true fan of the series might want to do a little research before stewing out bile. Don't understand the beginning scene, the motivations of the characters, or how intense terror can cause someone to act irrationally? Try finding an answer! The fact that every writer must dumb down their vision to spoon feed the masses is outrageous. the "From Clay to Fire" thesis was a great read and gave but one explanation to the events that unfold in Prometheus. When dealing with a dead race there are always this day many arguments exist on a wide range of subjects about long dead cultures here on earth. To think one movie should unravel the mysteries of the universe and spread it paper-thin for all to behold is asking a bit much even for Hollywood. Prometheus gave us a brief glimpse into man's eternal struggle to craft god into our own image and I, for one, was grateful for the experience. Expand
6. Jun 15, 2012
An entertaining sci-fi movie, but some plot holes and head scratching character interaction keep this from being a classic. Prometheus is a movie that screams potential, but after hitting its stride in the 2nd act, it trips and faceplants in the 3rd. There are two majority groups here that unjustifiably overrate this movie and underrate this movie. People giving this movie an 8,9, or a 10 claim that there are no holes (or you are stupid) and that this is an instant classic. The other group sees the gapping holes and silly character interactions and fail to see the aesthetic value of this movie. Lets be frank here, there are plot holes big enough that you can't formulate educated theories around. This is not as smart of a movie as it tries to be. The characters do not act realistically on numerous occasions and it breaks the immersion. However, every other part of the movie is very pleasing to the eyes and entertaining. Fassbender is the highlight of the movie and the movie is at its best when hes on screen. The movie throws in some fan service at the end that blatantly tries to connect it to alien, but fails to evoke more than a "wtf" pause. This movie is definitely worth a watch if you are a sci-fi fan, but make no mistake, this is no Inception in the "smart movie" department. An enjoyable, but frustrating experience. 7 out of 10. Expand
7. Jun 15, 2012
I can tell that many will find this movie fascinating but others will find it boring and lackluster. For me Prometheus is in the Middle of all this. I was somewhat expecting the film to be a prequel to the "Alien" franchise but not to my disappointment it wasn't and I'll tell your right now the only thing the film has to do with Alien is the very last scene of the film which I will not discuss so I don't spoil it, but the last scene I believe was thrown in their to please fans or to stir up emotions for a sequel nothing more, nothing less. The film is very slow paced but fascinating and captivating at the same time, your looking forward to some action happening. The film does not have any immediate action sequences nor is a action/adventure or horror film. It is mostly scifi film about finding our creators and finding the meaning of our existence and I found it dry and lack luster but the after I left I couldn't help but think the message of the film is essential and it fascinated me. A great film for many but some may find it boring. Expand
8. Jun 15, 2012
The special effects may be splashy, but they serve a brainless horror movie, a third-rate knockoff of Alien. The problem is in the writing, which is clumsy and superficial. The plot suffers from trickery, the dialog is silly, and the characters are preposterous. I expect a science-fiction movie to take some liberties with physics, but I expect the characters to be somewhat believable and the plot to hang together. Extended space travel I can accept better than, say, the ship's low-life captain. This horror movie doesn't raise serious questions about human origins; it merely contrives a way to set up a sequel. If there's a large question to ask, it's what were the movie-makers thinking? Expand
9. Jun 15, 2012
10. Jun 15, 2012
Ideal para fanáticos de la franquicia, deja muchos puntos aclarados y pone en suspendo otros dejando abierta la posibilidad de una continuación. Visualmente increible!
11. Jun 15, 2012
I thought this was a brilliant movie. Great acting, intriguing and original story line and stunning visuals. I'm quite surprised it's copped a lot of flack
12. Jun 15, 2012
Beautiful movie that must be seen in 3D. Fantastic premise and entertaining all the way through. From reading some of the reviews prior to seeing the movie I anticipated being a little disappointed by plot holes or bad characters or a less than acceptable ending to the story. This wasn't the case at all for me. In fact, I appreciated how some of the unknowns were left unanswered. If I had to point to any negative aspect of the film I found myself a little disappointed some of the characters simply didn't respond to situations in realistic ways. Even though I wouldn't call this a horror film at all, it's suspenseful and creepy, it felt like some of the people were running up the stairs when they should have been running out the front door. The movie was so well done I just found it frustrating they couldn't write more realistic responses. If you are a fan of science fiction, space, suspense, or are piqued by the topic of our origins, this movie is a must see. Expand
13. Jun 15, 2012
It's unfair to compare the film to the original Alien. Taken on its own, I enjoyed it both times I saw it. Sure, it left many questions unanswered, but I'm hoping a sequel will delve into those issues. Fassbender and Rapace are both terrific. And Idris Elba is a perfect casting choice - there is a certain Tom Fontana symmetry there - Yaphet Kotto, from the original, is another Tom Fontana (Homicide / The Wire) favorite. Both excellent actors. Expand
14. Jun 14, 2012
Joining the recent flock of movies inspired by ye olden days, Prometheus undeniably has appealing visual and boosts great acting talents, but somehow falls flat on the suspense. The pioneer journey which will set up Alien mythology is just that, a long prequel to Ripley's haunting inevitable encounter, which wasn't as breathtaking as Prometheus, but clearly had more visceral feel. That being said this is a decent space claustrophobic flick that might entice you with its flair.
Space age looks gorgeous in this rendition. The choice of color is sharp in its futuristic holographic setting while the hostile terrain of extraterrestrial deity is grimly dark. Carefully placed shots give more details for titular spaceship, and it's good to see the setting infused seamlessly into the plot. There are clean visual ambiances in contrast to the harsh alien planet. Its visual effect is definitely great, although it lost bits of that raw look usually associated with Alien.
Acting is good throughout with Naomi Rapace as Elizabeth Shaw, a slightly over-religious protagonist who insists on finding a great deity somewhere out there. She is in no way a substitute for Ripley, and to her credit, I don't think she meant to be so. But she's not very likeable either with most of her time spent worrying about her faith. It's a bit odd choice to bring divinity so much, albeit highly possible and almost warranted in a movie about another being. Regardless, she put some work on making a strong protagonist, and she does looks like fem Shepard, I just don't think it's powerful enough for a lead character.
Michael Fassbender as David, a robot created by Wayland, played by Guy Pearce, is excellent throughout. You'll often look at him and ask whether he has emotion behind his smile. It's a very cold depiction of a character built just to serve his maker, he's an absolute enigma. Guy Pearce delivers quite convincing role as a dying old man, he moves very fittingly and talks just as a near death man wanting to find more to his life than waiting for death. His complex senior make-up and prosthetic limb add to that depth.
Charlize Theron as Meredith Vickers, whose gaze can petrified men, is almost as robotic as David. Callous and calm, she only exhibits some of her emotions, especially the later parts. She's in a sort of antagonist, yet again after the evil queen, very imposingly stunning. The rest are memorable by their silly deaths or the same lines repeatedly over the course of the movie.
What lacking here is that gory depressed feel of impending doom, instead you'll see the characters walk into volatile situation without lack of self-preservation. It's baffling to see that a group of scientists who perfected space flight go into their merry way just to be slaughtered, at least they must have seen a space horror movie in a century later, even David has a collection of classic movies.
There are only a few gory moments spread too sparse in the length of this quite long movie. It spends too much time in the build up but doesn't deliver that well, it seems that they want to make these moments to be extraordinary but just aren't suspenseful enough. The script is themed highly on faith, sometimes the characters are needlessly confrontational and most of the plots aren't resolved, which arguably a set up for another sequel.
It drags a bit and seems to be a lengthy teaser for upcoming title, although a visually splendid and greatly cast one. 6/10
15. Jun 14, 2012
Just saw Prometheus in 3D and without doing a full-blown review which is my wont, I would say overall I give it a guarded B+. Loved the first half hour with all the nods to Stanley Kubrick's 'Space Odyssey', and the final half hour was really good bordering on great. Alas, the middle hour was kind of a mess. Also, I loved lead Nooma Rapace, but felt Oscar winner Charlize Theron was given short shrift. Anyway, it's my hope that the director's cut will restore a lot of footage and give the middle section a bit more coherence. Still in all I stayed glued to my seat the entire time, at the end I left the theater with mostly good feelings, and I definitely want to see the director's cut DVD when it comes out. Come to think of it, the 'Alien' does owe more than a passing nod to HP Lovecraft's Cthulu beast. ;o) Expand
16. Jun 14, 2012
If you want to watch Alien, go watch it! If you want to watch something new then stay around for Prometheus. This sci-fi story of finding our creator is beautiful. It is deep and at times to philosophical for some, but if you listen to the last line of Weyland than you can understand the scope of the journey. I really enjoyed it and the action scenes are intense. GO watch it.
17. Jun 14, 2012
I think the movie had great ideas about the origins of humanity, and the conflict between creator and created. But There was a serious lack of character development. I didn't really care about anyone, so I wasn't able to go on the emotional or intellectual journey that would have made this movie really great, as was Alien and Aliens . And it's sad because the film is a visual masterpiece. Expand
18. Jun 14, 2012
19. Jun 14, 2012
I eagerly waited for the movie. I watched the movie without reading any reviewed. I was thoroughly disappointed. I failed to understand why the movie is named Prometheus and what the objective of movie was.
20. Jun 14, 2012
I saw Prometheus last week and it was pretty good. When Mr. Ridley Scott came back after hiding away for a little while, he wanted a film that is not an "Alien" prequel and discover the secrets beyond a mysterious vessel unlike any other. The film was incredible and Noomi Rapace (her hair looked the same as Ripley in the original Alien) was incredible. I also praised Michael Fassbender's role as David because he's more like a arrogant and sometimes humble gentleman, but he's more of a robot-like clone from "I. Robot." But the height and sounds of the movie gives you enough adrenaline, your heart pumps, and your feet is shaking as you go into a terrifying and explorational feeling you might can expect from both James Cameron and Ridley Scott. I've heard Prometheus is gonna be out on Blu-Ray sometime in the fall of 2012, but I'll save my money. From now on, I have to see this again. Expand
21. Jun 14, 2012
I usually like to let the movie take me where it wants to. However after reading the bad reviews I had my doubts whether to spend my $ 13 at all. I am glad I took the advice to see it in the theater. Special effects audio, and visuals were outstanding. I was prepared to be disappointed by the movie as a whole and yes, character, storyline and ending left something to be desired if I were to criticize them. That being said the WOW factor of Prometheus is undeniable. Too ambitious for its length of two hours it did seem disjointed and confusing for those unacquainted with the Alien films. Full of philosophy and homages to other films (the Alien series obviously, but also to 2001, the Thing remake etc) it had me absorbed during and ruminating after viewing. I kept the criticisms in the back of my mind while watching and let the director do his thing and thoroughly enjoyed where he took me. Obviously there were compromises in the production of the film probably foisted on him by the studio (most notably running time constraints) that prevented him from plot and character development (who knows what wound up on the cutting room floor), but for a sci-fi fan there really is no disappointment in this film. Leave the overthinking till after the movie's over. Prometheus IS a worthy prequel but probably will not be considered a classic sci-fi stand alone film. It should be viewed by all sci-fi fans in the theater. and judged on its merits, not its deficiencies. If you have an open mind it won't disappoint. Lets see what comes out on the extended/directors version blu-ray release. Expand
22. Jun 14, 2012
I have been racking my brain all day contemplating just how this terrible movie could have ever been written, made and released. And what I came up with is drug addiction. Everyone involved in the decision making processes of this movie must have been high, hung over or in withdrawals to allow for so many terrible decisions, ideas, errors and redundancies to be incorporated into one two-hour movie. Talk about the inability to criticise one Expand
23. Jun 14, 2012
The movie would never be as good as my expectation level for it, but I really enjoyed it. Imax 3D was brilliant. Visually the movie is stunning. It feels like it could have used 15-20 more minutes for character developement,more suspense, and I just wanted more. Like an episode of Lost, it creates more questions than answers given,but I think thats why they hired Lindelof to rewrite Spaihts script. A good film that could have been better is what i get out of it. It has a lot of Alien type scenes recreated but they lack the suspense and dread that the 1st film had. I also dont understand putting music in all the scenes where it should be silent or ambient sounds to create some of that mood that is missing. A sequel should be interesting! 9/10 stars Expand
24. Jun 14, 2012
Prior to watching the premiere of Alien in 1979, I had been to the dentist to have my wisdom teeth removed. Needless to say, I was in an immense amount of pain during the movie, which was compounded by the three camera shot of Harry Dean Stantons' stomach exploding on the dinner table. That moment in time is and always will be favorable branded in my youthful memory. Thirty-two years later, the memory of Prometheus, will unfortunately fade after many happy hour rants and moments of solitary silence of my obvious disappointment about this movie. My disappointment runs so deep that I do not know where to begin about how I feel about the film. Nevertheless, I will do my best to convey my opinion. The movie starts out wonderfully with this colorful other world landscape, which leads to the introduction of one of the "engineers" of human life, and then fades into the future to modern life and its discovery of the past life by present day archeologist's. It is sad to admit, but had the movie ended after the first ten minutes then I would've accepted it as a short film or a long music video. However it didn't end after the first ten minutes; hence the need for this unfavorable review. As in Alien, Aliens and Alien Resurrection, there's a robot. The problem with the robot in Prometheus is that it is an opportunist, which gives it a more human like quality rather a machine like quality. At the beginning of the movie the robot is employed by its programmer, but at the end of the movie, after its employer is all of sudden deceased, the robot decides to switch its allegiance to the only person left alive at the end: the same person whom the robot had tried to kill earlier in the movie. Since when did a robot possess the ability to think on its own to the point of being concerned with self preservation. it's a robot. Or is it? Another problem with the movie is that there's an intentional implanting of an alien species for no apparent reason. The robot finds the beginning of a possible alien life form, who then slips this life form into someone's drink, and then this someone drinks the drink, and then this someone has sex with someone else, which causes that someone to become pregnant. The person that is initially infected by the disease becomes sick and dies. The person that becomes pregnant is informed that she is almost at the beginning of her second trimester, which prompts her to logically question how could that be? I'm still asking myself that same question. This revelation of course causes her to take matters into her own hands, as she so characteristically does throughout the movie. Free from the baby alien, or so we think, the victim or the protagonist, you choose, now discovers that her employer has secretly "stowed away, " and has plans to meet the sole surviving engineer of life. So with his posse, the money man ventures into the dragons lair; only to die quickly along with everyone else. Which brings me to my other point of contention with the movie - death happens often and quickly towards the end of the film There's the one, two, three, four, five punch by the sole surviving engineer. Then there's a suicide mission by a very important person on the ship, along with two of his shipmates, and I'm not talking about the Heaven's Gate Cult. Then there's a certain headless someone, whom proposes a merger of the two opposing camps. How convenient on his behalf, since he no longer has a head, but how he is able to make this proposal without a head is mind boggling to begin with. But it does, and well...
When I first started writing this review, I had given the movie four out of ten, but I'm now lowering that to three out of ten, because I've digested more of the movie over the past thirty minutes, and the taste has become more rancid. An afternoon rental at best.
25. Jun 14, 2012
This one tries to evoke a bit more of Alien rather than the action movie Aliens. Well acted, put together fairly well and logically, and beautiful and believable, though in the end Ridley Scott doesn't quite nail it. The first death(s) make the entire movie worth watching for us, though, by themselves, and in the end, we enjoyed the movie without necessarily loving the movie.
26. Jun 14, 2012
Embarrassed: The word that flooded my mind while watching this dismaying display of brain dead cinema by the director of seminal sci-fi works like Blade Runner and Alien. Embarrassed for the Alien franchise the film is supposed to be predicated upon and is now forever soiled because of Prometheus. Embarrassed for the script, seemingly scrawled on a few sheets of used toilet paper by a TV writer who should stay the hell away from the big screen. Embarrassed for the actors who will surely endure many-a dinner party jibe at their expense from peers bemused at their self-demeaning displays in this fatuous film. Embarrassed for myself for wasting 2 hours of my life that I will never get back and countless brain cells likely fried in the process of trying to fathom the stupidity on display before my eyes in this film. EMBARRASSED for the human race, that we've apparently stooped so low as to accept this kind of egregious schlock as legitimate entertainment. I'm even embarrassed for the **** Irruminator' monster that was obviously plagiarised from some 10-year-old's scribble book. (*It will become clear upon watching the film).
Prometheus is flawed on so many and varied levels that it's almost an admirable effort to manage such a confluence of poor film-making in one, single piece of work. How this film went so wrong when having so much going for it, is a question for the ages.
Unless it's eventually revealed Prometheus was an industry in-joke, aimed at poking fun at the dullard dolt demographic the industry now predominantly panders to, then I cannot see this film becoming anything more than a byword for abjectly bad cinema.
3/10 (*because no film is a 1 and there are some worse than Prometheus... SOME).
27. Jun 13, 2012
Awesome visuals and audio! Cool Alien planet, something we haven't seen before, cool aliens....plot was one of the worst plots ever many problems with it and the characters, its actually kinda funny its so bad. Would only recommend this movie if you aren't going to see it to take it seriously, but to have some fun. I was pretty let down being a huge fan of Ridley Scott and Alien, but I admit it was still entertaining through the first watch even though it hardly made any sense...Not sure if I'd watch it again, but I don't watch a lot of movies more than once. Expand
28. Jun 13, 2012
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Is this an Alien prequel? Of course it is, it has an alien in it and the space jockey and his ship. The film is really nice to look at particularly the opening sequence, the visuals are most of the reason i have scored the film a 7. Some have been puzzled by this sequence but my take is that the guy disagrees withth the rest of his race to kill humans so he kills himself. As many have said there are plenty of holes in the plot and the film asks more questions than it answers, you may like me leave the cinema scratching your head. This view has been countered with many saying the plot holes are part of the appeal and that this may have been deliberate. I couldnt disagree more, why pay good money to be confused or have your questions unanswered? The part where Fifield returns as some mutation is plain silly, not explained and added nothing to the film in my opinion. This is an average film albeit presently excellently, other than the visuals i cant find anything particularly good to recommend about it. I cant anything particularly bad to say about it either. Expand
29. Jun 13, 2012
Believe the negative reviews. This movie's plot makes no sense. It features terrible acting from big name actors, unbelievably bad old man make up, and a complete lack of suspense. Go watch the original Alien, with its outdated effects, and enjoy.
30. Jun 13, 2012
A decent score and promising start full of bleak beauty, conveying a good sense of the vulnerability of space travel, isolation, and the beauty of life. Up until the point the main body of actors are introduced, the film was going excellently. Two main things let this film down- the characters and the plot. That sounds pretty damning, like there isn't anything left to salvage it. Not so. Good points were excellent visual appeal, reasonable tension, a believable level of future technology, and engaging questions about the origins of humanity. The characters. It is such a shame when a film is ruined because characters do not act believably. There may not be a faster way to ruin a film. The most obvious example of this is the sheer recklessness of the so-called scientists. They are just falling over themselves to stick their tongues into unknown goo. The list of these incidents honestly goes on and on. In fact, the number of incidents of people actually behaving believably are so few that they stand out like megaton blasts when they finally crop up. The motivation of many of the characters is very muddy, and is never clarified. Most of the characters are never explored at all, which somewhat diminishes the impact of their later noble sacrifice.
The plot. For the first half of the film, it was essentially the exact plot of Alien, although there is nothing wrong with that. It wrestled (not wholly unsuccessfully) with grand themes, but left most questions unanswered, and the few answers offered were very ambiguous. Everytime it felt like a revelation was about to be reached, the resulting pronouncements were always rather vague. A lot of possibilities were hinted at, but nothing really concrete was ever offered to any of the million questions posed. It felt too much like it was paving the way for a sequel, and not enough like a self-contained plot. In general a lack of answers and a lack of continuity. There was never really any impetus or momentum, just a series of barely related (and generally icky) events.
The alien beasties were reasonably grim and imaginative, although lacking the classic horror that made Alien so good - allowing the imagination to fill the gaps. Perhaps it's just the biologist in me, but the alien's life cycle made no sense whatsoever. It was as if the film studio had 5 wacky ideas of horrible alien creatures, but couldn't be bothered to bring them together cohesively, so just tossed them into the film willy-nilly (I'd bet decent money that this is exactly what happened).
The major themes of "Where did we come from?" and "Do we actually need to know where we came from?" and "What does this mean for religion?" cropped up repeatedly, and made for interesting intellectual fodder. There was definitely more than just a cursory nod to exploring these ideas, so well done there Mr Scott. As if it even needs to be said these days, but the special effects were seamless. Many parts of the film were visually very rich, and the score was very good. In fact, the set designs really were outstanding, an extremely lustrous visual world that satisfied very well on a superficial level.
All in all, not a terrible film. It had all the pieces necessary for a good film, yet it cemented them together disjointedly and inexpertly- like shattered diamond stuck back together with excrement. With another edit, and maybe 3 minutes additional footage here and there this could have been an excellent film. So nearly a classic 80s sci-horror, but not quite.
31. Jun 13, 2012
Ridley Scott once again crafts a fantastic science fiction film that stands among his best sci-fi movies like Blade Runner and Alien. Not only does it have an intriguing story, but it also has some memorable characters in it. Is this movie perfect? No, it is not (some lines of dialogue I felt weren't needed, and the movie took a while to get rolling) but if you look past these faults you will have yourself one helluva gorgeous thrill-ride. Expand
32. Jun 13, 2012
Has way more questions than answers. Trying way too hard to answer the question of our existence existentially instead of just being a cool science fiction movie. I don't mind these questions being done in an interesting way, but it is not done that way here, and the characters don't have enough depth to make you feel otherwise. This movie looks super cool, and has two or three super intense sci-fi scenes. So if that's your recipe for a great movie, than you will think Prometheus is great. Expand
33. Jun 13, 2012
As a big fan of Alien and, to a lesser extent, Aliens, I can't help but find this movie a travesty. As a prequel, it tries to reinvent a classic and fails miserably. Even taken as a standalone effort, it looks beautiful, but it's completely overshadowed by a pretentious, ponderous and incoherent plot that, in the end, amounts to little more than utter nonsense. Extremely disappointing! I've got some advice for you Ridley: keep it simple, stupid. You aren't as smart as you want everyone to think you are, not by a long shot! Expand
34. Jun 13, 2012
Absolutely fantastic BECAUSE it was so jumbled and chaotically written.
The script jumps whole sections ahead and back. True. The characters behaved nonsensical and were flat. True. However; the story does answer a lot of questions ; where do the aliens come from, who are the giger corpses in the crashed ship, why is wayland so horny to exploit it. Albeit chaotic, it has excellent pacing.
Theres not much suspense, but it mixes mystery exploration with nastiness. I didnt even know who the protagonists actually were until half the way through. Which in times of utter plot predictability is a welcome variation. The main characters are a christian fanatic and a "i wear flipflops while sipping my latte in this space ship" douche who was so stereotypically hipster that ridley scott must have made intentional statement on his hatred for apple stores and starbucks. I couldnt wait for them to die, and my sympathies were with the evil charlize theron all along. Fantastic! A movie that destroys classic plot structures so profoundly and still gets away with it is a true innovation for mainstream hollywood in my book. The story jumps a little too harshly here and there, and some characters are propably supposed to be 80ies cheese stereotypes as a hommage, but too flat in the end. But the visuals are fantastic and the pacing works. Its not an intelligent movie as the questions about the origins of humanity (aliens vs god) is overdone and shallow in itself, but the movie is not supposed to be 2001 anyways. As a plot framework its sufficient. All in all quite unpredictable and quirky, a true experience. I felt thoroughly brain raped. And thats a compliment. Expand
35. Jun 13, 2012
**Possible spoiler but maybe not really, but so was the trailer*** What were you expecting? True lies? Half life? Transformers? Alien 5? Care Bears in Space? This is not a remake, nor a direct prequel. I expected the movie to be mysterious and interesting and completely unknown excpect for the fact that it was set before the event of Alien, in which universe i expected it to set. I'm so glad that Peter mother-fukking Cullen didn't do a narration with Optimus Prime explaining the time before time (although he's very talented, would be completely out of place in this movie - despite many half-wit viewers needing such hand-holding). Prometheus is, what i believe, to be the first of several Alien stories that prelude the original movie. This is not another alien or mission to mars story, it's THE Alien story. Pay close attention to everything within this movie. Is this a review section or an explanation message board? So there are a few stupid moments, namely the biologist looking for a root with the alien worm. It could have happened another way with different dialogue but the premise would still be the same: two guys messing about in the egg chamber and that's how they got infected. Remember the beginning, how the Alien started out, as a virus. It could have been a military experiment gone wrong or just with serious containment issues. Maybe the "Engineer" in the pod wasn't really human, maybe not. Was he there to await the scientist and determine their nature if hostile? Most people reviewing this movie giving it low scores didn't actually understand the movie, that it was a science fiction STORY, not a face paced action thriller with all guns blazing. They already made that movie, it's called Aliens or Tron. Sometimes it's like working with children, you take as many shots as you can get in the time frame available, and take the best one. This movie is, like the original Alien and subsequent movies, about a monolithic Corporation using young college graduates to explore and secure an alien world so that the mission specific andriod - played perfectly my Micheal Fassbander - can recover the specimen for what ever military/scientific/monetary purposes back on Earth. It's fairly obvious there will be movies that follow this one, that may answer some questions from this film. This movie is great, fantastic, amazing, deep, and thought provoking. In the book of the original, the SOS distress signal coming from the planet was not an SOS, but a warning. This movie is also set in a fictional future, where completely new attitudes and technology exist. Just like any other movie, go see it twice because you get more out of it the second time. Prometheus is what it is and what it is, is not perfect, but perfect enough for a very entertaining movie. And just so you know, it's based on a true story of actual events! Expand
36. Jun 13, 2012
If you've already seen the trailer, then the movie's already been spoiled for you. For those who haven't, this is one of those tragic instances where some truly great elements are lost on what is undoubtedly the most unimaginative, unintelligent and uninspiring story of the year riddled with more loose ends then Alien appearances. While the dialogue isn't abysmal and is well acted out by a talented cast, the characters are all one dimensional at best. Although they hint that there may be more personality hidden below the surface, no actions are made to support any evidence of existence. There isn't a single fighter among the entire group and the heroine's unrealistic amount of luck in surviving a never ending onslaught of dangerous scenarios gives this an almost a Disney-like quality (in a bad way, i.e. John Carter) despite a complete and utter lack of reasons why we as the viewer would want to relate to, emulate, sympathize with, or watch this character. Her bravado is poorly paired with displays of lower-level aptitude, which is simply sad for a scientist. Other things to note are this film plays long (2 hours feels like 4) and anyone who's seen Aliens will no doubt find this (alleged prequel) to be an insult to its' memory. However, if you're looking for signature Ridley Scott shots, special effects and sequences there are some visually appealing parts of the film that make up for about 5 of the 127 minutes of the movie. If you're on the fence, watch the trailer and if you still want to see some nonsense for the purpose of amusement, go watch The Dictator- it's ridiculous as well, but in a good way and funny too. Expand
37. Jun 12, 2012
All I want to say is that most of these negative reviews really didn't absorb what this movie is. It's very complex, and in no way did I think for a moment that this movie was trying to be like 2001: A Space Odyssey.
I'm not trying to sound pretentious here, but the movie does NOT deserve this low of a score, with millions of meat heads going straight to metacritic for spoonfed interpretat
ions by movie critics that take away any sense of imagination and insight.
Think of it this way, when Fight Club first came out, it got ripped to shreds by movie critics...after a few years for it to sink in and now it's a classic.
This movie gets a 10 from me. I went in, just to enjoy the ride, and I wasn't bored for a minute.
38. Jun 12, 2012
Piece of ****
They say it is a prequel, but you might has well seen a Harry Potter movie where a alien prances out of the woods at the end. Also, the aliens look like penises.
39. Jun 12, 2012
I finally saw Prometheus last night and boy was I completely disappointed. For a movie directed by Ridley Scott and set in the universe of Aliens, the movie was a complete letdown. A movie without an effective narration, which this had, is just a waste of 2 hours sitting in the dark. My biggest qualm with Prometheus is the fact that nothing was reasonably explained, for example, who were the 'Engineers', and why did Michael Fassbender's character, David, intentionally infect Logan Marshall-Green's character, Charlie Holloway. Idris Elba's character, Janek, with no explanation and completely out of nowhere, reveals all and concludes that the planet is a storehouse for weapons of mass destruction - it seems like he pulled that one out of his ass. The movie gets to a point where the questions that you want answered you no longer care about because it hasn't effectively pulled the audience into the story, and all you want is for the 2 hours to just pass. At the end Noomi Rapace's character, Elizabeth Shaw, wants David to take her to where the 'Engineers' came from - which is an obvious setup for a sequel - but after about 2 hours, I no longer care if she ever achieves that. All I'm hoping for now is for James Cameron to step in to the director chair and elevate the sequel to Prometheus like he did with Alien. Expand
40. Jun 12, 2012
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Very , very, very dissapointing. Yes it looked amazing for the most part and maybe the plot makes sense if you dissect everything and analyse it, but I doubt it. I really wanted to like this movie due to its connection with the Alien universe but it just didnt engage me at all. I love the way the Captain figured everything out all of a sudden and without a second thought decided to commit suicide along with the remainder of his crew. WTF. Expand
41. Jun 12, 2012
This certainly was not a perfect film, but it was definitely a visual feast. Overally the story was good but not 100%. Prometheus didn't answer everything, which was the biggest thing that bugged me. It still left some things hanging, and the editing seemed spotty. It seemed like it was skipping around at times. I feel like this movie although already over 2 hours, should've been longer. The visuals (cgi and all) were certainly beautiful, and the acting was spot on as well. The main flaws in this movie were the editing and it seemed a bit corny at times to me, and it didn't seem to answer any questions either, i left the movie slightly confused, but overall this movie was slightly over par, but not by much, and if you are a fan of the alien franchise its worth the admission, but if you haven't even seen the alien films, you will have no idea whats going on. 6.5/10 Expand
42. Jun 12, 2012
I found the movie enjoyable and impressive on three dimensions: theme, visuals and excitement. However, the plot was a neutral point for me as I have seen worse, but it felt rushed. The characters were not very deep at all, and were very frustrating! I felt so frustrated by the team dynamics/actions/interactions i was nearly pulling out my hair yelling out "why are you doing that!?" or "why aren't you doing this!?". Also the crew seemed incapable of utilising the technology they had to aid their situations, and often didn't act like scientists! Expand
43. Jun 12, 2012
A truly phenomenal movie! Acting was top notch, plot was intriguing and the visuals were spectacular. Script was well done despite all the criticism. Many people just can't appreciate the style in which it was written. A kind of style that says, "if it doesn't need to be explained, don't explain it." Also, the characters were GREAT. Michael Fassbender was was brilliant as the android David, and added a great mystique to the character who was already fascinating in the script. Noomi Rapace was fantastic as Elisabeth Shaw. A character who was kick-a$$, but in a very believable way. A magnificent example of a "strong female lead". Any flack the film may receive concerning the crew making "stupid mistakes" is unjustified. Considering humans have never encountered anything remotely close to what the characters in the film come into contact with, it's safe to assume that the same mistakes could be made my any real human being. Point being, the characters were believable, and made choices and mistakes real humans might also make. If you are at all a fan of the Alien universe or good cinema you will love this film. However, if you are expecting a Hollywood blockbuster like Transformers or a token horror film, this film is not for you. Overall Prometheus is a brilliant film and a worthy revival of the Alien universe. Expand
44. Jun 12, 2012
I thought this movie had a really good story, great special effects, inspiring movie score, fantastic cinematography, creative creature design, and scary moments that were actually scary. I enjoyed every minute of it, however... the execution was off. The story had plot holes and the transition between scenes were awkward. Now, I know Ridley Scott has a tendency to make very long movies that are very difficult to edit for theatrical release. For example, his film Kingdom of Heaven suffered the same problem and it ruined the movie, but then the directors cut showed us the full version and everything flowed perfectly. I will give Ridley Scott the benefit of the doubt until I see the full version. The movie wasn't flawless do to some poor acting and lack of great characters, so I'm going with a 9. If I see the full version of this film, and it still has those plot holes or transition problems, then I will downgrade to an 8. I think everyone was expecting perfection, and we didn't get it, so the disappointment is resulting in lower user scores than it actually deserves. Expand
45. Jun 12, 2012
The special effects & 3D are ok, but the storyline is slack and muddled, unlike Alien. The characters are poorly developed: Charlize Theron is totally wasted and Noomi Rapace is nowhere close to her performances in "The Girl Who" (Swedish version). Michael Fassbender lamely reprises Hal from 2001 and/or Ash from Alien. Really disappointing.
46. Jun 12, 2012
Acting in this movie is bad, there is an uninteresting plot full of senseless and illogical stuff where some of it it's based on premise which is of course nothing new to sci-fi genre. We have an alien DNA, besides all those other crap seen and mentioned - oh come on...
Nothing new there judging by today's Hollywood standards.
However the thing that really saddened me the most was th
e unstoppable raping of HR Giger's design which is obviously something that in the mind of Ridley Scott should make this film looking interesting, looking ''alien'' . But he pretty much failed there as well. Why? Because he already used it once when he used it with the purpose in the first alien.
Trying to repeat that effect is just silly and it can easily be compared with what Lucas did with raping SW saga.
Regarding that ''Bumblebee'' design of Prometheus I wont even talk about. That kind of design totally doesn't fits this movie.
It seems that even the greatest directors don't know when to stop.
I'm giving this movie 1/10 only because the first 3 minutes of this movie were very interesting and original which confirms the fact that a good movie can still be made.
47. Jun 12, 2012
Appallingly poor big budget movie. Sub standard visual effects. Sub standard makeup FX. Fassbender/Theron are the only decent actors giving interesting performances here the rest are wasted/very poor with the limited dialog they are given. Apart from Theron/Fassbender the other actors could be anyone they are so average/bland & do not even belong in the movies.
Story is a jumbled mess &
incomprehensible at times. Approx 90 mins of the running length consists of actors sprouting unmemorable/confusing dialog in boring darkly lite locations (80% of the movie is in underground tunnels on LV223).
Avoid at all costs this is so poor you would stuggle to sit through it all on TV in a few years its way below Alien3 as a movie going experience & atthe same poor level as Alien4.
Shockingly bad overall & has some of the most ridiculous action scenes/fights ever created (many are so bad you will laugh out loud which is certainly not the film makers intent!!).
48. Jun 12, 2012
49. Jun 12, 2012
Ridley Scott's highly-anticipated sorta-prequel to "Alien" doesn't live up to expectations. A crew of intergalactic explorers lands on a mysterious planet, where they discover mysterious life forms (nothing original here). Rather than any real surprises or shocks, the plot unfolds in a pretty predictable mannerâ
50. Jun 11, 2012
Terrible move. No suspense whatsoever. I kept waiting for the movie to get exciting but it never happened. The storyline stupid. No explanations of anything that was happening. I could barely tell it was a prequel to Alien.
51. STS
Jun 11, 2012
This is a visually spectacular film and one of the best sci-fi films I've seen in a while. I think people that complain that it isn't 'like Alien' just aren't paying attention, and anyways, why would you want Scott to just remake something entirely the same. This is set in the same universe, but tells a different story. There are some weaknesses, such as some of the character development, but then again, the original Alien didn't give us a lot in that regard - perhaps it's more noticeable here due to how much it is trying to show. As for unanswered questions - I have answers for each one, they might not be the "Right" answers, but it's what I'll choose to take away from the film, and as a real sci-fi fan, I love that. I usually hate 3D films, but this was gorgeous, and so smooth, even better than Avatar. Not a perfect film, but a real quality science fiction film for fans of the genre. I sincerely hope something else will follow this film! Expand
52. Jun 11, 2012
53. Jun 11, 2012
Although visually wonderful to behold, the story is downright dreadful and dull. People who expect a prequel to "Alien" will be disappointed, even if you just want to see a decent scifi-horror-flick you might leave the theatre dissatisfied. All of the characters seem to suffer from the infamous "character in a horror movie disease": They got the depth of cardboard cutouts and their actions are ranging from inconsiderate to insanely stupid. Collapse
54. Jun 11, 2012
Being a fan of the Aliens movies (particularly the first two), I was very interested in this movie and made sure not to spoil myself before watching it, but it turned out to be a disappointment. Visually, though, it's impressive: the cinematography and the effects are amazing. I'll try and not give any spoilers.
The characters are just too shallow and the crew, generally, so unrealistical
ly incompetent as scientists and explorers from what you would expect for members of a scientific endeavour in journey to another star system, they just seem like a bunch of ordinary guys with little education put together on a bus, pardon, ship. Given the scientific, religious and philosophical implications of their mission (involving the origins of life), they respond with virtually no interest or criticism in an attitude best described as "just doing my job". The expedition itself has little planning, organization, leadership, discipline, procedure and protocol for extraterrestrial exploration, sometimes with a complete lack of common sense precaution, let alone a scientific method or approach that is to be expected, up to and including downright childish behaviour. However, the technology and gadgets available are amazing, which in turn allow some excellent visual effects... Throughout the movie, the findings and implications are rarely discussed or very poorly so, which is shocking, given what they encounter. Characters aren't really explored that much, and one can only assume their "general motivations", which seem shallow and bland. The performances of the actors aren't particularly noteworthy either, except for Fassbender, though it isn't exactly stellar. Additionally, there's the occasional scientific mistake or inconsistency here and there, which lead to very awkward plausibility. Also, the suspense/horror scenes don't have much tension to them, and the soundtrack was completely forgettable to me.
The philosophical questions the story poses are only very thinly hinted and left in the air in a not very particularly interesting fashion.
In short:
If you've seen and like the Aliens, you will get something out that universe with this, but it can come with a lot of frustration depending on your patience. As a sci-fi movie, this is not a particularly intelligent one and the visual presentation is the only thing to stand out.
55. Jun 11, 2012
It was an epic movie. Beautiful, and MUCH more insightful as to what's going on. Not just "AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH, KILLER ALIENS!!!!!!!!!!!!", it's taken a great leap into story depth. Ridley Scott is da man.
56. Jun 11, 2012
Great movie. The Alien genie has been out of the bottle for years. It was natural to explore the space jockey in this one. This is a mature movie with real thought provoking questions in it. More of a journey more than a destination.
57. Jun 11, 2012
This was a bad movie and it had nothing to do fitting into the Alien(s) universe or not. The story made little to no sense but worst of all the characters were idiotic. This trillion dollar expedition staffed with what we presume to be elite & eager SCIENTISTS must have spent years training and planning, at least two years in hibernation travelling billions and billions of miles to make first contact with an alien civilization no earthling has ever encountered before, and what happens when they finally arrive at their destination? They act like a bunch of college kids on a road trip. Let's get laid. Let's get lost in cave system that we just completely mapped out and then immediately get high. Let's remove our helmets and breathe the air, because heck why not? Let's do no science and touch every possible slimy unknown substance we can and take it all back to the ship without any sort of quarantine procedure. In fact, screw it, let's just turn around and go back home.
Cabin in the Woods had way more humour and suspense and even John Carter was a more entertaining sci-fi movie.
58. drm
Jun 11, 2012
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. OK. Let me preface this review with a couple of facts. The original 'Alien' is a masterpiece. That movie scared the hell out of me as a 7 year old. I'd read the book, so I'd coerced my parents to take me to the movie. Sigourney Weaver had a lot to do with that, because she's a really good actress. Prometheus just doesn't quite hit the mark. It's a good, fun, well-detailed movie to watch, but gets flaccid toward the end. I don't blame Ridley for any of this. I blame **** 'Lost' writers for this. Guys who sit up at Comicon panels every year and say, "We're not going do anything that stupid", and then they do. Nice one. There are glaring plot holes in this thing, mainly concerning the evidence left behind from a previous expedition, an escape suite, an escape pod, other fully functional alien spacecraft lying about, and all sorts of unseen wreckage, that the cast from the '79 cast should've seen bold as day. I thought the "Engineer" aliens being near-human was a total lazy cop-out too. It was unnecessary. Weyland wasn't Lance Henriksen, which creates some other problems, and the artificial person really broke with canon for more reasons than I care to count. Despite all it's flaws, I did have fun watching it. It's delightful to look at, but it isn't an 'Alien' movie. need to start writing this stuff yourself. You're better at it than these lousy, lifestyle, wanna-be nerd hacks. Expand
59. Jun 11, 2012
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I am noticing a lot of people giving this movie bad reviews simply because they lack the cognitive capacity to put two and two together. Most of the people giving prometheus a bad rating are complaining that the movie is full of plot holes. Most of these "plot holes" are actually explained if you pay attention to the movie. Yes there are parts of the story line that were unanswered, or to be continued, but that was the way it was panned. Prometheus was shot beautifully and Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender, and Charlize Theron did a wonderful job portraying their characters. I thoroughly enjoyed the story and everything the film had to offer. I highly recommend it. Expand
60. Jun 11, 2012
61. Jun 11, 2012
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Ridley Scott is a great director, but he appears to be perfectly capable of making awful movies. Prometheus's problems range from absurdly predictable plot to characters acting in such a stupid manner that horror movie cheerleaders would be appalled. There are many instances were the internal logic of the story breakdown or never develop at all. The horror scenes are not suspenseful, with jump scares that you can predict to the second and blinding stupidity. Combine that with large amounts of pointless religious symbolism, no character development, no emotional connection and an ending that borders on offensive to the viewers intelligence (the main character knowing leaves the planet on a ship that contains a bio-weapon that can cause extinction with the explicit purpose of landing on a populated planet) and you have yourself a bad, boring movie. I cannot give it a lower score, however, because the acting is generally good (its the writing that fails) and the movie contains one of my favorite death scenes ever. Expand
62. Jun 11, 2012
A movie of could-have-beens. Could have been written better. Could have been acted better. Prometheus is too much about corny dialogue and bungled mysticism. The characters are flat and stereotyped. I think there were 2 or 3 occasions where my wife and I made eye contact and groaned.
63. Jun 11, 2012
A friend told me that this was a horrible movie and that I would be bored to death. With that in mind, I went anyway,and found that the movie was not boring but it was rather stupid. I was entertained but the story is absurd if you apply any logic or reason and you end up asking yourself a lot of questions that are not answered. The crew do things that are beyond belief for this mission and I wonder why the writers thought that anyone watching this movie would find their actions believable. I hope that Ridley Scott will use his talents to make a much better film if he does a sequel. However, do we need another film with those alien creatures in them? That idea has lost its luster many years ago. Expand
64. Jun 11, 2012
65. Jun 11, 2012
just saw prometheus, don't believe the reviews it was great but it differed from the core ideas of alien and that's what is throwing some people off
it was more of a dramatic sci-fi film like say, 2001 (although not as meaningful or cryptic) that tied up a few loose ends provided by alien (but not all of them, it was set on a different planet after all)
it explained the space jockey, the
birth of the alien race and it set up a rough idea for how the events of alien were set up
a lot of the characters weren't quite up to the gritty, rough and really "human" ones shown in alien and aliens, but michael fassbender was amazing as david and the way he interacted with people along with a good steady progression of plot points and information given really made this film
the effects were really neat, although as I've said numerous times before I hate 3D for the stupid gimmick it is even when it's used to its fullest potential (see like, avatar, I suppose) but in this it was really inappropriate and there were only a few moments were I was even aware it was in 3D
overall: don't expect a film that captures the same feel of alien, because that's not what it's trying to be, but the characters and good story really make it worth seeing
66. Jun 11, 2012
67. Jun 11, 2012
A mixed bag. It's no Alien or Aliens and the hybrid of dreamy sci-fi (the best thing about Prometheus) and horror (inconsistent) is at odds with each other. The movie is filled with throwaway characters and dialogue that have none of the spark and wit of Aliens. Prometheus is worth seeing for the expansive effects, but don't expect to leave with the andrenaline rush from the original and the first sequel. Expand
68. Jun 11, 2012
Is this an Alien prequel?: yes, definitely! Does it answer all of your questions?: about 70%, some stuff is still unexplained. As this is a Ridley Scott film it surely looks VERY nice, super hi-tech production design and very sleek VFX. I watched it in 3D but you can skip that coz it doesn't add much. I had incredibly high expectations for this film and they are mostly met. The basic ideas from Alien are carried over and expanded from Alien 1. You don't actualy need to have seen any of the Alien movies to appreciate it as the story works on it's own. If you are a fan of Alien or have appreciated any of the Alien movies I would highly recommend seeing this film, you won't regret it! Expand
69. Jun 11, 2012
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. First of all I like to say that this movie is not like Alien or even Aliens. The cinematography is outstanding and the 3D brings it out even more. I would recommend 2D and just imagine how it looks in 3D.
Yes it is a prequel and here is a question to everyone. Don't you believe there will always be unanswered questions to the origins of human life? This movie is meant about to reflect your own ideals about how we came on Earth. This is probably a spoiler but during the movie Noomi's character was tested about her own beliefs with God even to the point that they accused her of abandoning her own belief. Her cross was taken during the movie due to her Medical attention and at the end of the movie she got her cross back from the android David. She was offer to go back to Earth but she still wanted to seek out the questions on why and how these Aliens came to Earth and created humans.
There are bits of other stuff in this movie that are related to the Alien movies. The thing that came out of Noomi's character would be the face hugger, the Alien that came out of the chest would be the chest burster and the space jockey/engineer are part of the relationship to the other Alien films.
Wonderful movie but not for everyone.
70. Jun 11, 2012
I'm a huge fan of early Ridley Scott sci-fi. Bladerunner and Alien have been two of my top ten movies of all time, for over two decades. It's probably because of this that Prometheus failed so hugely for me. As soon as the first preview was released, I was amped for this film.I watched every preview, Ridley Scott interview, and pre-release item I could find. I knew I had "expectations" that few directors could meet--including my all-time favorite. Now, it seems, I cannot find five redeeming things to say about the film without thinking of 85 complaints.What was the purpose of the Prometheus "God" in the beginning sequence, drinking the "alien Koolaid?" Why were the "gods" angry with the "earthlings? Why couldn't the creature designers pick and stick with ONE alien creature design--instead of the squid-vagina-penis-cobra-Alien 3 morphed creature combos? The original Alien design was so perfect, so basic, so original; it was as if Scott couldn't decide on how to represent that concept in the "pre-story" so he just went with ALL the ideas. What was the point of making the beautiful Bishop re-dux robot character, David, an evil-plotting-alien-spawning bad guy? How many "homages" does one director get in one movie? There was the 2001 Space Odyssey -bicycle-basketball scene, the John WIlliams' Star Wars theme music. .... The narrative is splintered, incongruent, and non-sensical. The special effects canNOT save the film from its many contradictions and easy horror ploys. Expand
71. Jun 11, 2012
Wow. Can not believe all the negative reviews. It might be spaam on here honestly. This movie was amazing! the directing, the acting, the visuals, the sounds, the intense scenes, the premise of the film were all fantastic.
72. Jun 11, 2012
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This was a reasonably good science fiction film. It was not the epic or classic film I hoped it would be. The visuals were excellent. The acting was quite good. The story/script was OK, but there were a number of problems (see below). The story tried to be serious and ask/answer serious questions about the origin of humans. It was partially successful. It was way more than a monster movie, but ultimately it failed because of too many unrealistic plot issues. I love Ridley Scott and most of his films. I liked this one and am glad I saw it. It just wasnâ Expand
73. Jun 11, 2012
Prometheus combines all the great aspects of a sci-fi film (special effects, cinematography, futuristic technology) with an absolutely insulting to intelligence philosophy. When Scott tries to answer life's biggest questions he gives you the impression of a 15 year old kid with a religious upbringing who doesn't understand how anything in life works. The crew of 17 supposed "scientists" are scripted to say things most scientists, or even lay people will cringe at. But the film is filled with a few good thrill rides and Fassbender is fantastic as usual. If you want to see another brain dead blockbuster this ones for you. Expand
74. Jun 11, 2012
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Visually stunning, yet the underlying story lacked futuristic plausibility and authenticity for the created realm. Initially I thought this was going to be this year's "best movie" despite the terrific competition, but unfortunately the movie left me scratching my head way to often. There's so many things I can nit pick to death about this movie that I can only rate it as "a good watch". There's so many questions I wish I could ask the writers, the director, and producers. Here are a few of the things that irked me most... (1) when reaching the planet, why wasn't the planet observed from space first to decipher the best place(s) to land and investigate? They should have treated this moment to be similar to how we in our present time treat Mars exploration. Study the geology of the planet and decipher where best to investigate further. Instead we got an immediate surface cruise with the hope of stumbling across an interesting feature to suggest that intelligent life exists/ed. (2) The removal of the space suit head gear inside the cavern just because some readings reported the atmosphere was similar to earth's air was extremely stupid and unrealistic. The risks... (a) unknown viral contaminates within the atmosphere that may not of been capable of being read by the scanner could have made the scientists deadly sick, any smart scientist wouldn't have risked that possibility, (b) any contaminates the crew themselves might have introduced into the alien atmosphere would have been equally foolish. Just think back to the history of our own world, when Europeans discovered America the sicknesses that got passed to the indigenous people were huge. The fact that all the other exploratory crew simply followed along after the male scientist took his off bothered me... was that a form of peer pressure or mass stupidity? (3) The Biologist and Geologist scientists. Part 1: When the crew discovers the dead alien body why is it alright for the crew to let the biologist guy walk away? Wouldn't the study of that corpse be one of the reasons he was brought along in the first place? Secondly, the Geologist guy, how is it that the guy who's supposedly the expert on understanding the cavern and the one who's in charge of the mapping drones, how is he the one who gets lost in trying to get out of the cavern? Plus, these two characters had the ability to stay in constant contact with both the ship and the rest of the exploratory crew while making their way back out. Not-to-mention, the Captain of the Prometheus was able to watch all of their exact positions within the cavern while being in constant contact with them. Part 2: These 2 characters were so scared of the dead alien body that they left the rest of the exploratory crew to get back to the ship, they also showed that same attitude when they were asked to check out a mapping drone which was signaling that an active life was near it, then when they find themselves back at the initial chamber they decide to have a look around? The biologist guy even decides to reach out in awe when being confronted by a worm-like creature, funny considering he was freaked out by the possibility of encountering something alive just a bit earlier and now he's all stupidly curious. Where did the character consistency go? (4) The investigating method the exploratory team had once the sealed chamber was opened. I'm surprised that the chamber wasn't treated more like a mix between a crime scene and a decontamination zone. Instead you had the characters simply walking around in awe, touching and handling a preserved alien head with their space suits and the AI character messing around and touching **** without using some sort of sample collecting tool(s). Plus, the fact that black goo substance was seen on the top(s) of some of these containers was that not enough of a reason to be more cautious about breathing in the air within that room? (5) The AI's decision to open the alien container inside the ship. First there's no evidence of him running any scans on it, which implies he couldn't have know the potential harm that could have been done to the atmosphere within the ship. He simply pulls out the vase like container from cool storage and he begins opening it. He even eventually cracks open the glass-like inner container to expose the liquid inside. What was a supposedly super smart AI thinking? That action endangered everyones lives within the ship, even his creators. Then there is the question of what happened to the rest of that sample? Did he destroy the rest after taking the amount on his finger to the male scientist or did he keep the rest of it. If he kept it, how did he prevent it from oozing like the black substance was doing in the chamber? BTW, the fact that the black substance was oozing out of the vases inside that chamber, does that imply that all of those glass-like containers were broken, except for the one he took with him? Expand
75. Jun 11, 2012
Way too much bad writing and obvious plot holes. Other user reviews have already mentioned in detail the issues with the script, so I won't get into that...but I agree that there are just too many dumb or unexplainable actions by the characters in this movie. If feels like they forced this script into production, yet no one in the process questioned the obvious logic flaws contained in it. An earlier review by the user Taantric does a thorough job of pointing out all of the flaws. Expand
76. Jun 11, 2012
I m sure that all of us expected more of this movie. Is Ridley Scott lacking originality in Prometheus? Why resemblance to Kubrick's 2001? Why same sentences of HAL 9000, even the same tone of the voice? Why the landscape that is almost same as "Mission to Mars? Why the main character is "religious scientist"? Many things in this story does not make sense... I know it is SF, but it could have been written better in many ways... It could have been a great movie... Even Anderson's "Alien V.S. Predator" had a much more solid plot with less holes in the story. Special effects are great in 3D but that's it... Anyway, considering the fact that in past few years we did not have a pleasure to watch many decent SF movies, Prometheus is worth watching...and nothing more. Expand
77. G3R
Jun 11, 2012
78. Jun 11, 2012
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. when ridley scott does a movie well, it's beautiful! i loved aliens, gladiator, blade runner, but prometheus was a big disappointment mostly because of the script...
ridley scott's signature is his ability in depicting the vastness of or closeness of an environment, the intricate detailing and grandeur of of a scene, and creating an impactful ATMOSPHERE; i didn't really get much of that in this movie. also, there was very little character development so you didn't become involved with anyone; i wanted to learn more about charlize theron's character but it never happened, the altruism of the captain and crew to sacrifice their lives wasn't developed so i didn't feel any empathy, even with the main character ('shaw' noomi rapace) i didn't get a sense of her motivation for her search? the only character that had any character development was david the android, but his motivations were not clear either, although it seemed there was a "pinochio" metaphor going on..and is he supposed to have emotions or not, confusing? and the whole scene and aftermath of the pregnancy and self operation, was terrible! it didn't add to the story nor was it believable how she could do it awake and then start running right after? (oh, yeah medical technology i guess...whatever...)
overall a let down. wait for video.
79. X0R
Jun 11, 2012
Could have been a great film, but riddled with story holes, poor character involvement & development, awful dialogue ... typical for SciFi-Channel quality but not for a film that had a $120-million budget. So disappointing. And Ebert's sell-out review is disgusting....did he even watch the Alien series? He didn't even criticize this film for any of the plot flaws or terrible acting.
80. Jun 11, 2012
Actually, I am surprised at the lack of intelligent investigation/critical review by many of the formal critics. Only one, Ebert, out of Chicago caught and interpreted Scott's "Grand Design". Prometheus is about mankind's divine/physical origins. From the myth-like divinity of Prometheus, god of science and mankind's friend, to elements of scientific theory and fact (Eratosthenes, Galileo, Newton, Darwin, Einstein, Sagan, Hawking) Scott brings to his tale of divine origin a host of ideals and threats. Is life the survival of the fittest or the survival of the brightest, and/or is life about faith and discovery of self and the universe? Does science buy immortality or at the least the keys to immortality or does faith unlock the secrets of immortality? Without question, the scientists and philosophers' of the enlightenment pepper the script and Scott's movie reflects his remorse that contemporary philosophers are so rare - yet Jarad Diamond, "Gun, Germs and Steel" emerges reflecting that the true enemy of mankind is not one another but bacteria and viruses or even what is hidden in the subatomic mists. Blending the constructs of religion versus faith by introducing a Voltaire element of "Candide" into the script - Scott continues to utilize the great moments of sci-fi by replicating the primordial ooze of life similar to Clark's short story. The protagonist, Shaw, played by Naomi Rapace, is without question the Eve Gene - a truth seeker, scientist and adventurer who will challenge the boundaries of science and faith with her desire to find the land of the divine, man's creators. The glue that binds the above elements together is Hawking "Grand Design" - that divinity resides in the universe and life itself. The question; will it be a singular entity, tight and congruent like a Kantian model or is life in constant need of repair? Scott and his writing team - Jon Spaihts and Damon Lindelof - incorporates the best of the best in grand celluliod tradition and example, touching on the intellectual dominance of the sci-fi genre of Bradbury, Asimov, Clark, Herbert with a blend of sci-fi fantasy that includes the eternal battle between good and evil, negative and positive polarity, matter and antimatter. At the same time, Scott tickles his audience with images of great moments in Sci-Fi movies - the slimy snake like creatures that are parasites (Star Gates Gao'ld), Van Danikens (Chariots of the Gods) reflecting a race of superior aliens in archeological stone, David = Hal the computer of Kubrick's 2001, and often tongue in cheek moments of Scott's own trilogy Aliens (Ash resembles David or is David really the "Lawrence of Arabia of other worlds"?) or the moral debate when Shaw removes the parasite from her body conflicts with Ripley who birthed and destroyed the hominid-alien link of DNA cross breeding.
Of course, any intelligent critic will see the next movie - the sequel - and the leap from current theoretical debate to Hawking's "Grand Design". And in doing so - will Ripley look the lens "darkly" or give his audience a tiny picture into the Divine? This movie is not for the banal or the horror advocate - it is a movie where Scott, in all integrity, uses art to mirror society. So will his intellectual critics condemn or praise Scott's vision? Will it become a provocative movie (similar to Kubrick's 2001) that will mirror current theory of our origin and the struggle to survive? What is life, where did it begin, is it Divine or Darwinism, or a combination of both or neither - and is life governed by good or evil, negative and positive, or is brith itself the singular event of life?
It is a big movie, a big challenge. I think for the most part Scott has succeeded. The challnege will be his sequel - the dynamics of the main plotting. I, for one, will be to see the results of Scott's vision. "f he is successful, he will join the ranks of enlighten men and women.
81. Jun 11, 2012
For the average Joe, it's a great sci-fi horror movie (score 7.5). But for me, a fan of the Alien universe, it was a disappointment, and a reminder that big names (Ridley Scott) do not always mean a good story. The movie has shallow characters, lots of story holes, sequences that defy your intelligence and lots of questions unanswered. Fassbender and Rapace are great (her, after things start going wrong). The movie has good things, though: the C-section sequence, the visuals, the score. That's about it. Expand
82. Jun 11, 2012
83. Jun 11, 2012
As one of two most anticipated summer blockbusters of 2012 by most fervent cinema-goers, me included (the other is THE DARK KNIGHT RISE, doubtlessly), I watched it in the cinema, a plain 2D version, but in a nutshell, it is not satisfactory at all.
The film has wrought some doze-prompted moments, there are just too many routine procedures have to be dealt with (tediously) to tell a tale
(with cliche-ridden dialogues and stereotyped roles) before any flare or more precisely, casualty to take action. Then quite ironically, the ill-fated first casualties are the geographer and the biologist (no career-based prejudice, I may watch too much of THE BIG BANG THEORY), whose raisons dâ Expand
84. Jun 11, 2012
85. Jun 11, 2012
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. PART 1 OF 2 (Due to space limitations)
I'm reproducing a review here written on from Weyland Smithers, who puts it all far better than I ever could:
"Prometheus is a hilarious comedy in the tradition of "Spaceballs" and "Men in Black" about a motley crew of forgetful, scaredy-cat scientists who go into space and try to find their alien creator. They find maps in caves that are their invitation, but this turns out to be a hilarious trick, like a mousetrap for retards.
The first scene is a giant, german-looking albino steroid guy who drinks some coffee out of an ashtray and gets sick and falls in the waterfall. Special effects reveal that he has little, tiny ladders in his blood called D&A. This guy looks like a member of the Blue Man Group, except White. There is a UFO flying overhead that is never seen or mentioned ever again in the movie. Just one of the many pranks that the writers and director have put in the movie to trick you with.
Next we meet these two very forgetful and silly scientists and they get to go into space on a beautiful ship. It is taken care of by a gay robot who does stuff like dye his hair and dress up like Robocop with a colander on his head to entertain himself. If C3PO had a human face, he would be this guy. All of the silly bungling scientists wake up from hyper-sleep in time to watch a hilarious hologram of a guy in an "old man" mask that looks like the Emperor from Return of the Jedi. I think he is wearing the old guy mask to get some laughs from the wacky scientists, but no one notices it. There is another funny guy with unconventional hair and tattoos who is really mean to everyone - that's so true! Guys that look like that are always dicks!
The spaceship starts to land on the planet, and as luck would have it, lands exactly near the alien castle on the very first try without even looking around too much - another hilarious example of serendipity! These guys are so lucky and fun to watch! The crazy scientists go into the alien castle and two of the guys get so scared that they decide to go back to the ship and get lost, even though they have flying superballs that make 3D maps of everything. Those two bungling doofuses! They are like "Dumb & Dumber" or "Abott & Costello". The rest of the gang finds more poisonous coffee and somehow the gay robot steals a whole pot of it without anyone noticing. He's such a Sneaky-Pete!
Everyone has to go back to the ship at the last minute because the Captian pranks them and waits until a violent storm is nearby before telling them about it! Haha! This guy is great! The two bungling idiot scientists get stuck in the castle and decide to goof-off all night. They try to pet a space cobra that lives in the poisonous coffee, but it kills them, which I think is what ALL cobras wish to do, space or no. Meanwhile, back on the ship, the gay robot does a HILARIOUS prank on the whiny scientist who wears a hipster scarf. He puts a little poisonous coffee in this jerk's drink and gives him pink eye and diarrhea (probably). Haha! That's like a whoopee cushion x100! Luckily the scientist has enough health left to hump his forgetful girlfriend one last time before he is all the way super-sick from the bad coffee. As one last prank to his fellow scientists, he suits up and goes back to the castle with them, even though he secretly knows he is very, very sick. Haha. What an inconvenience to the rest of the group - the ulimate prank!
The mean lady burns him later. The forgetful scientist gets pregnant with a white octopus and has to take it out using Michael Jackson's special oxygen bed. Now here is where the movie gets really hialrious, because she TOTALLY forgets that the alien squid is in there and just leaves to go do some errands! HAHAHA! It turns out that the funny guy in the old man mask is really hiding on the ship and he does some funny slapstick "old man walking" with a cane! I love it!
86. Jun 11, 2012
Hard to imagine it's by the same director as Alien, it's so far away in tone, pace and a lot of the acting*.
Like a remake for the short-attention-span generation, or a George Lucas prequel, there's enough happening for 5 movies, all rammed into 2 hours and with the odd 'big concept' thrown in there, with no time to make anything to seem believable.It seems borderline insane instead.
tainly entertaining though, can't say it's boring - I needed a few moment's silence after the end. Looks amazing in places too. However I don't think I'd want to see it again in a hurry and it.certainly won't be seen as a classic in 30 years.
*There's some very dodgy supporting character acting, - the Scottish woman was particularly cringe-worthy.
87. Jun 10, 2012
position delivered at every possible opportunity.
88. Jun 10, 2012
A major debate that underlies the film is what's interesting, what I believed was supposed to be the question of Religion Vs Science, Creationism Vs Evolution. Unfortunately the film doesn't really do much with it. Apart from that the film offers a few interesting new ideas to the Alien story and of course the gorgeous visuals and a few expected scares.
Overall this film was enjoyable to
watch but just fell short of being a great film, it seems as if there were missing scenes, if not then some lazy story telling but I find the later hard to believe coming from a seasoned director.
Fully expecting a much more coherent directors cut some time in the future. I hope that the film wasn't chopped up on purpose just to push more BluRay sales.
89. Jun 10, 2012
90. Jun 10, 2012
Special effects and Guy Pearce's makeup were good but it seems that there's something missing in the movie and I can't tell what it is. Prometheus pales in comparison with Aliens series. And even for the lead character, Sigourney Weaver's character, Ripley, is more likable, trustworthy, and determined than Noomi Rapace's Dr. Elisabeth Shaw.
91. Jun 10, 2012
If one can't keep up with the subtext of what's going on in the film, they are going to come away completely disappointed and confused by Prometheus. If you have the chops to hang in there, though, the film is a fantastic, and important, exploration into the nature of human existence. Make no mistake, the monsters and horror of this film exist SOLELY to support the existential quest that is the root of the story. If you are expecting a film about aliens who kill people, you won't be satisfied. (Even if aliens to spectacularly kill people) Expand
92. Jun 10, 2012
93. D6M
Jun 10, 2012
While this movie isn't perfect, it's still a far better experience than Alien 3 and Resurrection, which recycled the ideas of its predecessors and spit them back out; whereas Prometheus attempts to take the franchise in a new direction while still staying true to the core elements of previous installments. Aside from one motive left unexplained and an unaddressed continuity issue in the time line between Prometheus and Alien(it would seriously take 2-3 sentences of narrative to bridge everything together...but sequel maybe?), the movie exceeded my expectations; between its amazing cinematography/visuals and convincing acting, this crazy story somehow becomes believable.
This is far from a bad movie and the 3D version by far had the best 3D I've experienced yet(no obvious scenes with way too many people at too many varying distances or stuff flying towards my face). To wrap things up, this is a great movie that is well worth seeing on the big screen in 3D, even though it has some faults, they aren't that detrimental to the film itself, but rather it's continuity between it and it's current sequel Alien.
94. Jun 10, 2012
"I'm not here to be your friend, I'm here to make money."
Save your money. Watch it on DVD some day when you've run out of things do, your future self will hate you for it. I know you're a fan, you loved the last movies, you like bad movies that others don't get, sci fi movies, AVP, me this movie is dumb, full of Swiss cheese-wiz and pathetic symbolism. It's like that last seas
on of LOST... Expand
95. Jun 10, 2012
Poor attempt at cobbling together a new mythology. Good sci-fi is rare; this wasn't even close. While alien movies ranged from pure terror, ego-driven, vain militaristic blends and various other facets, they were at least focused. This movie's lofty ideals execute themselves so badly that one wonders if the director had gotten too familiar with his intent that he assumed others seeing this would simply see his cohesive sweeping grandness that probably resides in head alone. Not so. Director's costly error. Expand
96. Jun 10, 2012
This is for sure the best movie of 2012 I have seen so far, Sci fi movies are of my favorites, I also loved Alien I also liked this one but not that much as alien, but still awesome
97. Jun 10, 2012
98. Jun 10, 2012
Another great Ridley Scott movie, he is a great director, it has awesome special effects and it has to much suspense, and we have a great performance by a new movie star, Michael Fassbender, who is really popular at the moment
99. Jun 10, 2012
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Rather than explicitly deliver the plot to the viewer in tight punchlines, this movie flows from one rich template to the next...and the plot unfolds without pausing for the laugh track. When its over, you are left with the intriguing question: why do these Romanesque demi-gods who've engineered themselves into perfect physical specimens...and who've engineered the development of a mirror species (us), why on earth do they design this biological weapon to destroy mankind (their own creation) approximately 100 years after the crucifixion?
What are the parallels between them, human civilization, our destruction, and they symbol of Rapace's crucifix? Could Ridley Scott be tying everything together? Could earth be an outpost for their empire...and when our civilization chose something other than the regimented slave-system of the Roman Empire, this did not fit into their plans for a new colony?
There are a billion intriguing ideas, and only a few clues...
One of the best movies in years, IMO, and even if it is not widely praised, I think it will have a spot on many "best sci-fi movie" lists for a long, long time.
100. Jun 10, 2012
Wow! Oh, wow. I just returned from the theater and I think my head is still in outer space. No kidding, the special effects and sound in this movie are ramped up to such intensity, it will take you a while to adjust after the first time you see it, too. Hang on to your popcorn. You're in for a ride.
This movie deals with the theme that life may have come from other planets. Was it benevol
ent? Was it intelligent? Did it have the potential for peace or death? The answer may be, all of the above. A group of humans and an android take a massive craft to the site of a possible civilization. They are out to see whether it was the source of human culture. They are so optimistic, in fact, that notions of potential difficulties don't stop them. Soon they're on the planet, and searching through what seems to be an inhabited mountain. Is anything still down there? The viewer familiar with the rest of the Alien series will recognize the wry nods to the characters down the road. There is the smart-aleck humanoid robot, the eager explorers, and those who are skeptical of the whole thing. I won't tell you too much, since this is one of those stories that's so elaborate, and has such momentum, you really have to see it for yourself. Although I was frustrated by some of the plot twists, of which some are explained and others just aren't, it's clear that this film is a complex, supercharged thrill ride. Fans of science fiction will be agog with happiness over the dark storyline and the special effects. Those who like horror will understand the relentless fear that follows you all through the film. If the entire movie feels as if you are scurrying down a tunnel, it's because much of the time, you are. Good versus evil is always a worthwhile theme. In this movie, although it's not always clear what constitutes winning or losing, the battle is a heck of a thing to watch. Expand
Generally favorable reviews - based on 42 Critics
Critic score distribution:
1. Positive: 24 out of 42
2. Negative: 1 out of 42
1. Reviewed by: David Denby
Jun 11, 2012
2. 70
3. 75
There's definite mastery here, but it's hardly a masterpiece.
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This 395 message thread spans 14 pages: < < 395 ( 1 2 3 4 [5] 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 ... 14 > >
2: Google MAYDAY Update - SERP Changes May 2010
10:22 pm on May 12, 2010 (gmt 0)
< continued from [webmasterworld.com...] >
Puh, this is really strange: I still see 2 resultsets - and after 7 days I can say that SERPs #1 are shown from right at 0am to about 5am local time and SERPs #2 the rest of the day. I thought this was some kind of dancing around again but it seems to be quite stable now for 1 week.
Funny thing is: SERPs #1 are better then before, SERPs #2 are worse (in rankings of main keywords).
Google is no longer following my robots.txt file. It has indexed hundreds of pages that I have disallowed.
Same here, got a complete set of new pages with robots=noindex in the index.
Generally it's best to make any changes when SERPs are stable, never within an update due to panic!
In general I would agree, but I haven't seen something like "stable SERPs" since January... This makes it quite hard not to panic ;-)
[edited by: tedster at 7:43 pm (utc) on May 13, 2010]
8:47 am on May 16, 2010 (gmt 0)
That all may very well be TheMadScientist. I'm no expert in AI, load balancing, and all that hyper geeky stuff :)
But what I do know is that the moment I saw the new search interface popping in and out of my browser, traffic to lots of site I own/manage began tanking--many of which have outstanding quality links and good content.
My non-technical take is that between the new interface pushing organic down even further and the introduction of the left margin in search results, a portion of traffic that we'd all otherwise get is making use of ads, maps, and tools (to a larger degree).
Google's just slicing away another layer of organic traffic to monetize.
8:56 am on May 16, 2010 (gmt 0)
I have seen some copied wikipedia articles in the SERPS recently (and the copying is that way round as the source is acknowledged). Something wrong with duplicate content filters?
9:26 am on May 16, 2010 (gmt 0)
TheMadScientist....so what do you suggest we use to actually get a good sense of where our site ranks if we are not able to emulate what others are seeing? I mean how can we track our rankings across the board (what other searchers are seeing) if we can only seeing ranking from our end and have no clue what they are seeing is the same or not?
Should we stick with GWT data for now to let us know exactly where our site's average ranking is? Instead of assuming that if I do a search on my computer for my keyword and it shows
my site at #3 that I'm ranking the same for all searchers?
Seolearner....I currently rank #1 for a keyword that GWT says has 2400 searches a month and I get about 15-20 uniques/45-50 impressions a day from that keyword.
Also for the last 2 days the SERPs have been stable now for me and the same one dataset shows up every time I run a search. I am not getting any of hourly SERP fluctuation between the two datasets like I was getting in the
last month or so.
9:31 am on May 16, 2010 (gmt 0)
On another keyword that G shows monthly EXACT search volume of 1900 I get like 1-3 uniques a day with that keyword with site ranking at #5.
9:35 am on May 16, 2010 (gmt 0)
I see what you're saying to a point, but there are odd things that keep happening with my traffic on one that I haven't had stats on long enough to understand...
In the new layout thread I posted about my traffic on it tanking about the same time as the roll out of the new layout, but today is the best Saturday I've had with it, and it's a long-tail site from the start and it's consistently moved up in traffic throughout the change until last week when things got all 'goofy', technically speaking of course.
My visits are generally trending up, with last week being down, and visit times / page view averages are all over the place and it's so odd I almost think there's a reporting error for the stats, but I can tell you from what I saw today, the long-tail traffic is still going to sites (more today than on any Sat. I've had the site by about 20%) and last week could have simply been an odd week, and I'm sure Google wants more traffic to stay on their site, because that's business, but IDK how long they could keep it that way, because one of the reasons people go to the web AFAIK is to visit websites, not a single website, so I can see where ads and maps and 'stuff' are important for them to display, but I think people who use Google will continue to visits websites, because that's why they call it surfing the Internet, and I think it'll be interesting to see where things go.
What I'm saying about the changes and taking time is fairly easy to understand if you just think: It takes time to gather the necessary data within some systems to refine them and there are a couple systems (or more) it seems they need more time to just plain gather data within before we see the 'final product'.
I guess another way of saying it is we could be seeing the final product 'in the rough' and as data is gathered and processed by the systems the roughness will probably wear off, and if that's the direction they've gone and what they're doing the system will continue to refine itself constantly, which is a huge move if you think about it, and IDK if that's what they're doing or not, but it's something tedster suggested and he's made some fairly good 'guesses' in the past if I remember correctly, so IMO it definitely could be.
Personalization and AI type rankings both work about the same way, although separate, so it's easy to think of it like 'click based rankings', only with a really complex scoring system...
Simplistically, if you start off with ten URLs on a web page and you don't know which is the most popular or which is the best answer, you might display them in a some type of random order until people start to click on them and 'vote' for each. After you have some data you could begin displaying the ones with the most clicks at the top after a certain 'threshold' is hit. (Say 20 clicks 'gets a site in to the scoring' at the top of the page). The ones with less than 20 clicks could remain randomly displayed below...
Sites within 5 clicks of each other could even switch back and forth until there was a 'more definite better answer'...
The above could all be written into the system from the start, so it adjusts by itself based on the clicks, but thing is you need a certain amount of data before people can see the refinements the system will make to the scoring over time, and until you get the information you need about the specific sites (pages) for the specific system you are running from the outside it looks random, broken and not well refined, but once the scoring mechanisms have the data they need to 'kick in' the system looks 'fixed' and 'refined' and continues to look more 'refined' over time.
Hope that makes a bit of sense. :)
[edited by: TheMadScientist at 9:58 am (utc) on May 16, 2010]
9:39 am on May 16, 2010 (gmt 0)
Throw out the old school thinking and watch traffic very closely? When you make a change don't go to the results the next day and see if it's there or if your site moves, but give it a week and see what happens with your traffic, maybe?
I actually haven't checked ranking in Google in about 3 months on most of mine... All I've been doing lately is watching traffic, Closely!, but I'm a bit different, so you might want to do something else.
Personally, I think the days of 'instant knowledge' related to change are about gone... IMO moving forward things are going to be more about finding a way to influence and generate traffic than knowing exactly where you rank for a given term. They're moving away from letting us see where we rank for anyone else's searches, and the WMT data is a nice bone to throw, but IMO being able to manage traffic without seeing the SERPs is going to be the key moving forward, because it doesn't matter if you're number 1 in a generic result set when you're between number 5 and 8 in 60% of the personalized sets and your title doesn't attract any attention (AKA Clicks) ... ;)
10:01 am on May 16, 2010 (gmt 0)
TheMadScientist, you're watching traffic closely so I imagine you've got your nose stuck in logfiles most of the time: are you experiencing an increased preponderance of Google search referrals with your site URL and referral keywords in the Google referral string?
I'm seeing quite a bit of this.
10:29 am on May 16, 2010 (gmt 0)
Only when the referrer string starts with /url rather than /search :)
I would guess it has to do with the switch to AJAX for the results, but haven't used Google enough in the last 6 months to really know and haven't looked into it that closely. I'm more concerned with long term trends and patterns right now, because sometimes I have a habit of, uh, micromanaging? if I don't do it that way and I think people who constantly 'tweak' things because of a few down days present a manipulative pattern of changes over time, so I've been tring to work with ebbs and flows and look at things over time, the same way I think they have to for rankings...
It's one of the reasons why I only made one change last week even though traffic was down, and I didn't actually do it for rankings, but more for visitors and actually did it because traffic was already down, basically thinking what could it hurt? Of course with personalization visitors more directly effect rankings, but anyway I kept asking myself what I could do better or different and the only thing I came up with was a navigational change I thought made the site easier to surf, and it seems to have worked because my page views have increased since the change, and I thought it was fairly minor, but, go figure...
NOTE WRT WATCHING TRAFFIC CLOSELY: I guess I would say I like to know what happens hourly, daily, weekly, monthly, and all the little details, so I can incorporate them into a major change when it's time to do something different... Watch things closely, so you can change things wisely might be another way of putting it.
1:13 pm on May 16, 2010 (gmt 0)
... as data is gathered and processed by the systems the roughness will probably wear off...
I think that part is now just a stronger ranking factor but it has been there quite a while (rember that results sometimes pointed to a redirect URL?)
The question is: HOW STRONG are these factors in the algo now?
In the past I managed quite well to make it up for missing keyword density by just pouring more links (for example).
Means: sloopy SEO could be compensated by massive linking - or: other parts of the 200 algo factors were not as strong.
Now after this update I think there might be some new "super factors" that influence the ranking very much.
If that AI theory has some ground, I am sure it is just a new evaluation of certain parts they already used in the past.
So from my point of view...
"Super factors" before MayDay:
• Keyword in title
• Keyword on page in unique content
• Named links to this page
• Trust from the link sources
poured in to any optimization with enough volume could save the day...
Now that would be:
• all the above
• page loading speed
• user clicks in the SERPs
• user time on the destination
roughly speaking?
6:08 pm on May 16, 2010 (gmt 0)
Because we knew website speed was going to be a heavy thing we spend a couple of months to improve website speed big time... after that we gained traffic but after the 30th of april it is going downwards hard. We have absolutely no clue why other then Google pushing some buttons somewhere.
And what about Location?
My wild guess is that location is becoming more and more relevant. If you have a big website such as us which focusses on the whole world you are getting pushed down by local results. At least... that is something I suspect. I have no other idea other then the things which where already mentioned.
6:52 pm on May 16, 2010 (gmt 0)
I do agree that this could be important, but I don't think it matters whether your website is big or small. Even if you have a small site but only sell to the WWW as a whole, without a local bricks & mortar outlet, you may see the same thing happen. Add to this the speed factor (which as far as I can see, G has entirely wrong for most people/pages); and the inclusion of so many blog listings in the SERPs; and "personal history"; and the possibility (discussed here) that some filters may still be off ... it may all add up to the decline so many of us see. For the record, I see no improvement as of this posting.
7:47 pm on May 16, 2010 (gmt 0)
TheMadScientist IMO is on target, G* is experimenting with the AI concept and the aim to finally to eradicate SEO firms and experts from influencing the SEPRs without due merit. SEO expertise got to point where spammy sites can outrank the largest sites on thin long tail pages, G* thinks this has got to stop. The only problem now is the update is not complete, and still on going
The returned search for different people is now different to others. Joe bolgs in Chicago searches for "best way to clean widgets" will get site 1: widget-cleaning.com/how-to.html as top site returned, BUT Sanda Blogs in NY gets site 2: cleaningwidgets.com/cleaningwidgets.html as top site. Now both of the webmasters of site 1 and 2 will be puzzled, they would not know where they are ranking to Sandra or Joe, they will only know for their own search, when they do the search themselves. The returned results for webmaster 1, may be on page 23, why because he/she is a webmaster, searched, never clicked, never went to site / page, never spent anytime, never, never..,...in G* AI algo conclusion, this searcher did not find this site interesting, he just looked. Sandra on the other hand did go to the site and bought something or bookmarked it, or spent some time on it FEW TIMES, G* thinks, let's returned it again if she searches for the same or closer keyword. Joe may get the site he went to before as top ranked, if he clicks it again, that site may score more....
Searcher satisfaction is a big influence now, however, whilst the update is still going on, many sites are flat and still being re-spidered, so that AI influenced Algo appear not to be very good, because not all sites are included / taken into consideration and only sites that are moved and ranked from scratch, the rest are still being moved, spidered, re-assessed etc.
It appears now, webmasters and SEO experts will have a harder time, instead of working out keyowrds ranking influence from tiles, descriptions, onpage SEO, backlinks, anchors etc, while those are important, they have to take into account what makes the searcher return and click again, time spent on site, call to action, speed...and all the rest of the factors that will make the site returned on page one to THAT PARTICULAR searcher.
Regionalization, language, market intelligence, social grouping...., will all be more important factors. If G* is going to base its algo on an AI foundation, common variables and factors we already know are going to be more important to SEO experts, time on site, bounce rate and all the rest of it are probably the first one need to cater for and improve, they are likely to be amongst the good practices one may see being part of the AI algo
TheMadScientist along with many here (tedster et al) who spoke about this while back IMO are heading to the right conclusion, the mayday update include a massive algo change based AI and USER SATISFACTION. I can see why G* is rushing to be the first on this, M*soft were rumored to want to use the same based on the wofram alpha concept (http://www.wolframalpha.com/).
In any case, the update is far from complete and data is still being moved, you'd think they should've waited for the algo change until all the data is moved to the new Infrastructure, then again, probably the new algo was already written and just still being tweaked while the data is being moved in chunks, so if your site is completely moved (re-spidered and re-ranked) you'll start doing well, even better, before that and you are bouncing from page 1 today, page 5 few days later and back and forth and so on.
8:18 pm on May 16, 2010 (gmt 0)
I like the idea of AI but it doesnt fit the current symptoms, it doesnt explain why adult sites are returned for basic searches amoungst other things.
I would also suggest that implementing a big change like an AI algo would be done at a different time to a major infrastructure change - see matt cutts blog a while back where he explains the difference between the different updates, caffine was an infrastructure change not an algo change.
Google is fundermentaly broken, even adwords is broken it isnt returning anywhere near the number of adverts it would normally do and these are obviously non algo influenced.
Re AI i dont think google would have sufficient data on sites to implement it reliably, yes they can measure bounce rate, clickthrough etc but how do you factor in new sites with no data and time on site cant be measured. I can see more ways that an AI type interface can be influenced for long tail than that current system.
8:27 pm on May 16, 2010 (gmt 0)
What would you call personalization a close parallel to other than AI?
They're trying to show people the results they want to see by attempting to derive intent and other things from previous searches and reactions to results with personalization, aren't they?
8:30 pm on May 16, 2010 (gmt 0)
Anybody care to explain what "AI" stands for besides American Idol? You guys are killing me out here. :-)
8:46 pm on May 16, 2010 (gmt 0)
AI would be artificial intelligence. Rather than a more or less static algorithm it could be an algorithm than can "learn" from for example user behavior eg. CTR, bouncerate and time on site and have these factors influence the algorithm.
8:55 pm on May 16, 2010 (gmt 0)
AI - Artificial Intelligence.
9:03 pm on May 16, 2010 (gmt 0)
this is nothing like AI, is it. it's just a load of new things that they're introducing to the algo.
AI implies that it's 'learning'. but all they're doing (probably) is factoring in user behaviour -- which is basically just a load of hard data that they're gathering from their toolbar, analytics and other stuff like that.
it's no different to them factoring in old stuff like inbound links.
the only difference this time is that it looks like they're starting from scratch, and it's going to take a few iterations of the algo to get everything back to normal.
9:16 pm on May 16, 2010 (gmt 0)
it doesnt explain why adult sites are returned for basic searches
I think it could. Why do two year olds use "bad language" when company comes to visit? Because they haven't learned enough yet.
It's the wave-like behavior of shifts in long-tail rankings that make me suspect automated ranking changes based on statistical feedback. I suspect this kind of approach was already being tested on a small scale for quite some time.
Remember past complaints about "Yo-yo rankings [webmasterworld.com]" and "traffic throttling" [webmasterworld.com]? Only a few websites saw that, but for those that did the effect was quite unsettling - and some affected sites were very strong brands. Now the same kind of reports seem to be more widespread.
The number of Google employees with PhDs in statistics is pretty large. They've got to be doing something to justify their salaries, right? Deciding between natural versus un-natural [webmasterworld.com] wouldn't take that army of statisticians.
I even suspect that the Position 6 Bug [webmasterworld.com] may have been related to building an AI algorithm. And now that Google has a lot more infrastructure to work with, the grand plan is coming into place.
What we're seeing now is not some recent brainstorm. I think it IS a multi-year grand plan, whatever it may turn out to be. And we will all live with this new approach for quite a while. I plan to study the current SERPs as much as possible while their algorithmic underwear is still showing. Soon enough, it will be mostly invisible.
9:49 pm on May 16, 2010 (gmt 0)
But what to study? I'm looking at the number of inbound links to a variety of sites, the age of those sites, estimated traffic, number of pages on the site, and a couple of other factors. For most of the first-page sites, these factors in various combinations seem to explain the sites' rankings. It's when some site that has 10% of the links, 50% of the pages, and is 25% as old as the other sites pops on to the first page that I get confused.
I'll look at a site like that and make a note that it won't last, that it might stay but won't go above #6, or that it might come and go between pages one and two. More often than not I'm right, but some sites are really throwing me off right now.
I'd measure link freshness, but I don't know where to find a site's link history.
11:16 pm on May 16, 2010 (gmt 0)
But what to study?
I'm starting out with the degree of churn. Which SERPs (which type of query terms) are churning and which seem relatively stable. Also which positions seem to be most involved in the churn. I'm hoping, with such data, that some further directions for investigation will become clear.
And I might not get anywhere - but it feels like an angle that might bear some fruit. Something more than historically acknowledged factors seems to be at work, now. If it is CTR (or even Site Performance) then the data for websites that I am not involved with will be hidden to me, so conclusions will be rather hard to come by. But I will give it a try.
3:17 am on May 17, 2010 (gmt 0)
Getting back to the AI topic for a moment here:
First, let's bring SciFi excitement down a notch: it's not AI as it will never, say, write poems (or start a nuclear war for that matter), after a year or so of sorting search results. It will always sort search results. So, it's a specialized software with a self-adjusting algo - not unlike your favorite antivirus software.
Anyways, what I'm trying to say is that such software would require looking at lots of data points to come up with a reasonable change in the algo. Your antivirus software looks at EVERY email you receive and EVERY file you run/open and so it has plenty of data to crunch. However, most (90%+ in my experience) searches do not provide enough data points simply because there may be 1 or two searches per month.
This thread has been centered around problems with long tail searches and I would like to sort of bring it all back tying the pseudo-AI and long tail together. They simply don't mix: how do you vary SERPs and analyze the resulting CTR if all you got is one individual search in a considerably long period of time? On most of those extra-long tail searches (again, 90%+ of traffic on some sites) you literally need to wait years to accumulate any statistically significant amount of data. Or, if you let your AI loose on a thin data point diet, you are going to have wild swings on the output end. Maybe that's what explains the Yo-Yo traffic some people here reported?
What I'm trying to say is that there is still an important role in this new Google for a good old fixed algo. If you are trying to rank for "buy [your favorite ED remedy brand]", let the Force be with you - you are going to need it to fool Hal 9000.( "sorry Dave, I can't let you search for this brand. Remember last time you took it and it lasted more than 4 hours?")
For the rest of us - I think it will be business (almost) as usual once the move over to the new servers completes. Another reason for continuing the use of the fixed algo (however complex with 201 variables) is that the long tail searches are usually not important, both from AdWords revenue stand point (most have no ads) and from user experience. Most reasonable people would understand that feeding an entire page of text into Google will produce unexpected result and will manually adjust their query. So, you don't need your CPU intensive pseudo-AI on unimportant searches - just send it to the old algo.
What do you guys think?
3:37 am on May 17, 2010 (gmt 0)
If it is CTR (or even Site Performance)
Tedster, this is an interesting angle. However don't you think that if this was being taken into account then they would want to release that information publicly, since it would imply that the website needs to provide a better user experience (which Google has been trying to say all along)
3:42 am on May 17, 2010 (gmt 0)
Sounds reasonable, but what if every action (or non-action) has influence, so query, click, no click, SERP page views prior to a click, etc. provides an influence to the whole (of searches and the site) and to the individual searcher (and page in the results) specifically?
So visitor searches for 'Widgeting Information' and clicks on the number 2 result which is widgetworld.com... If that click influences the rankings for not only the page, and the specific search but also for the site in general you could have somewhat (fairly?) reasonable site wide data in a shorter period of time.
IOW: Rathern than thinking when someone clicks a 'Widgeting Information' link the click, the elapsed time from the query to the click, the visitor behavior after the click, etc. all influences the sites rather than just the specific search or page in the SERPs, which would make a bit of sense IMO, because you would get 'feedback' from a more often used query you could probably use to influence 'Widgeting Information for Building Large Widgeting Systems' if you know who has the most liked 'Widgeting Information', if of course widgetworld.com had information on Building Large Widget Systems present.
It's a really complicated process I'm thinking they would probably have to use and trying to explain it simply is really difficult, but it's a thought I'm having about what they might be trying to do, and why it's causing 'oddities' with the long-tail sites used to a specific positions or traffic levels, and when you throw 'influences overall' together with 'personalization' which is probably being influenced more heavily by a certain behavior(s) of a specific user than 'overall influence' it gets really complicated and confusing.
The shorter version is:
If you use short-tail terms to influence the long-tail rankings on a per-site basis you have personalization much quicker.
[edited by: TheMadScientist at 3:49 am (utc) on May 17, 2010]
3:43 am on May 17, 2010 (gmt 0)
If it is CTR (or even Site Performance)
As soon as they (google) confirm site performance influences serps, webmasters will be trying to fake stickiness, or traffic, or whatever they think google is measuring.
I'm not saying they don't/won't use visitor behavior, but just don't see them being too forthcoming about it.
4:05 am on May 17, 2010 (gmt 0)
Both Site Performance (as in speed) and CTR (from the search results) are currently being reported in Webmaster Tools. I'm certain that Google offers webmasters that data for a good reason.
4:43 am on May 17, 2010 (gmt 0)
< moved from another locations >
On a large site I'm seeing the query: " site:example.com " * returning a rapidly decreasing page count.
(* I know this is not a reliable or even accurate number - just looking to see if anyone else is noticing the same.)
28th April ~1,000,000 pages
15th May ~500,000 pages
Each day has been a steady drop - a few hundred thousand less. Each page corresponds to unique content (community site). WMT listing is stable. Traffic is fluctuating with Caffine/Jazz - but not following the same trend.
The same thing is observed for " site:example.com intitle:keyword "
I haven't been tracking any other large sites to compare this with.
Anyone else?
[edited by: tedster at 4:58 am (utc) on May 17, 2010]
4:47 am on May 17, 2010 (gmt 0)
As trakkerguy indicates, G* is notoriously tip lipped about indicators that may give a clue to the SEO crowd. Still, I'm perplexed -- and I think others here are as well -- about the Cone of Silence that everyone out there seems to be under right now. Either they have nothing to say because they think it's all going along splendidly (there's a leap of faith for you!); or they have nothing to say because everyone is scrambling to diagnose and fix the problem. Neither scenario is encouraging, but of the two, I'd hope they are in serious repair mode, and I do wish that MC or someone would say something (ANYTHING) to help put it in perspective.
6:30 am on May 17, 2010 (gmt 0)
So, who's looking forward to Monday?! Analytics says traffic UP on previous weekends, we sold two items! Looking at our other site tracking shows some users spent 5 minutes+ on our site. Of what i can gather personalised search requires the Google toolbar?(that is what it said when i checked web history). If this AI thing is correct then we are going to have catch 22 for a while in my eyes, users won't click on our site unless they go past the first few pages to actually find us! I see the shopping feedback is still broken & reporting double the number of reviews(is that Google way of helping us? Haha). Anyway, this week should be interesting either way, good luck everybody.
6:35 am on May 17, 2010 (gmt 0)
Of what i can gather personalised search requires the Google toolbar?
No. Just a Google Account of any kind - anything you sign into. and even if you don't have that, if your browser stores cookies, that browser's history with Google is also used to customize search results.
If this AI thing is correct...
Please, let's not turn the AI idea into a new mythology. It's just an idea, a theory that some of us are investigating - and nothing more than that at this time. I'm hoping that our forum can become more like a think tank than a place to come for "the answer". That's the best way to approach things, IMO. Then if some new idea begins to bear fruit, we can all share the victory.
6:48 am on May 17, 2010 (gmt 0)
Tedster i really think you are on to something with AI, it would stack up & make Googles job easier in the future. Reno, i think the fact they havn't said anything is a GOOD thing, if it was all complete & working how they wanted i would expect them to be shouting it from the rooftops (just preying they do not announce anyhting until we see things as "normal"!). Just one point-did anyone else experience erratic traffic prior to this all happening? Looking at analytic data i could plot next weeks vists to within +-5 which smacked of traffic throttling.
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Idiot Bag
Mail from people who make life all the more miserable.
The Suffering Continues
i'm sending in my vote for venom.i believe venom is better equipped in beating magneto for a couple of reason.for one venom powers are based from is brute strength and leaping ability and speed.magneto strength is based magnetism.i couple of blows to magneto will weakened him to tha point he cant use those powers he has to fight back where as if venom gets hurts he regain his strength and fight back.another factor is age.venom also has magneto beat in that area.when it comes down to where neither can use their powers.age and youth will play in effect and tha world will know that VENOM is truly tha best villian.
- Aaron Williams
Stop before you give me appendicitis.
- Hil
Venon because he is an alien and he must have some unearthly powers to destroy Magneto. Think about it remember Magneto is only half human??
- Michael Rush
If I think about it, I'll get an aneurism.
- Hil
Whoopee, Indeed
I don't think Magneto should've won because all he can do is magnetize stuff and he's mean. WHOOPEE. Venom, on the other hand, is about 3 times the size of Spidey, he eats and licks people, and (if you've read the old comics)because Spidey once wore that suit, Venom knows EVERYTHING about Spider-Man. He should've won hands-down.
- Adam C.
Jeez, you're gonna give me kidney stones.
- Hil
A Change of Pace
I may be very late, but c'mon, Joker beating carnage??? Carnage should have gone all the way to the finals. oh well, i guess most of these battles don't even make sense anyways, lol!
- Alex
LOL? My thoughts exactly.
- Hil
Horrible Mental Image
Id have to say this was a cool contest...although im very surprised to see that magneto beat out venom. In the grand scheme magneto probably creates more elaborate plans but he hardly creates the problems venom can create...no world domination...just create some hell for heros and good doers. And as far as powers are concerned id say mental metal control is cool...it just cant stand up to venoms raw strength and shapeshifting. The last thing ive considered in the whole contest is which villian would win in a fight. now DP would seriously rape venom(the whole fire thing)however magneto would get trashed...venom is too fast and strong for mags to put down...plain and simple...flying metal wouldnt be enough to stop venom. however with that said great job with the contest and hope for more.
- Dylan
Ugh, I just had the worst picture of Jean Grey in my head. Unclean!
- Hil
It Never Stops
Venom should win but not Eddie Brocks he is the weak part, Magnes is killing for for noble intentions even if they are completly mad. I think if the venom symbiote dumpt Eddie and choose Magnes instead there would be nothing that could stop them. Venoms powers would get ridd of magnes problems (he is just a weak old man if there aren't any metal around and Venom weakneses would just be a memory. Magnes magnetism could destroy any sound system (the sound is created by magnets in the boxes) electrisity is related to magnetism and venom would probebly charge up the magnetism. They would be invinceble togheter, if it would ever happen they would need a new name.
- Alexander
Ohhhh, my ovaries...
These potential Magneto/Venom merger names were offered by our board readers.
Hil: Vagneto or Magnenom
How-Cool_is_That: Pile o' **** or Magnetically Retarded
BazBake: Venomous Magsimus
Creep Crap: I don't know about Tim, but you could Keep it short and simple: Veto. Or just arrange it by the order of the letters in the name: Magvenenomto.
In whichever case, you know the end result is just a very ugly villain.
- Hil
Ray of Light
Magneto and Venom are both tragic villains, but Magneto has a goal that is as old as time: he wants to see his people freed. He sees himself the messiah of mutantkind, a new Moses leading his people across the desert to a promised land. You can't argue against Magneto's ideology - history has borne him out, time and time again. You can only plead weakly that there might be another way.
When put in context with the abuse mutants have recieved, and the horrors humans would perpetrate on them given the chance (see Days of the Future Past), his methods aren't reprehensible, they're not even harsh enough!
Magneto is the villain who can convince YOU to become a villain, and that makes him the greatest comic book villain ever.
- Khyron
Bless your soul. I couldn't have said it any better myself, what with my appendicitis and exploding ovaries and all.
- Hil
Vision Check
It looks like Magneto and Dark pheonix won the final four... Why then was it Mageto vs Venom in the Championship?
Did I miss something?!!
- Jeff
Apparently you missed the results page.
- Hil
Bye, Bye Spine
Why is the crippling of Barbara Gordon only at #8 on your list? The subtitle to the entire artile is "Our list of the most deliciously evil events in comics", and yet you put the single most evil moment on your list at the #8 spot?
Okay, Jason Todd being killed by the Joker... sure, makes sense. #1 spot all the way. The death of Gwen Stacy? Sure, that's plenty evil. #2's good for it. But Elektra being killed by Bullseye? There was nothing particularly "evil" about it. It was in the heat of battle. Sure, it's an important event, but that doesn't make it any more villainous. Bane Breaking Batman's back? Again, it was during a fight. Sure, it led into a huge multi-part event in comics, but that doesn't make it any more villainous.
But the Joker crippling Barbara Gordon? That is one of the single most evil things I've ever seen a mainstrean comics villain do. Think about it; he breaks into her house to kidnap her dad, and in the process BLOWS OUT HER FRICKIN' SPINE just because she happens to be there. Now THAT is evil. It wasn't during a battle. Hell, the Joker didn't even know she was Batgirl. To him, she was just some random chick who happened to be in the way. So he crippled her from the waist down.
It may not have been as important an event as some of the others on the list, but if you're compiling a list of the "most deliciously evil events in comics", it definitely deserves a spot higher than #8.
- Micah Ely
Because there were seven other moments that were better. Who hasn't been shot in the spine at some point? Big whoop. I did say that the importance of the event weighed in on the ranking. So, there ya go.
- Hil
All Your Wildest Dreams Will Come True
what about when we found out that onslaught was prof X? that was pretty high up there in my books.
- Pedro
If I wanted a list of the worst moments in comics history, that may well be #1. I'm still voting for you, though.
- Hil
Well it's pretty obvious who the best villain of all time is.
Has any other villains:
Killed their lovers only to wear their skin as armor?
Killed their children (Kristoff was a clone child)
Become the MOST powerful being in the universe (other than Thanos with the gauntlet) when he killed the Beyonder
Scarred a mans face as a last trick before burning in hell?
Actually KILLED the hero? (He's killed the Thing and Mr. Fantastic) but we know they later come back
Helped deliver an enemies baby just so he can brainwash the poor thing?
Come on Dr. Doom is THE prototype villain for all others to follow
- Reggie Bush (Yeeeeah....)
I do love me some Doom. I'd call him the best of all time, personally. But I only get one or two or ten votes in the tourney. Go Bruins!
- Hil
Big Talk
My favorite bad guy when I read comics years ago was (this is coming from a Spider-Man fan): The Grandmaster. One of the infamous Elders of the Universe and a master of strategy and conquest, he was always able to come up a new and devious plan that he and his fellow last survivors of their race could use to become masters of the universe. Seeing as he had beaten Death herself and refused entry into her realm he is in a highly enviable position to unfold any of a myriad of schemes and campaigns to increase his influence.
His accomplishments as of 1992 (which was when I stopped reading comics) were incredible. Aside from harassing the Avengers from time to time in cosmic struggles, he spent a lot of time carving up the universe among himself and his fellow Elders. Most altercations with the Grandmaster were won by narrow margins and unexpected alliances. It was only a matter of time before one of his ingenious plots worked through to fruition...but first, he had to die. While in Death's realm he devised and executed a plan to bind Death to his will. Thus he had imprisoned Death herself, and harnessing her power forced the Avengers into a contest against a deceased team of villians and allies to determine the fate of the universe...an incredibly cruel joke, especially Captain America having to fight Bucky to the death. Death bombs were placed in pre-determined locations and the Avengers were split into teams to try and defuse them. In the ensuing battle several of the bombs were unable to be de fused and the only survivors were Hawkeye and Cap. Hawkeye then has a stroke of genius and convinces the Grandmaster to take a (rigged) 50/50 gamble to win. Shocked at how he could have lost the game of chance, his distraction allowed Death to regain control of her faculties and forbade him and his fellow elders from ever entering her realm. Now in addition to being incredibly old and powerful the Elders of the Universe were also immortal. This seeming defeat was only the beginning of his plans.
Now an immortal, his true intentions were revealed to his fellow Elders. Seeing as there were lots of forces at work in the universe that would prevent him and his fellows from shaping it to their wills the answer was obvious...destroy it. First, collect all of the legendary Infinity (at the time all were called Soul) Gems...artifacts of incredible power. Second, confound the Silver Surfer with a web of deceit, while luring the Herald of Galactus away. Third, confront Galactus and kill him with the Gems in a focused array of planets and machinery. In theory the death of the embodiment of the balance between Death and Eternity should trigger a universal collapse which only the immortal Elders would survive. Then they would shape the new universe as they saw fit. I guess being extremely old, bored and powerful makes you want to do that. The Surfer intervened at the last moment and Galactus consumed all of the Elders and their Infinity Gems, only to lead to the near fatal indige stion of six immortals. Still determined to kill Galactus the Elders had to be expunged by the Fantastic Four and the Surfer at a later date. Reed Richards by now is getting really sick of making a career out of saving the destroyer of worlds life while enduring unspeakable hardship himself. Yet, the Elders escaped.
Then the ultimate nihilist and harbinger of death was resurrected, Thanos. His task from Death was to kill half of the universe. In his time spent being dead he unraveled the mystery and workings of the Infinity Gems that he had posessed so long ago. It was these objects that would enable him to complete his task...and his secret agenda. With Death's permission he sought out the six Elders who owned them and took them by force. Undoubtedly the Grandmaster knew of the Gems individual abilities and gave them to the applicable Elder. Thanos, not being a fool, saved the Grandmaster for last. He knew that only with the power of the other five Gems would he be able to combat the greatest strategic genius of all time, especially since he was armed with the very powerful Mind Gem. Thanos rigged the game with his array of Gems and beat the Grandmaster in a game that he could not win. Thanos, after claiming his prize and gaining supreme power, left without a care and that's the last I saw of the Grandmaster.
If he hasn't been back in any stories since then it's a shame...cause he was a great bad-guy.
So, there you have it...he would have been a better choice than Stiltman I think, but then again he doesn't fit in the crooks bracket either. Maybe he'll make the honorable mention list if you have one.
- Ian
I sincerely respect your opinion, but there's no way I'm reading all of that. I've got to get home to watch... wait it's Friday night. Crap.
- Hil
Dark Knight Vs. Magnetism
I can't remember who won the greatest hero contest IGN had, but I think it was Batman. Even if it wasn't, I think IGN should hold a poll as to who would win between Batman Vs. Magneto. Magneto has incredible powers, but I believe Batman can beat anybody. He will always find a way. That would be a great poll. (I'm assuming Magneto is going to win the villian contest)
- Jon
Yes, it was Batman. We made fun of him. A lot. For weeks. Months, even. The poll is a great idea, but irrelevant. Batman would win. Done. Give him his check. 'Nuff said.
- Hil
Somebody Likes Me!
Your review of "The Other" was spot on. That reader that defended Hudlin's laughably bad "The Other" run must be out of his mind. Hudlin can't write, and it really doesn't need to go any further than that. My god, just read Black Panther for proof. It is unintentionally hilarious from beginning to end, month in and month out. Plagued by groan-inducing gags, stilted dialog, uninspired and unoriginal situations, and a complete lack of respect for continuity, it's the laughing stock of the spinner-rack. Let's also not forget his universally-despised run on MK Spider-man, which was ended early because of negative fan reaction. The problem isn't miserable writers like Hudlin, though, it's the fact that Marvel will hand out contracts to anyone from Hollywood instead of people already working in the medium, either known or unknown and that's the root of the problem.
Maybe Marvel will actaully start reading indies when looking for new talent as opposed to blindly signing the guy that wrote "House Party" simply based on the fact that he wrote "House Party" and likes comics.
I won't hold my breath, though.
- Bald Steve
Steve, have you seen House Party? Because I don't think you have. It's a pretty effin' amazing film. It changed my life. Seriously. I will never view another party at someone's house in quite the same way.
However, hold your tongue on Marvel/Dc not hiring people from the indie circuit. Brubaker, Bendis, Rucka and on and on all started on the indie scene and worked their way to Marvel/DC.
Sorry about your hair.
- Hil
I Am Iron Man.
I'm a big Iron Man reader so I felt like I had to suggest a couple good moments of Iron Man villainy.
1. Kathy Dare (a girl obsessed with Tony Stark) shoots Tony through the spine.
2. The Ghost materializes Spymaster inside a wall.
3. Justin Hammer sells Tony's armor technology to villains all over the globe. (Bringing about The Armor Wars arc) 4. The Marrs Twins use a chip implanted in Tony's spine to control his body (I mean the chip was put there to allow Tony to walk again after being shot- how mean-spirited can you get?) 5. Tony's armor becomes sentient (due to Ultron dowloading himself into the armor- but the process went awry) and kills Whiplash. He just starts slapping him. It's kinda creepy.
I was also thinking it might be kinda cool if you guys did a Top Ten Comic Cliffhangers sometime in the future. List all those great moments where you can't wait to find out what happens in the next issue- even if the result turned out to be a disappointment!
- Thomas
What about the time Tony Stark got blitzed at the Avenger's St. Patty's Day party and tried to make out with the Vision? That was pretty insidious too.
- Hil
Narrow It Down
I'm a big fan of IGN Comics. I really liked the Ultimate Bookshelf article you guys did. There's only one problem, there were too many Graphic Novels on that list. I'm not a millionare. I also like getting Graphic Novels but I don't know which one is better since they were all on your Ultimate Collection. How about you make a Top 25 Graphic Novels of All Time just before the Christmas season. That would be GREAT!
- Karan Gill
That will happen, but not this year. Fortunately, this year is almost over. Wheeeeee!
- Hil
Welcome, Welcome, Welcome
While Hil's been doing a sound job; double teaming w/ Brian - providing for contrasting reviews - really does wonders for IGN's comic coverage. It's like they say, "You can't account for taste" - but you can hedge your bets. Dual reviews allows for an otherwise well produced (arguably great) comic -like this week's Generation M - get attention despite not pleasing Hil's sensitive palate.
I hope this becomes the standard, rather than a nice surprize every now-and-again.
Yours, etc.
- JP
Well, we try and get as many opinions up as possible. If you check back on Friday's, you will often find more reviews and more second opinions.
- Hil
I just finished your mailbag article, and damn aren't you dishing out some major hostility to your readers! I guess the stress of being the only contributor to the site is considerable, but you probably shouldn't textually castrate every peon who has a stupid question about comics. It's funny some of the time, but a lot of the time it just pisses off the kid.
Seriously though, if you need any help for the site, let me know. I could help. And just to show I'm not one of the rabble of unclean Vemon worshippers, here's my Final Four of Super-Villians:
Magneto, Joker, Lex Luthor, and Sinister.
PS - If you don't want Venom getting so far in the tourney, you shouldn't have given him such an easy path. Put hi against Carnage in the 1st round, just to be sure one of those bastards is out right off the bat.
- Alex
Did you read those emails? Please. You're gonna write in with stupidity, you're getting a heavy dose of sarcasm. I am required by my religion to dish out at least 17 ounces of sarcasm a day. Dish. Dish.
- Hil
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MikeStark's forum posts
#1 Posted by MikeStark (153 posts) - 4 months, 16 days ago - Show Bio
How dare Whedon do this? How do you give a character's history to someone else? I don't care if this movie universe is different from the comic universe. Ultron is a part of Pym's character:
I'd be upset if Hank Pym didn't create Ultron. Its a driving for for his character and for Ultron's. Ultron is sort of Hank Pym's dark side, dark secrets made flesh (metal). He is Pym's hate, fear, loathing, resentments, angry, and all that stuff. Ultron was created using Pym's brain patterns so its sort of all Pym's fault that Ultron hates and wants to wipe out humanity. Its Pym's constant failure, reminder, of his dark self.
And Ultron is also like his son, its also a generational thing. Pym created Ultron and passed down to him all his hatreds, fears, intolerance, etc. Then Ultron creates the Vision who Ultron tries to pass all his bigotry and hatred down to, but this is the "grandfather's" chance to redeem himself and the grandfather (who has changed his ways) saves the grandson (Vision) from the same hatred. So Pym is like the father of Ultron and the grandfather of the Vision.
I'd be sad and a little disappointed if Pym wasn't somehow the main creator of Ultron in Avengers 2. Even if they have to do a round about way of explaining it. Like He is this scientist who used to work with Stark, Banner, and SHIELD, in the past. But has since fallen from grace with all of them. Now Pym sees his former friends and colleagues being celebrated as heroes and loved by all and a small part of him hates that. He finishes his AI he and Stark started years ago (with Jarvis) and uses his own brain patterns to create Ultron. Then Ultron becomes the psycho robot from the comics we know and the unknown scientist has to help the Avengers stop his creation. After he helps them stop Ultron, with the aid of Ultron's creation, the Vision, Pym and Janet join the Avengers and work for SHIELD as special agents. Pym's way to make up for his mistakes, crimes, and all the death and destruction Ultron caused. So he could become Ant Man after the fact, after Ultron and after teaming up with the Avengers to stop Ultron. I'd even be fine with, in the movie, if he had as much action scenes as that normal human scientist from Avengers 1 (the guy who knew Thor).
Having Jarvis be the original Ultron AI prototype helps involve Stark in a big way. So it would give Stark a bigger role to go with his bigger paycheck. But with the idea that (along with the original cast of Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, Hawkeye, Black Widow, Hulk, and Fury, and possibly Falcon) we are also going to include Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver, and Ultron for that matter, and possibly Vision, makes me wonder how much more could they include. Could they include Hank Pym and Janet? Would they have the screen time to make sure they are involved, even if they are normal humans not involved in action scenes?
Pretty much that.
With all these new introductions don't you think that Whedon can put in the Pyms? He can, he just doesn't want to because he hates Hank & Jan for some strange reason... or he's just screwing with us. But somehow I doubt it because before the first movie came out he confirmed no Pym then it happened. It's pointless to hope to just end up disappointed.
"In Joss we trust" ? F#&% NO.
#2 Edited by MikeStark (153 posts) - 4 months, 21 days ago - Show Bio
Here's the Members of The Justice League movie:
Batman (Bruce Wayne)
Hal Jordan
Barry Allen
Martian Manhunter
Wonder Woman
Why would they be in the movie? Because they were the first! John Stewart, Green Arrow, Hawkman etc. fans. As awesome as these characters they were NEVER original JL members. NUFF SAID.
#3 Edited by MikeStark (153 posts) - 4 months, 29 days ago - Show Bio
Dropped this book like a bad habit (after issue 21, Shazam was by far the best part) after they announced that it will encompass the two other JL books that are not on my pull list, raised the price of JLD, and dropped the page count of JLA without adjusting the price. What a joke. The big two are getting less and less of my business by doing sh!t like this. Especially when the independents are giving me more for my money with much richer, original stories (not just the Civil War re-hash this "Trinity War" is...) and actual use of the page counts instead of 10-12 pages of adverts.
I am starting to move to trades more and more for the big two's $3.99 books with Chapters/Indigo's 20-35% discount as that's the only way not to get ripped off by them.
You know, I won't be a marvel troll & call you an idiot for having your own opinion. Dropping this book was up to you but honestly, your missing out. BIG TIME.
#4 Posted by MikeStark (153 posts) - 6 months, 15 days ago - Show Bio
Amazing book. 10/10. I will miss John's run on GL. However, now like he did with Flash & Hal, it's time to give Aquaman that same treatment. Was it worth $7.99? HELL YES! There was never a doubt in my mind, that I should have paid less for this comic, in fact I'd even pay more for something this brilliant. Which IMO gives the competition a run for their money. Thank you Mr. Johns for doing what you do best & not only inspiring me, but millions of other comic readers also.
#5 Edited by MikeStark (153 posts) - 7 months, 7 days ago - Show Bio
Martian F'KIN Manhunter! THAT's ALL I WANT! It's not like DC doesn't have other original good characters! I'll even name a few original/unique characters that I'd like to see: Firestorm, Starfire, Black Canary, Beast Boy, Plastic Or Elongated Man, Mirror Master, Vixen, Static or Black Lightning, Zatanna, Doctor Fate, Red Tornado, Poison Ivy & of course Martian Manhunter! But If I had to pick just one, it's my favorite martian; J'onn J'onnzz. It's not like he's not a bad or unpopular character, Boon knows ALOT of people want Detective John Jones... So why would we possibly get ZOD & the clone gang instead? ok... this is all BS... I hope so anyway.
EFF Batgirl, We already have Batman & Nightwing. We don't need Supergirl, Powergirl, Batgirl, Red Hood or any other clones! (Red Hood would most likely be a mix of Harley, Nightwing & Batman)
Whoever wants Cassandra Cain, well if this Batgirl rumor is true, then I'm sure we will get Cassie Cain & Stephanie Brown skins.
Scorpion would be cool but, without him doing Fatalities, it would... what's the word I'm looking for ummmmm..... SUCK!!!
ZOD?!? GTFO... I'll watch him in Man Of Steel, I don't want to play as him in Injustice. I'm sure he'd be somewhat of a Superman clone anyway...
This cast of characters is perfect, it would be RUINED if Batgirl, Supergirl, Todd or Zod (lol) is in it. Please Boon, don't screw this up! Originality, PREASE!!! SANK YOU.
#6 Edited by MikeStark (153 posts) - 7 months, 9 days ago - Show Bio
Still looks "meh" but it honestly looks better than the actual trailer!
#7 Edited by MikeStark (153 posts) - 7 months, 9 days ago - Show Bio
Now I know why they call the book Superior Spider-Man! Oc sure is more superior than Pete! From what I read. This book is interesting, yet... I'll still pass. However, is it bad that I think Otto should remain as Spider-Man? When Peter finally takes control. He should have learned from Ock's influence & be similar to Ock's Spider-Man. That's my 2 cents anyway.
#8 Posted by MikeStark (153 posts) - 7 months, 9 days ago - Show Bio
#9 Posted by MikeStark (153 posts) - 8 months, 28 days ago - Show Bio
@darkwingdan said:
I know it sounds childish, but this Marvel#1 promotion is making me want to drop a few (or all) of their titles. If I do, will I end up picking them up down the road? Of course, but in the short term I'll feel better.
That's up to you. I won't pick up more titles but giving away 700 free comics? Not too shabby... Regardless if you dislike Marvel, you can't disagree with free...
#10 Edited by MikeStark (153 posts) - 8 months, 29 days ago - Show Bio
@Captain_Yesterday said:
@akbogert: Thanks for the info.
For those who didn't read the link, it says the sale is suspended, but you can't fill out a form so they'll e-mail you when it's back up and running.
Although this begs the question, why weren't they prepared for this? Shirley they had to of known there would be a huge increase in traffic when they stated giving out 700 comics for free.
Eh, guess it's the waiting game now.
Yeah, I get the sign in name issue also as well as multiple other issues.
So where is the link in that article? I can't find it... I must have missed it.
Yeah, you'd think 700 free titles would cause severe network traffic & ultimately sever crashing. I agree, how do you not prepare better for this? Oh well, I'm sure they'll live & learn.
Man, perfect day for a day off. In the house, nothing to do. LOVE that waiting game **Sarcasm
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Please Don't Learn to Code
May 15, 2012
20 GOTO 10
• Communicate effectively with other human beings.
Posted by Jeff Atwood
Nice post, I really like this bit: "It assumes that coding is the goal. Software developers tend to be software addicts who think their job is to write code. But it's not. Their job is to solve problems."
Took me 10 years to get it.
Rad_g on May 15, 2012 2:52 AM
I think you're missing the point about the initiative.
It's not about getting more professional programmers into the job pool.
Programming itself covers a whole range of skills that have real world uses. Critical thinking, problem analysis & solving, logic, etc. These are the skills the current generation of kids seem to be missing out on in their education and part of the reason the Raspberry Pi and similar initiatives were formed.
Also, I don't think Mr Bloomberg is planning on becoming a coder. This to him is a hobby, you do other things for fun besides code eh?
Richardathome on May 15, 2012 2:56 AM
I think you got it wrong.
The reason, why everybody should learn to code is not to have more programmers! It is only to have people know the most basic things about the technology they use everyday so that companies, advertiser and politicians can not trink them as easily as they do right now.
To drive a car, you need to attend driving lessons in which you - ideally - learn a little about the way a car (e.g. its brakes) work. Now there are no required licenses for using computers (and since computers are just everywhere there will never be such) so we need to help people help themselves to understand the technology that surrounds them.
And the information technology is not comparably to a skill like plumbing. E.g. probably real programming is comparable, but again, that is not the point why I would like people to learn to code. Even if you hire a plumber to plumb your house, you know that you will need separate pipes for fresh water and for the dirty water from your toilet. Thats common knowledge (I hope). But people don't know these basic things about computers. ("How can my download limit be exceeded, I haven't downloaded anything, I just watched streams?!").
Moritz Schlarb on May 15, 2012 2:58 AM
NoNeeeed on May 15, 2012 3:02 AM
Carlos Urreta on May 15, 2012 3:02 AM
I agree 50%. Programming is often taught as a combination of two things: algorithms and data structures. Algorithm instruction should be left to those of us who revel in them. However, in our current world, everyone needs to understand data structures... and all too few people do.
Anyone typing their e-mail address into a website needs to understand the power of cross-referencing.
Anyone using a word processor for more than a page needs to understand styles. (Actually, most programmers I meet still waste hours because they don't understand word processor styles... which is weird, because they're just like CSS.)
Any Mayor or CEO should have a broad understanding on what their organisation's data can do for them... and how much damage it could do if exposed.
So, algorithms are optional, but in the future everyone must be data literate... or their lives will be destroyed by those who are.
Elective-C on May 15, 2012 3:04 AM
Did you get this post wrong? NO!
Robbie on May 15, 2012 3:06 AM
They should teach kids to have their minds open and to think in as many possible ways... This will be the base of all work "done properly" regardles of it being coding, governing, teaching or just plowing the fields... But it's easier to throw statements at people then to try and fix the real problem...
Hrvoje Vulin on May 15, 2012 3:07 AM
Learn metonymy.
SteveJS on May 15, 2012 3:08 AM
I think that your example with plumbing is spot on what this movement is about. I do think that everybody should know at least a bit of plumbing. You don't have to know everything about it, but changing a pipe and unblocking a pipe are basic and common things that everybody should know.
It's the same with programming, learning some basic things on your computer:
- what is a file, how it's accessed and why it could be inaccessible at some times
- how a real life problem is seen in a computer world, what is an algorithm
- reading basic (not the language) code and being able to understand some principles such as variable assignation and conditions
Knowing that is somewhat related to knowing how your car engine works, and yes you won't have to use that knowledge every day (it's not your job), but it's an helpful skill to have.
It's the same with almost every skill, you don't need to be a professional in it, but having a basic understanding of it can always help you in life:
- Finance/Economy
- Politics/Social skills
- Manual skills (plumbing, painting, ...)
- Music
- Statistics
- Zoology
- ...
Colin Hebert on May 15, 2012 3:13 AM
Hello Jeff (I agree kind of), a slight twist on your post:
Coding Ninja on May 15, 2012 3:15 AM
Why did I learn these subjects at school:
French, German, Chemistry, Biology, Physics, Woodwork, Metalwork - I do not need them for my day job or to survive.
The information I learnt in those subjects means I have enough knowledge to understand the basics when it comes to reading or talking about a topic, such as how electricity is generated, what happens when certain chemicals react or why is the sky blue or why are plants green.
Likewise, learning the basics of coding helps people understand how computers work and the logic behind the programs they use on a daily basis.
I am all for teaching children from an early age (7/8 years) the basics of coding using software like Scratch. It helps them think logically and to solve problems - all of which are vital for anything that life throws at them.
My 10 year old was able to build a space invaders game in scratch after a few hours of using scratch:
Video of his game -
He might not grow up to be a software developer but it made him appreciate how computer games work as well as think how to solve problems like how to make the score increase when he blew up a spaceship.
Andrew Leonard on May 15, 2012 3:30 AM
In fact, none of this is obvious at all, it’s just always assumed. In reality, high school literature, mathematics, and any of the other subjects are next to irrelevant for most people. The canonical education curriculum was created almost unchanged over a century ago, and even then it never had a demonstrable benefit beyond basic education.
For a great critique of school mathematics in particular, read Lockhart’s Lament: (long, but time worth invested).
Arguing from need won’t bring you far. The arguments brought forth by Lockhard apply, 1:1, to teaching programming. Not everybody needs to learn programming, just like most people don’t benefit from mathematics beyond basic arithmetic. But teaching them something interesting, fascinating, wonderful can never be a loss.
tl;dr Don’t fall in the canonical education trap. Our current school system operates without a good plan and almost everything learned in high school as irrelevant for most people as is programming.
Konrad on May 15, 2012 3:31 AM
I have been telling people this too.
In essence if you know how to write and do math(logic), then you know how to code already, learning a specific syntax gives you nothing more. The last thing we need is more "hackers", they water down the talent pool and have already created a world where developers have to jump through the most ridiculous tests simply to get to a real interview because the HR department can't cope with all the applications from people who "learnt to code".
Mike Bloomberg should have tweeted "I am going to learn Spanish" (or Chinese if he knows fluent Spanish), that would have caused all kinds of industries to think "wow, respect".
Roridge on May 15, 2012 3:33 AM
For once, I think you are way off mark.
Should everybody know how to write a system driver or the middleware to Of course not. Should they know how to write a small macro or script to massage their data when they need it? Absolutely.
This can benefit basically everyone with an office job, from secretary to mayor. Remember also that for many people simply knowing how to use the functions in Excel is also "knowing how to code".
Perhaps learning javascript isn't the fastest shortcut, but anything that demystifies the whole process and teaches people "hey, it really isn't rocket science", will help out in the end.
WimD on May 15, 2012 3:35 AM
I have to agree that you're missing the point.
Using your plumbing example: learning about plumbing can be handy so that you can know how to deal with plumbers. You can appreciate what they do and you can even have a general idea of how to manage them and if you're getting screwed over by them.
I find that managers manage better when they have SOME technical background. I don't want them to be programmers, just to have some experience.
You're right that they shouldn't think that learning to program for a month (or even a year) makes them good, but they should get a taste (and know that they're only getting a taste)
Cheerfulstoic on May 15, 2012 3:41 AM
Hi Jeff,
This is a good post, but I am not 100% in agreement. I think the reason people seem to pick sides in this argument is that they have different views on what code is.
For example, would you equate Assembly with Html? How about C / C++ with SQL?
The people that are pro teaching to code at school are trying to get the next generation to understand the basics of our world so that they are not mystified by the work of others.
For example, I would prefer if people learnt how a central heating system works on a broad level so that they don't end up calling a contractor in just to relight the pilot light if it goes out. (I have see this happen personally and it pains me to see this ignorance) In some cases I too have been just as ignorant of such things where I have left it to professionals to do something for me which I should really have learnt to do it myself.
Coming back to the point, the developer community generally thinks of coding as in Java or C, etc. which even I would not recommend be taught in schools. However learning to code HTML / CSS can be bring about a new approach to learning which is more experimental than the traditional methods used for other subjects like history or English literature.
I think I have a balanced view, and guess what I attribute that to. I am a software engineer. I am not a coder, I am an engineer. The difference I feel is that engineers are problem solvers, builder and makers. Which is a whole lot more than simply coding. Coding is just a means I choose to solve the problems I face.
Just my 2 pence (I live in the UK)
Mitul Amin on May 15, 2012 3:44 AM
Philip Howard on May 15, 2012 3:49 AM
I understand your point, and as usual, I think you make it well, but I don't think "learning to code" is the same thing as "become a coder / developer / whatever".
During our early years in school, we learn civics and health, not to become lawyers and doctors, but to help us to become better, more informed, healthier members of society. Learning is a means of gaining a better understanding the world and hopefully to better interact within it.
And now that a good portion of the world is being monitored, managed, controlled, simulated, and basically run by computers, it's probably a good idea to gather a basic understanding of how humans make computers do those things. Not for the job, or even the hobby for that matter - just for the ability to derive logical conclusions about why their world works the way it does.
Enobrev on May 15, 2012 3:50 AM
Programming isn't a highly specialized and context-specific skill like plumbing. Programming is the fundamental knowledge of what kinds of problems one can solve with computers, and how to go about solving those problems. Computers are literally the most powerful problem-solving tools humanity has ever created, and we all benefit when the knowledge of how to apply those tools is more widely distributed in our society. on May 15, 2012 4:12 AM
Max Terry on May 15, 2012 4:13 AM
While I'm a big drum banger for the 'learn to code movement', I agree code isn't the point. But it's the meme that's got momentum and it's close enough.
Like many other commenters note, the point is to a) understand how the digital world around us works and b) to be able to make things on the web, etc. that involve more than just filling in a form. These skills will be essential for any critical, creative person in the next 100 years. And, learning a little code, even if it's just using HTML remixing a web page (see: helps move in this direction.
Mark Surman on May 15, 2012 4:21 AM
I am really surprised and saddened to see this post coming from this blog. It presupposes that programming is some kind of elite activity for proper comp-sci graduates in white lab coats devising beautiful and pure code in sterile clean rooms.... well, perhaps that doesn't quite fairly represent your argument, I confess! But programming can both be a professional practise and a hobby, and I think it skirts close to snobbery to discourage somebody merely on the grounds that it isn't their day job. Who the hell cares if their code is useful? And who even cares if it's neat, efficient, or beautiful? You don't have to use it and you don't have to read it. We all started off as rank amateurs writing "10 PRINT "..."' -- and you know what, it was pretty exciting at the time. Why should I want to deny that honest pleasure to someone else?
Iian Neill on May 15, 2012 4:41 AM
In general, I agree with you. I'm a pretty good problem solver but I've never been a great coder. It hasn't hindered me in most projects.
There were already a few comments along these lines, but I think sometimes people need to have a "Coding 101" course that introduces them to what's possible. Sometimes, people are so ignorant of code that they don't even know what to ask for. They end up "solving" problems with crazy, manual processes instead of simple, automated ones. (I expect that this issue will start to fade over the next 40 years as the "digital natives" get established in the workforce.)
I guess I fall into a camp of teaching more people coding concepts, but not necessarily teaching them to be coders.
Benjamindbloom on May 15, 2012 4:43 AM
Is the rest really an issue?
Tinkertim on May 15, 2012 4:46 AM
I can see why posts like this are important; whenever there's a risk of a bandwagon forming it is important that there are people out there who put the brakes on, if only to make sure the bandwagon is at least going in the right direction.
Of course not everyone should become a JavaScript ninja, a C hacker or a Lisp wizard. I think you nailed it in your third bullet point "Before you go rushing out to learn to code, figure out what your problem actually is." After the first few hours of "hello world" and working out variables and functions you'll make a program that actually does something simple but useful - you find a problem to solve and coding helps you look at it in an analytical way.
Many would call that analytical way "common sense" but it's an oft-touted issue that common sense isn't something that can be taught. With that in mind, coding is something that can be taught, and if it helps develop analytical skills then it's as essential as maths and English. Just like current IT teaching varies between useful (learn to learn how to use a system) and pointless (here's how you make a pie chart in Powerpoint - wtf?) so could coding lessons. If they skirt round problem solving and try and innately familiarise everyone with pointers and polymorphism then it's being done wrong, but formalising a problem, approaching it step by step (TDD anyone?) and restructuring as your attempted solution grants better understanding of the original domain is what should be advocated.
M1ke on May 15, 2012 4:52 AM
What I don't understand most of all is your conclusion. No denying that research and communication are important ... but is that what drew people to programming in the first place? The beauty of "10 PRINT ..." -- at least in the days when BASIC was in ROM and not on CD-ROM -- is that it gave kids (and adults) power over the machine and all its spells. If the point was just to see your name printed infinitely on the screen, then loading some pre-written programme from disc would serve the same purpose. The point was that by writing code yourself you could control the machine. Think about that. At some point you might have moved onto assembler, or Pascal, or C, whatever, but that thrill of conjuring up characters, graphics, and sound can be a completely valid end in itself -- even if that's not where you end up twenty years later.
You say that the real point of coding is to create solutions -- but to prioritise that over coding itself is like saying that the point of painting or film-making is to improve mental health. Maybe those are side-effects, maybe they are even goals and passions, but if a painting or a film isn't made for the joy of working in the medium, then it is a travesty. I am not saying that coding can't be important to mankind, in what it enables, but it should also be an end in itself, an exercise of the mind.
Iian Neill on May 15, 2012 4:58 AM
Steverumsby on May 15, 2012 5:01 AM
Actually I think in the future everyone will be a programmer, in the sense of someone who can instruct a computer what to do. Departments with better programming skills will beat the hell out of departments that depend on IT to solve their problems. It's just a question of time before people are comfortable enough with programming languages.
Just like it went with cars. For many years after the invention of the automobile, driver was a profession. Now, everybody can drive.
Andomar on May 15, 2012 5:03 AM
I totally agree. This is pretty much the same blog post I wrote a few months ago (same title even) when Code Year was getting so much press. The feedback I got was the programming is going to be a blue collar job in the next 30 years.
The percentage of the population that can engineer great software is so minuscule, and that number won’t change dramatically. HyperCard couldn’t change it; Visual Basic couldn’t change it; and no amount of instructional videos and interactive code challenges can change it. We might be able to nudge the number upward by making things easier, but there is a hard limit.
At it's core, programming and the problems we solve as programmers is *hard* and the general population isn't very good at doing hard things.
Rob Sobers on May 15, 2012 5:05 AM
I think everybody should have a very rounded skillset. Software is my profession. As such, I expect a very high level of professionalism from my coworkers and myself. I would expect very little from a hobbyist.
However, I do think a lot of people could benefit from knowing the bases of programming.
I can go and take cooking classes, photography lessons or mechanics courses.
That does not make me a cook, a photograph or mechanics. I sure as hell would now apply for any of these jobs and would expect professionals to be insulted if I tried.
However, acquiring knowledge from different field allows me to be a more well-rounded person.
Above all, it make me feel like a more autonomous person. I can cook a decent meal for friends and family, take a few decent pictures on vacation and maybe even handle a few basic car repairs.
I do agree with most of what you pointed out about problem solving. More software is not the solution itself. But that is part of the learning journey a hobbyist will figure out along the way if he/she perseveres just like we did.
Nicholas Lemay on May 15, 2012 5:12 AM
I agree with the basic sentiment. There is no reason to learn to code just for the sake of learning to code.
However, if your desire is to do something that can be achieved by learning to write some basic code, I can see a lot of merit in essentially learning enough to be dangerous. See: on May 15, 2012 5:14 AM
But having the ability to code is like a super-power when your main job isn't being a programmer.
I don't think we need more programmers either. But being able to program a little is like having yet another tool in your arsenal, which will make you more effective in almost any career.
Of course it'll mean even more VBA in Excel spreadsheets, so I'm not sure if that's a net positive or negative...
David Beer on May 15, 2012 5:22 AM
Gregopet on May 15, 2012 5:23 AM
Programming is the new math.
Ctrlshiftbryan on May 15, 2012 5:38 AM
The more real-world infrastructure gets replaced with software, the more relevant coding skills are to everything we do. This trend is only going to accelerate. In this way, coding is a special skill compared to others because it is so universally applicable.
Carl Youngblood on May 15, 2012 5:42 AM
Coding is just another way of making things.
We don't have time to learn how to make everything we use.
Personally, I'd rather knit -
Its social and relaxing. You learn arithmetic and concentration. You solve puzzles or set them for other people. At the end you understand how clothes are made and have something to keep you warm.
Coding has similar claims made for its benefits, but it seems pretty dull in comparison. Fine for a job, but no way to spend your spare time - unless you particularly like maintaining websites.
Romneymarsh on May 15, 2012 5:43 AM
I fully disagree with your post and I agree with the "everyone should learn to code" idea.
It do not think that more code in the world is desirable, neither that coding is the goal, neither do I put the method before the problem.
In fact I disagree with all you said.
The fact is that people spend more and more time in front of computer.
Some of their tasks can be automated. Many people write small Excell macros. This is a first step in programming. Learning how to program in Excell is very rewarding.
Some other tasks could benefit from a tool that do not exist "on the shell".
For example, at my work, we have some analyst guy who perform statistics on flight trajectories. He was lacking smart visualisation of the input data. He has learned how to generate a kmz file for google earth and has developped his little conversion program. He has probably spend 10 times more than a real developper to program it, but taking into account all the time needed to ask a developper to do it, the time loss is very small. And now, he can easily maintain and improve his program when the data change.
"everyone should learn to code" does not mean that everyone must become a fulltime developper. It is more similar to cooking: "everybody should be able to cook his own food". This does not mean that we should never go to the restaurant or that we should become as good as a chef. This means that we have the freedom to eat without going to the restaurant and without buying junk food.
"everyone should learn to code" is the same as everybody should learn how to change a light bulb, how to use the washing machine, how to iron your clothes, how to cook, ...
Even if none of these things is your job, you generally knows a minimum to be independant. It is the same for coding.
BOC on May 15, 2012 5:44 AM
Philip Mander on May 15, 2012 5:48 AM
Code? Of course not.
I don't have to be able to code to communicate what I want or need. I can examine the results of what someone else codes for me a tell them whether it is 'good' or not if I can think rationally and communicate competently.
In my experience we would all be far better off by developing four fundamental skills
1) Think logically, rationally - the ability to assemble alternative conclusions from the pieces of information presented
2) Communicate competently - the ability to transfer understanding of the information or idea
3) Listen competently - the ability to extract useful information delivered verbally
4) Read critically - the ability to extract useful information delivered in written form
If only we could all do these four things......
Floydparks on May 15, 2012 6:02 AM
Ultimately, we need to arm ourselves to fight Skynet!
Spicemonki on May 15, 2012 6:08 AM
The logic is that a lot of work consists of one-off data processing. The sort of stuff that Linux users tend to use awk, grep, sed, and miscellaneous bash one-liners for. Modern office software is generally fairly good at automating common, basic tasks, but anything more specific needs a more technical approach. Just knowing how to use regular expressions would make a lot of tasks much easier.
So it's not so much "everyone should be able to program at a professional level" as "everyone should be able to perform basic tasks on Linux", though without the OS-specific focus.
R on May 15, 2012 6:19 AM
Not picking sides in the main fight here, just wanted to say though: real plumbing is hard work both physically and mentally, we should not be ashamed to compare it to programming.
Joelarson4 on May 15, 2012 6:23 AM
Ohrworm on May 15, 2012 6:33 AM
I'm doing the CodeYear thing, but I don't want to work as programmer.
I want to work *with* programmers, though, and I already do. I work for a publisher, which these days means that everything is online. I run a community site there, and I got that job *because* I already knew "about the internet". I'm not at all a programmer. I write words rather than code. But to my coworkers, I'm the "tech person", because I know how to talk to the freelance coders that we do hire, and what goes where on the site, and why we can change some things but not others. I'm not afraid to look at source code.
In my previous job, I was a biochemist, working with lots of people who had *never* taken a programming course in their life. I took C in undergrad, and a super-basic intro to Bioinformatics in grad school, and those meager credentials alone were enough to be asked to help with a project where biochemists (in the lab) and bioinformaticians (at the computer) had to collaborate.
Most non-programmers avoid even thinking about coding, and have no grasp at all of what you can ask a programmer to do.
If anything, it's *my* kind of job(s) that CodeYear participants are after, not programming jobs. They're not going to be coders, but they'll understand coding, and they'll be able to work on projects where programmers are a relatively new, or even temporary, addition to the workforce. They'll be able to think of things in a new way, and actually *provide* opportunities for coders, by spotting things in their workplace that could be improved through programming. They won't be able to do it themselves, but they can hire someone.
To my understanding, that's been the goal of projects like CodeYear: To give non-programmers an insight into things that *can* be done, and to better understand how things work. In other words, to explain how a toilet works, without providing a complete plumber certification course.
Easternblot on May 15, 2012 6:39 AM
So, to summarize, I agree with this sentence: "I suppose I can support learning a tiny bit about programming just so you can recognize what code is, and when code might be an appropriate way to approach a problem you have."
...I just don't think you realize that there are so many well-educated people in non-programming fields who *can't* judge when code is an appropriate way to approach a problem. It's really not as obvious to many people, and even a tiny bit of exposure helps!
Easternblot on May 15, 2012 6:44 AM
Thorsten on May 15, 2012 6:44 AM
I've said for years now that programmers, like many other occupations, are problem solvers. We just tend to solve problems with code.
We're not going to solve world hunger that way. But I'd be willing to bet any veteran developer at least has an idea or two how to attack that problem as well.
and if you haven't ever solved a problem by not writing any code, you're probably not a very good developer either ;)
Jeffreyhamby on May 15, 2012 6:44 AM
How about just learning to "Think like a coder". The mayor of NYC's time probably isn't best spent hacking away on some Ruby code at 3AM. But, thinking like a coder ( e.g. What parts of my job can be automated, what checks do I need to have to make sure one of my decisions doesn't have unintended consequences, or better yet.. assume that unattended consequences are going to happen and try to build policy to contain any bad stuff ).
Dan_relihan on May 15, 2012 6:49 AM
I worked for Bloomberg LP years ago, and had direct contact with Mike Bloomberg on multiple projects. I once took over his desktop with him watching as I installed a demo IM app we created. He sat at my desk while my team demoed multiple new initiatives, and he even poked his head in one time when we were talking to a new DB vendor, and he even asked some performance/scalability questions.
He may be mayor of NYC, but he did start a really big tech company, and for the first few years, he knew every single employee, including the developers, and he followed every single tech initiative very closely. He was always interested in bleeding edge technology. I definitely had my differences with him on multiple occasions, and my opinion of him as NYC mayor (as a resident of NYC) is mixed, but the one thing I can say is that he is tech savvy.
If there is one mayor in the US who doesn't have a CS degree but could learn to program, it would be him.
I hate to say it, but you picked the wrong person to be poster child for a non-techy getting too close to the tech fire.
Kiddushguy on May 15, 2012 6:51 AM
We're all aware that Bloomberg is a billionaire who made his fortune by becoming the #1 financial information provider in the world, provided through technology (terminals, APIs, etc.). Just sayin...
casperOne on May 15, 2012 6:53 AM
AwesomeRobot on May 15, 2012 6:57 AM
Coding Kiwi on May 15, 2012 7:21 AM
Interesting points in the article, most of it makes sense. OTOH, what if we think of computer languages like human languages, in many high schools in the US, students are required to take something like two years of foreign language instruction, what if we treated computer languages like that?
Much of what you're saying applies to learning a foreign language, how many people actually make use of their year or two of high school French? But at the same time, if you took Spanish in the US, you might've had opportunity and motive to continue with it; you might've found the need to speak Spanish, even if that need wasn't there at first.
I think this analogizes to computer languages too, you'd need to have a basic background in order to be ready /if/ the need arises. If you lived in India and took Russian, or in the US and took Latin, that need might never arise, but some in the former will happen to take English and some in the latter will happen to take Spanish, and they're better off and their society too is probably better off because they did.
Of course, realistically, it would probably be more beneficial for every computer class to be swapped with Spanish anyway!
Flipping things around a bit, many high schools offer classes on things like "MS Excel" and the like. What if those classes were replaced with "Python" or "C++" or something? Why use excel to manage tables when programming can do that?
Schenck on May 15, 2012 7:21 AM
Bloomberg might not have been the best example to prove your point. He has a degree in Electrical Engineering from Johns Hopkins and when he started his company he was spending weekends soldering together terminals to sell.
Bob Devereux on May 15, 2012 7:25 AM
While I agree that Mr. Bloomberg shouldn't be spending all his working hours coding, I strongly disagree that he shouldn't learn to code a little. I don't think the other benefits of coding (such as critical thinking) that others are mentioning are important in this case. Young learning might pickup critical thinking from learning to code but you've already established your thought process by the time you've becoming the mayor of one of the largest cities in the world.
All politicians should learn to basic coding (and computer) concepts (what is an API, what are different languages, compiled vs interpreted). If they don't, how can they be expected to pass legislation that governs MY profession? Just look at the guys like Ted "tube" Stevens. Do you really want your activities as a programmer to be governed by people that think computers are magic boxes? Programming is just to intangible, you can't expect someone to have a clue about it without direct experience. If someone can't explain the difference between the Internet and Internet Explorer should they be ruling on Net Neutrality?
Matthieu Heimer on May 15, 2012 7:26 AM
I'm a strong believer that learning a new language makes you better at the others, but I'm not a "learn to code" advocate, a foreign language or even music are equally beneficial.
Nataliav on May 15, 2012 7:31 AM
Jeff, I fully disagree with your post. It assumes that 'learning to code' implies applying coding skills to a career. What if he wants to have a new hobby or broaden his thinking?
One should never broadly say 'don't learn to X' to some useful activity. This is the same kind of thinking that brings on fear, dark ages, and lack of innovation.
BOC's cooking analogy nailed what I'm saying.
Andrew on May 15, 2012 7:37 AM
Christian Romney on May 15, 2012 7:47 AM
I totally agree! It doesn't make sense for EVERYONE to learn code. BUT it does make sense for professionals that work with programmers to know the more than just the basics. That way they don't get lost in the conversation.
SheenaDangers on May 15, 2012 7:57 AM
I wouldn't want my mayor spending huge amounts of time trying to solve the n-queens problem in Java. Just like I wouldn't want the mayor ignoring other duties to write a critique of the collected works of Frederick Douglas. But I would want the mayor to at least have heard of Frederick Douglas, to be able to have an informed conversation on the matter. Same with Java. on May 15, 2012 8:12 AM
learning to code != becoming a better analytical thinker
And, whatever the skills that coding conveys, there are probably far easier and more efficient ways to attain them. It's far more important if people spend their time learning general computer literacy.
Also, having people learn how to code just so they can deal with us professional coders better -- while personally compelling -- isn't a good enough reason either and I question whether toying with some JavaScript really provides enough insight in what we do for a living.
Brad Rembielak on May 15, 2012 8:16 AM
In school I learned how to work with wood, metal, how to cook and sow.
Just because I was exposed to these skills does not mean that they would be a life defining talents.
later, in my first appartment I learned electrucity and plumbing. Does this help me in my job? heck no! Does it help me as a PERSON, HELL YES!
Should everyone be a programmer? Of coarse not! Should everyone get a glimpse of what it is? Perhaps a little fortran or pascal? For sure. If nothing else, just to aquire a sense of LOGIC which is very rare today.
Coding is plumbing, both make sure that all that is supposed to flow... flows.
So yes, woodshop, metal, cooking, sewing, coding, plumbing.. should all be mandatory from grade 8 to 10.
Miturbe72 on May 15, 2012 8:23 AM
So we complain about politicians passing stupid technology laws, and as soon as a politicians says he wants to learn something about the tech, a prominent programmer tells him "don't bother?"
If you don't know how to code, it probably seems perfectly reasonable to have a computer that you can't program yourself, with everything locked down. If that's the future you want, then sure, tell politicians to leave the coding to the professionals.
Cory Doctorow's fears about the end of general computing will come true unless lots of people get addicted to that freedom.
Dennis Peterson on May 15, 2012 8:24 AM
I agree with everything you said but I think you got worked up over nothing.
Bloomberg is a businessman not a coder. This was obvious twitter spam. I hear he makes $14.99 per tweet.
HTNMMO on May 15, 2012 8:27 AM
I have to agree with Kiddushguy.. regardless of your belief of the old person/politician stereotype of being technically clueless, Mr. Bloomberg knows his stuff, not just heading a tech startup but being hands on with development.
Though I can't disagree with you trying to thwart others trying to learn code--that would just dilute our value as being knowledgeable developers, right? So I guess I'll get mad too. Rabble rabble rabble!
Erikjohnnn on May 15, 2012 8:40 AM
Comparing plumbing to programming is a terrible analogy. 10-20 years out from now, what job market will exponentially grow and have a lack of people to fill the positions? (My bet is on programmers.)
AndroidsNsheep on May 15, 2012 8:45 AM
Petachon on May 15, 2012 9:03 AM
Great post.
For the posters who say everyone should learn to code so they know how the technology works around them, I'd say: there are many other ways, including a classical liberal arts education, to learn skills like problem solving, logic, and critical thinking. Well-designed software shouldn't require a user to "know code a little bit" to understand it, it should help the user solve a problem. If a user had to know code to know what's going on, there is something wrong with the software.
Monkeydeus on May 15, 2012 9:03 AM
Your worst article ever. Where did he say he wants to learn coding for his job - why can't someone learn to code (or play guitar, or plumbing, or anything else) just because they want to learn?
Blue Raja on May 15, 2012 9:14 AM
My favorite part of this was the ad at the bottom:
Melindabyerley on May 15, 2012 9:28 AM
Jonathan Beerhalter on May 15, 2012 9:38 AM
Sorry man, but you couldn't be more wrong. Learning is never a bad thing and your example of NY's mayor is a perfect example of that. Imagine if every politician spent time learning rather than playing golf.
I'm not going to chew your head off here. It's been done enough here:
CKnowles on May 15, 2012 10:04 AM
I disagree. The more scientists, for example, that learned how to code well, the less old obfuscated and obsolete fortran code would need to be maintained by the physics community, for example. I don't know about everyone but certainly people who work with numerical or symbolic data for a living (to wit: scientists, economists, and mathematicians) should know how to write code and good code at that.
Also, presumably Mayor Bloomberg is allowed to have a personal life and free time as much as people in other jobs.
Ilya Nepomnyashchiy on May 15, 2012 10:16 AM
BarkGolgafrinch on May 15, 2012 10:16 AM
_jhlb on May 15, 2012 10:35 AM
If this article is satire (a "Modest Proposal" about the year of code?), it is genius. Otherwise, it smacks of trolling and makes me sad.
1. You discourage the mayor of New York from bothering with any knowledge over a basic High School education (but really, does he even need to know Geometry? (Never mind that politicians are the ones making the rules controling the interweb tubes)
2. Nobody should know how their plumbing works? A wrench is just a tool (like programming)... not everyone needs to know how to turn one. Being able to fix your own leaky faucet is a waste of time and cannot possible help you in other areas
3. Laymen don't need to know about programming... they just need to understand how computers work? You know, they should have a good feel for how a computer "thinks", and why it only does exactly what you tell it.
Nevermind that government is run on Excel spreadsheets... which are filled with formulas and function calls and maybe a little VB (pointed out by WimD and others)
Nevermind the assumption that everyone who reads Learn Java in 24 hours will start looking for a dev job (covered well in other comments)
Djanke on May 15, 2012 10:45 AM
Brian Hamby on May 15, 2012 11:03 AM
Programming is math.
Vexorian on May 15, 2012 11:20 AM
Probably your most misunderstood and misquoted article ever Jeff. Thumbs up for a good article that I thoroughly enjoyed (like all the others) and agreed with.
It reminded me of an article ( published in a Quebec newspaper that made me realize the "programming is essential omg" trend from people who literally can't tell the difference between actual programming and @'ing someone on twitter. Sorry for the article being in french but I think it's a good example of what Jeff is talking about, even when Google-translated.
pwny on May 15, 2012 11:49 AM
I take the point that it's not inherently a net positive.
But it's also not inherently a net negative. I don't think the movement is about everyone learning to code so they can get a job coding. It's about learning to code so you have SOME understanding of what is going on with these things that so define every aspect of our lives.
I don't need to know the general details of how an internal combustion engine works, and how the car system as a whole is put together. But I personally do (even though I'm not a mechanic and have no plans to become one) because it does benefit me in certain situations. Understanding the world and around you and more importantly, the machines and systems that enable your life IS a useful skill.
With the car example, I can do some of the work my self, which is faster and cheaper. And I can begin at least initial diagnostics my self to know when my car needs professional help. And when I do get professional help, having some knowledge about cars helps me not get ripped off.
The same goes for general programming knowledge. There are tasks that can be automated, bug in existing products that can be understood, and even worked around, if the user has some cursory knowledge of programming.
I do think everyone should get some understanding of programming because it underpins so much of what they do every day. Just as I think everyone who owns and drives a car should have some basic understanding of how it works, so they can be responsible owners.
Wavesonics on May 15, 2012 11:57 AM
[vaguely @Moritz]
I don't agree with the notion that you need to know how to code to effectively use a computer.
Making technology more accessible is *our job* as designers and developers of software. Same as making an automobile more accessible is the job of the talented engineers and designers that bring you the award winning Camry at the end of every year.
The reason the iPhone is so popular is because it's *stupid simple.*
Jobs set out to make the computer a toaster, and he succeeded. He did the same thing to the smartphone, and he succeeded.
My mother, who hasn't used a smartphone a day in her life, was able to figure out my iPhone almost instinctively. The same cannot be said for some previous-gen dumbphones and Android phones, and even some land-line phones I've bought her over the years.
I know plenty of people who don't have the faintest idea of how ABS works in their car. Aside from: it makes the pedal vibrate, and this orange lamp here means it isn't working.
Does that make ABS any less effective when used in an emergency braking situation? Certainly not.
*Problem solving* and *logic* are very important life skills. Understanding how and when technology is applicable is also a valid life skill.
Is programming the appropriate way to teach this? Or even a *good* way to teach this? I don't think so. Programming is *hard.*
This isn't to discourage young programmers. Its to say that there are things far easier and far more fundamental that you must learn and understand.
Programming includes obscure compiler bugs and discrepancies, dependency management, complicated syntax, among other things.
Programming is a *very* inefficient method of learning how computers work, or learning how problem solving works. Knowing how to write FizzBuzz won't help you understand why streaming is taking up bandwidth.
Macmnc on May 15, 2012 12:16 PM
Coding is fun and almost instantly rewarding, in fact with only basic programming skills you can make simulation models that are a lot more advanced than really complex Excel-models or really advanced math.
Niklaus Wirth style stepwise refinement might be a lot more appropriate than jumping into design patterns.
Tov Jacobsen on May 15, 2012 12:30 PM
I think sites like Codeacademy have the opposite effect of what they advertise. They only show the boring part of programming. Writing code IS boring and indeed not "that" hard. The fun part about programming is finding a way to systematically solve a problem or rather have a computer solve it for you.
Code training sites just spoon feed you the documentation that's already available and aren't practical if you actually want to code. There's already a tool for that called an API.
It's cool to learn the guitar by jamming some of your favorite songs but it doesn't teach you any music theory or how to compose music.
Bram Cordie on May 15, 2012 12:34 PM
A similar argument, I would guess, would have been made by secretaries in the 1980's if Ed Kotch had decided to type up a few of his own memos on this new thing called the word processor.
Programming is getting easier and easier as languages improve and processors become faster. It's no surprise that it is becoming democratized.
I think it's great Mayor Bloomberg is learning to code. He will probably really enjoy it and it will increase his general literacy about technology.
I can't argue against anyone wanting to learn something.
Michelebusby on May 15, 2012 12:46 PM
I don't know... I think posts like this are kind of snobbish. I say let people dig in and see what it's about. The ones who fall in love with it will seek out the finer aspects of the craft. But to suggest we hold back the keys until people prove they are worthy sounds arrogant to me.
And by the way, I might be mistaken, but I think CodeAcademy is based in New York City. The Mayor was doing some PR for a local business. That's all.
Dana Pellerin on May 15, 2012 12:48 PM
I think the spirit of your post is mostly wrong, even though you make a lot of good points on what the BEST way to learn would be.
You're only real points are:
1. Code is a means to an end. So teaching the means before the end is worthless.
2. Learning to code isn't necessary for success, so learning it is worthless.
All your arguments would apply to Calculus, learning a foreign language, or an instrument, or sports. Those are all a means to doing greater things, and they aren't necessary for success. The awesome parts of life are completely optional.
(that was completely stolen from xkcd):
It's not a bad thing if people decide to learn more. As a programmer, I don't feel threatened by it.
Brendan Abel on May 15, 2012 12:53 PM
You can learn to code without learning Java.
I imagine that you can learn Java without learning to code. (Or, that's the impression I get after seeing some java programs...)
Anyways, we have far too many people right now who are satisfied with getting at their data only via a UI tailored to that particular data store, rather than by manipulating the data using simple "generic" tools. Even people that "know how to code" seem to not care that they are only capable of using toy systems, and are not capable of aggregate operations until someone else does their thinking for them.
Do I expect that the New York "learn to code" initiative will fix this? No...
In a sense, it's not "learn to code" that's needed it's "learn to work with data". And, before we can teach people that we need to learn how to do that properly, ourselves.
Put differently, maybe people need to "learn how to get rid of code".
But to do a good job of that, they are still going to have to learn to code.
Such is life.
Raul Miller on May 15, 2012 12:56 PM
It is unfair and callous to deny people the ability to automate. No one should be stopped from learning and realising that a lot of the drudgery in the world can be solved by something as simple as a loop.
Furthermore this article seems to ignore the increasing popularity of end user programmable tools and applications.
Automation on May 15, 2012 12:59 PM
As Wil Wheaton would say, "Don't be a dick." And right now, you really sound like one.
This is your jump the shark moment.
Reed Richards on May 15, 2012 1:15 PM
I understand the sentiment behind this blog post. I get irritated by the, "Hey! I'm going to learn to code!" New Years resolutions that will start as quickly as they die out...
If coding was fun and easy, everyone would be doing it. I have to support this blog post, we should be building up an understanding of technology at the basic level instead of trying to convince people that learning a little bit of JavaScript is a worthwhile endeavor.
You learn to code by coding because that was the chosen solution for a problem, not because the world is filling up with software solutions. Knowing how to code is not going to become quintessential to jobs in the future. For all we know, we could move outside the need for a lot of programmers and have a more tight-knit team of experts at a chosen company. Then, what good to Code Academy do you? Nothing.
Also, for those who believe that getting the average person to learn how to code might create some form of bond or kinship with code illiterate people... I point you to the Big Bang Theory as what mainstream does to your subcultures.
Daniel Fletcher on May 15, 2012 1:16 PM
I think you miss the point, which is especially surprising considering how much you've complained about the state of job candidates in the field. The idea is to get more and different types of people coding--the pipeline to jobs in computer programming is fundamentally broken in several places, one of which is the extreme lack of diversity in who enters it. We are missing out on many, many people with the passion, intelligence, and capability to be excellent coders, and these initiatives are one way of mending that.
Kelseyinnis on May 15, 2012 1:45 PM
Thanks, Jeff. I was making a list of great blogs for beginning developers, but it was getting kind of long. It's one shorter, now.
I hope one day one of your kids gets told that they shouldn't do something, because they'll probably suck at it. Then you'll get an idea how hard it can be to pull someone out of that hole.
Kcunning on May 15, 2012 1:45 PM
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The idea of self-replicating spacecraft has been applied — in theory — to several distinct "tasks". The particular variant of this idea appled to the idea of space exploration is known as a von Neumann probe. Other variants include the Berserker and an automated seeder ship.
In theory, a self-replicating spacecraft could be sent to a neighbouring star-system, where it would seek out raw materials (extracted from asteroids, moons, gas giants, etc.) to create replicas of itself. These replicas would then be sent out to other star systems. The original "parent" probe could then pursue its primary purpose within the star system. This mission varies widely depending on the variant of self-replicating starship proposed.
Given this pattern, and its similarity to the reproduction patterns of bacteria, it has been pointed out that von Neumann machines might be considered a form of life. In his short story, "Lungfish" (see Examples in fiction below), David Brin touches on this idea, pointing out that self-replicating machines launched by different species might actually compete with one another (in a Darwinistic fashion) for raw material, or even have conflicting missions. Given enough variety of "species" they might even form a type of ecology, or — should they also have a form of artificial intelligence — a society. They may even mutate with untold thousands of "generations".
The first quantitative engineering analysis of such a spacecraft was published in 1980 by Robert Freitas,[1] in which the non-replicating Project Daedalus design was modified to include all subsystems necessary for self-replication. The design's strategy was to use the probe to deliver a "seed" factory with a mass of about 443 tons to a distant site, have the seed factory replicate many copies of itself there to increase its total manufacturing capacity, over a 500 year period, and then use the resulting automated industrial complex to construct more probes with a single seed factory on board each.
It has been theorized that a self-replicating starship utilizing relatively conventional theoretical methods of interstellar travel (i.e., no exotic faster-than-light propulsion such as "warp drive", and speeds limited to an "average cruising speed" of 0.1c.) could spread throughout a galaxy the size of the Milky Way in as little as half a million years.[2]
Implications for Fermi's paradox[edit]
In 1981, Frank Tipler[3] put forth an argument that extraterrestrial intelligences do not exist, based on the absence of von Neumann probes. Given even a moderate rate of replication and the history of the galaxy, such probes should already be common throughout space and thus, we should have already encountered them. Because we have not, this shows that extraterrestrial intelligences do not exist. This is thus a resolution to the Fermi paradox—that is, the question of why we have not already encountered extraterrestrial intelligence if it is common throughout the universe.
Applications for self-replicating spacecraft[edit]
Von Neumann probes[edit]
A von Neumann probe is a self-replicating spacecraft designed to investigate its target system and transmit information about it back to its system of origin.[6] The concept is named after Hungarian American mathematician and physicist John von Neumann, who rigorously studied the concept of self-replicating machines that he called "Universal Assemblers" and which are often referred to as "von Neumann machines". While von Neumann never applied his work to the idea of spacecraft, theoreticians since then have done so.
The name is derived from the Berserker series of novels by Fred Saberhagen which feature an ongoing war between humanity and such machines. Saberhagen points out (through one of his characters) that the Berserker warships in his novels are not von Neumann machines themselves, but the larger complex of Berserker machines — including automated shipyards — do constitute a von Neumann machine. This again brings up the concept of an ecology of von Neumann machines, or even a von Neumann hive entity.
It is speculated that Berserkers could be created and launched by a xenophobic civilization (see Anvil of Stars, by Greg Bear, in Examples in fiction below) or could theoretically "mutate" from a more benign probe. For instance, a von Neumann ship designed for terraforming processes — mining a planet's surface and adjusting its atmosphere to more human-friendly conditions — might malfunction and attack inhabited planets, killing their inhabitants in the process of changing the planetary environment, and then self-replicate and dispatch more ships to attack other planets.
Replicating "seeder" ships[edit]
Yet another variant on the idea of the self-replicating starship is that of the "seeder" ship. Such starships might store the genetic patterns of lifeforms from their home world, perhaps even of the species which created it. Upon finding a habitable exoplanet, or even one that might be terraformed, it would try to replicate such lifeforms — either from stored embryos (see: embryo space colonization) or from stored information using molecular nanotechnology to "build" zygotes with varying genetic information from local raw materials.
As a side note, this pattern of terraforming and colonization need not be "automated". Manned interstellar colony ships could follow a similar pattern — and might be considered a sort of a combined von Neumann probe/seeder ship in which replication can be performed by the living inhabitants.
Some proponents of space habitats suggest that planets would be entirely unnecessary to a civilization using this approach. Taken to its extreme, this concept could combine self-replicating habitat ships with technologies such as virtual reality, envatted brains and tissue regeneration to efficiently transform cosmic resources into meaningful subjective lives free from suffering.
Examples in fiction[edit]
Von Neumann probes[edit]
• In Von Neumann's War by John Ringo and Travis S. Taylor (published by Baen Books 2007) Von Neumann probes arrive in the solar system, moving in from the outer planets, converting all metals into gigantic structures. Eventually, they arrive on Earth, wiping out much of the population before they are beaten back by the humanity using their own probes turned against them.
• In Spin by Robert Charles Wilson, earth is veiled by a temporal field. Humanity tries to understand and escape this field by using Von Neumann probes. It is later revealed that the field itself was generated by Von Neumann probes from another civilization, and that a competition for resources had taken place between earth's and aliens probes.
• In the novel Cold As Ice, by Charles Sheffield, there is a segment where the author/physicist describes Von Neumanns harvesting sulfur, nitrogen, phosphorus, helium-4, and other metals from the atmosphere of Jupiter.
• In the 2003 miniseries reboot of Battlestar Galactica (and the subsequent 2004 series) the cylons are similar to berserkers in their wish to destroy human life. They were created by humans in a group of fictional planets called the twelve colonies. The cylons created special models that look like humans in order to destroy the twelve colonies and later, the fleeing fleet of surviving humans.
• The Babylon 5 episode 'A Day in the Strife' features a probe that threatens the station with destruction unless a series of questions designed to test a civilisation's level of advancement are answered correctly. The commander of the station correctly surmises that the probe is actually a berserker and that if the questions are answered the probe would identify them as a threat to its originating civilisation and detonate.
• On Stargate SG-1 the Replicators were a vicious race of insect-like robots that were originally created by an android named Reese to serve as toys. They grew beyond her control and began evolving, eventually spreading throughout at least two galaxies. In addition to ordinary autonomous evolution they were able to analyze and incorporate new technologies they encountered into themselves, ultimately making them one of the most advanced "races" known. (there is now evidence in a more recent episode of Stargate Atlantis that the Ancients are the original creators of the Replicators and Reese may have just been able to activate and control some)
• In the computer game Sword of the Stars, the player may randomly encounter "Von Neumann". A Von Neumann mothership appears along with smaller Von Neumann probes, which attack and consume the player's ships. The probes then return to the mothership, returning the consumed material. If probes are destroyed, the mothership will create new ones. If all the player's ships are destroyed, the Von Neumann probes will reduce the planets resource levels before leaving. The probes appear as blue octahedrons, with small spheres attached to the apical points. The mothership is a larger version of the probes. In the 2008 expansion A Murder of Crows, Kerberos Productions also introduces the VN Berserker, which is either an upgrade of or a construction by the previously-mentioned von Neumann motherships/probes. The VN Berserker will, after wearing down any planetary defenses, destroy all colonists on any planet it attacks.
• The Star Wars Expanded Universe features the World Devastators, large ships designed and built by the Galactic Empire that tear apart planets to use its materials to build other ships or even upgrade or replicate themselves.
Replicating "seeder" ships[edit]
• Stephen Baxter's novel Manifold: Space starts with the discovery of alien self-replicating machines active within the Solar system.
• On the Stargate Atlantis episode "Remnants", the Atlantis team finds an ancient probe that they later learn was launched by a now-extinct, technologically advanced race in order to seed new worlds and re-propagate their sulphur-based species. The probe communicated with inhabitants of Atlantis by means of hallucinations.
• On Stargate Universe the human adventurers live on a ship called Destiny. Its mission was to connect a network of Stargates, placed by preceding seeder ships, on planets capable of supporting life to allow instantaneous travel between them.
See also[edit]
6. ^ A Self-Reproducing Interstellar Probe
7. ^ Nick Bostrom 2003 Ethical Issues in Advanced Artificial Intelligence — section 2
8. ^ The complete text of the story has been placed on the author's website at
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In the first part of this post, I presented evidence to the strong Christian undercurrent present in the storytelling of Arpeggio of Blue Steel, complimenting the already broad list of examples medievalotaku presented in his original blog post. Because of those motives, medievalotaku views Arpeggio as a “spy anime”.
However, I have my misgivings about the series being branded as such. On the one hand, I would generally oppose the idea of works of fiction being “spy anything”, since that implies there being only one true interpretation, which is untrue of any kind of deeper fiction. On the other hand, while Arpeggio takes from the Christian worldview to create the foundation of its setting and plot developments, it is not afraid to criticize Christian ideals and discuss the present state of Christianity.
One of the ways in which Arpeggio transcends being a mere retelling and introduces its own ideas is through its female lead: I-401 Iona. Unlike with Gunzou, the obvious Christ figure of the show, it is not easy to pinpoint which Biblical figure Iona resembles the most. I pointed out how. at times, she works as God’s messenger dove – the Holy Spirit. Yet there is certainly a master-student relationship between her and Gunzou more reminiscent of that between Christ and his apostles. Either way, as medievalotaku points out, “[s]he is certainly Gunzou’s most perfect follower”.
If there is something unusual about Iona as a follower of Christ, though, it is that she is… a declared atheist.
- This is a navy graveyard.
- Graveyard?
- A place where we mourn the dead and where we let their souls rest.
- The dead? Those whose life functions have ceased? Is there any meaning to mourning the dead?
Like her sisters, Iona was born without a predefined belief system, except for the priorities established by the Admiralty Code. As such, she values reason and logic above all else. For her, the graveyard is “just a place”, while the actions of mourners are “meaningless”.
Viewers might be used to that kind of thinking from other science-fiction works involving machine-like intelligence. But it does not take long for the conversation to take an unusual turn.
- Meaningless, huh? But I think human progress might be all about finding meaning within those meaningless actions.
- …It is similar to how a growing system allows for irregular noise to maintain diversity and avoid the inevitable corruption of data throughout successive copying.
Iona’s parallel seems to surprise Gunzou at first, but he soon responds with a smile.
Through the conversation between Iona and Gunzou in episode three, Arpeggio shows the ideal of a relationship between a Christian and an atheist/agnostic.
Iona honestly admits the differences in their beliefs. However, Iona’s denial of Gunzou’s ideas, no matter how direct and to the point, does not become a personal attack. This is because at this point in the series, she holds an absolute devotion to Gunzou. There may therefore be no doubt that while she denies her captain’s words, she does not deny him as a person. We are not usually connected with each other in a special way like this. But, as fellow humans blessed with the same free will and reason, we should still at least be able to respect each other regardless of differences in belief.
The above-mentioned respect is often put into practice in the form of a no-touch policy. But like Iona and Gunzou, we should not be afraid to ask questions, and, when questioned, we should answer to the best of our ability.
Why is the above necessary? Partly because it is an opportunity for self-reflection. As they say, a teacher needs to know his stuff thrice as well as the regular person. But mostly, it is necessary for what Iona was able to do in the end – the forming of bridges and parallels.
It is worth it to look at the conversations as a win-win scenario, where both sides win to the extent they can gain an understanding of the other. It is crucial to realize, and accept, that our current positions are different, sometimes to the point of being mutually exclusive. But more often then we realize, we come from the same places, aiming for the same things. After all, we all share the same basic needs as human beings. The key, therefore, is to seek similarities and understanding even while acknowledging the differences.
It is not immediately obvious what point the series is making with its messiah-atheist combination. But the answer comes in the second part of the same episode, with the crew of I-401 invited to a dinner party by an army/government official.
His demand: hand I-401 over to the government. His reasoning behind the demand: we are the government, our soldiers have proper training and you cannot trust that monster submarine in the first place.
Gunzou’s answer is negative, his reasoning equally simple: Iona, my crew and I have been risking our lives and achieving results; your army has failed to do anything for the last seven years, their “proper training” notwithstanding; I trust Iona much more than I could ever trust you.
On a superficial level, Gunzou and the official would seem to share a lot of similarities. They represent the same race, the same nationality and the same military background. They are similar to two people of the same religious denomination. Had it been the official who saw Gunzou offering the flowers in the graveyard, there would be no need to explain whether there is any meaning to mourning the dead.
But there is a great chasm separating the two men. That chasm can be described with a single phrase: “delivering the goods”. For all their ideological differences, Gunzou and Iona have no secrets between each other. On the battlefield, they can have absolute trust the other won’t betray them. Can Gunzou say the same about the official?
It is not difficult to see how empty the man’s arguments are. At no point does he mention what the government intends to do once they get their hands on I-401 or what great strategy they have in mind to beat back the Fog. In fact, complying with his request would require Gunzou to abandon his quest to deliver humanity’s last-hope superweapon to America. Add the fact that there is some obvious power struggle going on in the background between the navy and ground forces, and it can be guessed that the official represents some small clique who want to benefit from the possession of I-401, and his top priority is not necessarily the good of humanity as a whole.
The law is on our side, the official says, without thinking about the ultimate purpose of the law. Our troops had proper training, he says, without thinking what purpose the training was supposed to serve. His goals are the same as Gunzou’s, but in shape only – they are empty on the inside.
Unfortunately, that description might sound familiar. The official represents people of faith who have lost sight of their own core values in favor of formalities and appearances. The Church is on our side, they say, forgetting that the Church is there for the salvation of all people and God’s glory, and meaningless without that purpose. We attend mass and take part in all the proper rituals, they say, forgetting that the rituals are there to foster spiritual growth and lend them strength to do the right thing with their lives. Reduced to motions and appearances, the actions hold no value.
Gunzou rejects the man’s invitation and sides with Iona. There are times when Iona cannot understand his thoughts and motivations. The only thing she can offer him are her best and honest intentions, as well as actions carried out in accordance with her own reason and consciousness. But that, Gunzou realizes, is the only thing that counts.
Good is good, evil is evil. It does not matter whether the hand that performs the act belongs to a Christian, atheist, or whoever else. Virtue and sin make no exceptions based on plaques and connections. Arpeggio of Blue Steel aired in 2013, the same year Pope Francis assumed his duties. Pope Francis caused quite a buzz in the Christian world when he declared that atheists may be good people, and that if they walk the path of good, they walk the path towards Christ. That same message is contained in Arpeggio: to praise all good, and condemn all evil.
Perhaps the most important scene of the anime as a whole is the birth of the titular Ars Nova ship: Gunzo and Iona’s struggle for survival after being sunk by Fog submarines and Takao’s sacrifice to bring them both to safety. Medievalotaku only offers a brief mention of the scene, perhaps because Gunzou’s readiness to sacrifice his own life for the crew seems so obvious a parallel of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. However, it is exactly because the parallels are so obvious that the discrepancies contained in this portrayal are so striking. And taking a closer look at those discrepancies is key to understanding the message Arpeggio is trying to get across.
First and foremost: Gunzou does not die. Why? Because his fleet and followers would not let him. The episode is not only an opportunity for Gunzou to show his selfless ideals, it is an important character development moment for two other characters.
First and foremost is I-401 Iona. Her efforts to save Gunzou are entirely in character and come as no surprise. Iona identifies herself most strongly as Gunzou’s ship and adheres to all his commands. It is early on in the series where she realizes, on her own accord, that she exists "not to let Gunzou die”. All is in perfect order then, until the moment when Gunzou orders Iona to sacrifice him. Iona hears the order… and refuses.
Gunzou’s orders are Iona’s one Absolute Principle, her First Law of Robotics. It is through her refusal of the order that she proves herself a free and thinking being, human in all the ways that actually count. It is through her refusal that she achieves her greatest moral victory, because Gunzou’s orders are a test of fire that proves that Iona’s principles are genuine and hers alone. And yet, surprisingly, it is also through that refusal that Iona’s principles are proven to be the same Gunzou holds. Gunzou considers Iona’s life worth sacrificing his own, and Iona responds in turn. She looks beyond what Gunzou says, and sees what he stands for.
This is a powerful stab at Christianity, which values the moral growth of an individual… up to a point. Unfortunately, obedience often takes precedence over sound judgment in terms of Christian virtues. In what is one of the most troubling biblical passages. God demands that Abraham kill his son as a human sacrifice to Him in a test of faith. Interpretations differ, but Abraham passes the test, willing and ready to kill his son until God stops him at the last moment. Murder is, of course, a vile and grave sin. And Christianity makes no allowance for sins in thought – they are as evil as sins through action. Thus God orders His follower to sin, and Abraham does so, resolving to undertake one of the most repugnant deeds imaginable. (Logical somersaults follow to justify that.)
Had Abraham thought like Iona, he might have realized that God and evil do not mix, ever. He might have refused, and stayed true to what God stands for, rather than to whatever was whispering in his ear at the time. It might have been the Devil, after all, taking advantage of blind obedience like he does with human stupidity. But Christianity tells its followers they cannot fathom God’s will and urges them to suspend their judgment in favor of following others, be they priests or charlatans.
Iona proved herself human, and there comes a day when we must all prove ourselves adults: not doing as we are told forever, in sweet ignorance, but thinking about our actions for ourselves, so that we may take responsibility for them, learn from our mistakes and take pride in what we represent.
But there is another lesson contained in that scene, and to pick up on it, we need to return to the starting point. Gunzou does not die. Why? Because his followers will not let him.
Christ spilled His blood and offered His body for the sake of His followers. You might expect Gunzou to do the same here, but surprisingly enough, the roles are reversed. As Gunzou is under threat of freezing to death (and/or suffocating), it is Iona who is slowly bleeding herself to death as she keeps a sinking ship fully operational to maintain life support. And, in the titular scene of the episode, it is Takao who offers her body to guide Gunzou to safety. It is only through this reversed sacrifice of body and blood that master and followers ultimately reach salvation.
This is a wake up call for Christians out there. Christ died for your sins once already. Now it is time for His followers to return the favor and carry His cross for Him. There are plenty of opportunities out there, every single day.
The Fog ships passed the test. What about humanity?
Spoiler warning: This post discusses the events of Aoki Hagane no Arpeggio / Arpeggio of Blue Steel in detail and contains significant spoilers.
I was late to pick up Arpeggio of Blue Steel last year, but it immediately shot up in the ranks of my favorite anime works from that period. Arpeggio is great fun as a self-contained sci-fi show, but there is also that religious undercurrent to it that I found fascinating. After all, Arpeggio was leaning very closely to classic Western ideas, despite its Japanese staff. Immediately upon finishing the series, I started looking around for a Christian look at the show, and medievalotaku obliged with a highly-detailed reinterpretation of the show as a parallel of the Bible.
As I read the article, though, I was surprised at how different the things medievalotaku noticed were from my own observations on the show. Turns out there was even more Christian material in Arpeggio than I thought! (But that possibility was one of the reasons why I wanted a more knowledgeable blogger to tackle the issue, of course.)
The following are my own thoughts on the religious themes contained in the show. While not a direct response to medievalotaku’s article, reading both should be interesting as a comparison of two perspectives on the issue.
The Holy Feather
While medievalotaku became sure of the Christian undercurrent to the show in the couple final episodes, I found it impossible to ignore the evidence presented at the midpoint of the series.
Episode six of the show sees battleship Haruna, a competent and powerful member of the Fog, in a pinch in her battle against the human armed forces. The irony of her predicament is that, weakened though she might be at that point, she is not losing because of a lack of power. Rather, she is dead set on shielding the human child Makie, and thus finds herself in a hostage situation. Her best bet would be to kill the foot soldiers first, then go after the people controlling the artillery, but Haruna has just been taught that it is wrong to kill, and she chooses an uphill struggle of disabling her opponents without killing them. The army going after her has no concerns regarding any of the above points, obviously.
What we see, therefore, is Haruna getting punished for doing the right thing, for her love and her mercy. And while her newfound moral principles would not be enough for most people to throw away their lives, it seems increasingly likely with every second of the episode that Haruna will refuse to throw away either her moral integrity or the life of her friend – not even resorting to the lesser evil approach of prioritizing the life of her defenseless companion over the lives of their assassins.
Play nice and you will get punished, the scene says. It shows the thorny path awaiting those who choose to carry the burden of ideals. And in the final moments before receiving that cruel judgment, Haruna does something quite unlike a Fog warship: she closes her eyes and prays.
Somebody. Anyone. Please help us. Please save us. Somebody!
And then, with the wonderful “SAVIOR” soundtrack heralding it, help descends from the sky. With overwhelming, but precisely controlled power, the I-401 submarine Iona takes control of the situation. As user suburbanbanshee helpfully points out in their comment on medievalotaku’s article, Iona’s name can be traced back to the Latin word for dove, which also happens to be the Blue Steel crest. As Gunzou is the Christ-figure of the show, Iona arrives as the Holy Spirit – the messenger of Christ descending to aid the believers in their darkest hour.
- Haruna, what are you doing here?
- I am… We are trying to protect Makie… our friend.
- Is that so? Then I will help you.
Just a moment before, Haruna was still trying to tell herself that she only needs Makie to survive for the Fog’s purpose. Haruna wanted to believe she was acting according to cold reason, confused as she was to the newfound feelings in her heart. But Iona forces her to come clean and face the true motivation behind her actions. And once everything is laid open, Iona offers her unconditional help.
- 401, why did you help me?
- Because I heard your voice.
- What?
- ‘Please help,’ you said. And so I came to help.
The events of the scene parallel the promise existing between Christ and His believers. Christians are not promised escape from suffering. Indeed, the holy path is one of thorns. But Christ promises that in our most difficult hour, when a believer closes their eyes, speaks out and reaches out with their hands, Christ and the Holy Spirit will be there, listening and ready to offer help. The help Christ offers is unconditional, and comes with no price attached. The only thing asked in exchange for answering a prayer is a true and open heart.
Submarine Morality
There are many more Arpeggio scenes that parallel those found in the Bible, and medievalotaku mentions many of them. Perhaps even more important than any single scene, though, is the fact that the setting of Arpeggio adheres to some basic tenets of the Christian worldview, even where this is against Japanese tradition.
One attractive feature of anime and other Japanese works, for me and many others, is that they often show human beings as capable of both good and evil at all times. Remember that psychopathic murderer from Fullmetal Alchemist who ends up saving the main character at the end “just because”? The Japanese proficiency at such portrayals of the gray areas in our morality might stem from the fact Japan lacks the tradition of the good/evil duality supported by the church in the West.
Still, the Japanese attachment to moral ambiguity also means that anime works will rarely take a definite stance on whether humans, by nature, lean more towards good or evil. Christianity has no doubts in this regard: everyone is a sinner, but God intended everybody to be good. Provided that they have the honest will to seek the light, God promises to support everyone in their spiritual growth towards good and, eventually, salvation.
This way of thinking obviously requires that we assume the existence of a universal morality, a concept avoided in most Japanese works, but present in Arpeggio, and how so! Universal morality not only exists, it seems to be infectious and jumping from one victim to another faster than the virus in the latest zombie flick!
Arpeggio can embrace the concept full on because of its unique cast of characters. The fleet warships are fully developed mentally, in the intellectual sense, but they are blank slates in the moral sense. Each of the mental models is therefore a small social experiment: will the pure mind sway towards love or hatred?
If you bet on love, you won big time. Haruna needs some three days to turn from a heartless weapon to the selfless pacifist described in the first part of the article. Hyuuga does not mind getting dismantled for the greater good. Takao likewise sacrifices herself to save the other members of her fleet. Kirishima… Kirishima likes playing the tough girl, but she is all plushy on the inside. (Hah!)
Those people all met while blasting supercavitation torpedoes at each other, and they were not throwing any punches! But the smallest bit of kindness is enough to attract them to the path of light. For the Fog warships, the concepts of good and evil are something completely new, and so, they are not immediately able to properly discern between the two. But this does not matter in the least, because good seems to be like a powerful magnet, pulling them towards the right path at every opportunity. By the point Haruna starts wondering how she came to possess moral principles in the first place, she is already an example to follow in terms of moral integrity.
But while the outstanding moral qualities are still understandable, storytelling-wise, among those warships which join the protagonists, it is the antagonist side that proves beyond a shadow of doubt that the power of good is universal, and not to be trifled with!
Iona’s sister ships, I-400 and I-402, are very careful not to get within range of the good-magnet. This does not seem to help them any, though. Within minutes of moral small talk with Iona, I-402 can no longer remain professionally indifferent. Shaken, she demands that Iona explain her incomprehensible principles. There is outrage there, on the surface, but beneath it lies a desperate need to understand that great secret which Iona got hold of. The spiritual distance between the two is growing shorter than I-402 might realize, and this is reflected in her cutting down the physical distance between their avatars and reaching out her hand to touch, and try to understand, Iona. If God’s morality is indeed universal, it must be natural even to those who have never heard of God, even to those who have been taught a different brand of good and evil. This is the kind of good Arpeggio portrays – an irresistible force that attracts all without exception.
I-400 steps in to stop the talk between the two, but it is already too late. Mere moments later, I-402 will be making her first moral choice, and one which consists of throwing away her life to protect her sister. I-400 is outraged at seeing that act of sacrifice, accuses I-402 of being no different from Iona, and rushes at the Blue Steel submarine in a blind rage. She does not notice, of course, that she is getting entangled in the web of good. It is not rage that is the opposite of love, but indifference. I-400 can feel rage because she can feel hurt. And she can feel hurt at seeing her sister sunk by a torpedo because she can feel love.
The battle between the submarines soon ends with Iona’s victory. When I-402 apologizes to her sister for being unable to protect her, I-400 asks her why she would apologize. Then she reaches out her hand in a gesture of… Forgiveness? Acceptance? Or is it the same desire for understanding as was the case between I-402 and Iona before? Death claims I-400 before we can make sure of the answer.
The real heart-breaker, though, comes immediately after. As Iona cries for the loss of her two sisters, I-402 asks her why she would cry. Then she tells Iona that all Iona did was fight her enemies and sink them. When Iona tries to protest, I-402 cuts in: That and nothing else.
This might seem like I-402 berating her sister for her lack of logic, a stubborn rejection of emotion until the very end. But because this is the same I-402 that shielded her sister with her own body and still felt guilty for not being able to protect her, a different interpretation comes to mind.
From a logical perspective, there is no point in conversing with Iona at that point. But I-402 uses her last moments to absolve Iona of her guilt. Her insistence that Iona is not to blame is the only gift she can leave behind, the only way she can lessen the burden Iona will have to bear. I-402 shields Iona‘s heart no differently then she shielded the body of her other sister minutes before.
It might seem surprising that while the Fog warships prove capable of extraordinary moral feats and astounding moral progress within moments from being exposed to the power of good, there are plenty of human characters in the series who are evidently short-sighted and concerned only with their personal interests. The key difference, I think, lies in the fact that the Fog warships are all like children. This is why their emotional reactions are all so intense, why they learn so fast, why Kongou’s seemingly deep-rooted hatred disappears like mist after a simple hug. It is no coincidence that Haruna’s thoughts and moral development are shown at one point to perfectly mirror that of Makie.
The kingdom of heaven belongs to children, and it is a great challenge to retain childlike faith even as we grow up, and encounter the temptations and gray areas of adult life. Many of the grown ups of the Arpeggio world apparently lost their way. And the road ahead of our Blue Steel fleet will not be easy either. As the world balance switches from one where the Fog was firmly in control to a more even distribution of forces, there will come times when they will have to choose sides and make difficult choices.
But well, if they cannot pull through, who possibly could?
[Ohys-Raws] Black Bullet - 08 (AT-X 1280x720 x264 AAC).mp4_snapshot_11.13_[2014.06.23_23.40.17]
No, wait, not the kind of temptation pictured above.
If you have been watching the show, you know that Black Bullet took its riveting setting and has been going weird places and doing weird things ever since the first arc ended. Still, it has its moments of brilliance. One of those was the commentary on temptation contained in episode eleven of the show.
[Ohys-Raws] Black Bullet - 04 (AT-X 1280x720 x264 AAC).mp4_snapshot_04.23_[2014.06.23_23.47.25]
The episode treats us to a reunion with our favorite villain pair from the first arc. The show never tried hiding that the Hiruko pair are both evil and completely insane, nor that where they now stand is where Rentarou might end up should he lose to the anger and despair in his heart. Kagetane urges Rentarou to join him from the very beginning, offering Rentarou various incentives as well as showing him the dark sides of the society Rentarou has sworn to protect.
However, during that first arc, there was little doubt that Rentarou would be refusing the offer. While the government’s neglect led to many deaths among the Cursed Children, Kagetane’s alternative was that of killing even more people in much more direct ways while spouting clichéd villain lines. This, of course, made sense as generating bad publicity was in Kagetane’s job description at the time.
[HorribleSubs] Black Bullet - 11 [720p].mkv_snapshot_19.47_[2014.06.24_00.20.12]
But Rentarou’s recent meeting with the pair was nothing like those before it – there was no shouting or fighting involved. To the contrary, it was a moment of respite in a dangerous journey.
In many ways, Kagetane’s timing could not have been better. Rentarou has just been betrayed by the system he protects. He was punished for doing what he thought was right, and the people in charge were not subtle about turning his family and teammates into hostages. He is sent alone on a suicide mission, one he might accepted anyway if provided with the proper support. But the language of threats seems to be the official one in this world.
Rentarou’s mission is about to meet its premature end – godly as his offensive abilities are, half of his body is still human. And as Rentarou climbs out of a river, wet, tired, wounded and about to become dog food, the Hiruko pair arrive just in time to save the day. It seems that for once, Rentarou has had enough and decided to give up on it all – and the two heard that and responded to the call.
[HorribleSubs] Black Bullet - 11 [720p].mkv_snapshot_19.36_[2014.06.23_23.38.42]
In Rentarou’s darkest hour, the “other option” the Hiruko pair represent might have come to his mind. But of course, the two before him are flesh and blood. They bring with them power and destruction, necessary to get Rentarou out of his pinch, but also the warmth of a fireplace, the safety of mutual protection, the sweet scent of food and the bandages to cover Rentarou’s wounds.
It is a great irony that for that one moment, Rentarou’s only light in the world comes from the darkest part of his soul. But then, is it not the wat temptation works for all of us?
Each person has their own weakness. We can tell right from wrong when confronted about the issue directly – like Rentarou confronted his foes in the first arc of this story. But when we are lost on the way, betrayed, hurt, hungry, exhausted… that is when our weaknesses sneak up on us. And they offer comfort and healing.
Me? I reach out for sweets when lady luck seems to hate me, and for condescension when people do not think or act the way I would like them to. Those are two different vices, both with their own hazards, but they both feel good in the short term.
The question is, will we be able to wake up next morning, and walk away from that fireplace?
[HorribleSubs] Black Bullet - 11 [720p].mkv_snapshot_22.09_[2014.06.23_23.38.04]
Like with Rentarou’s new little troupe, the power of temptation lies not in direct confrontation with the force of our will, but in the fact that, quite accidentally, it always seems to be heading in the same direction we are.
Liebster Award
4. Provide 11 random facts about yourself.
1. Do you watch the Olympics?
2. Who is your favorite historical figure?
Gautama Buddha. Thomas Aquinas.
Samurai? Easily???
4. Do you like Jane Austen’s books?
Albert Einstein.
11. What’s your favorite sea creature?
enguarde_02Teh Swordfish, ‘nuff said.
Fun facts
• Dragonheart, see above
High school is an amazing place.
The Huge Anime Fan
A Thousand Years From Now
Anime Soup
Marusera no Sekai
8. Choose one anime character for president of your country.
10. What is the ultimate form and kind of cheese?
11. Cat person? Dog Person?
No Game No Life is pretty upfront about the basic idea behind the names of its characters. We have Sora (sky) and Shiro (white), whose names put together just happen to form the word blank (kuuhaku).
For a long time, I thought that was it. The series does get plenty of mileage out of the blank idea. The official way of writing that term within the series is just an empty space within Japanese brackets like this: 「 」. Throughout the series, Sora and Shiro delight in capturing various things in those metaphorical brackets, like one would in a camera lens, and thus claiming those things for their own.
blank 2
The blank idea also plays nicely into the urban legend the siblings have going on. The title of Blank is an open declaration that the miracle gamer everyone wants to believe in does not exist: in the sense that Blank is the joint effort of two people rather than a single person, obviously, but also because the truth behind the siblings is much more down to earth than most gossipers would like to think.
Still, there was something left nagging at my brain – the reasoning behind Sora’s name. Shiro, after all, has her albino coloration, which is reason enough for her name both from an in-universe and the readers’ perspective. Sora’s connection to the sky seemed oddly lacking, or even inappropriate considering his hikikomori habits.
Then I had a talk with that white squirrel-cat thing called feal87. It was complaining that while Sora was constantly out doing something cool, Shiro had no personality at all. Feal, I found myself telling it, they both have similar, twisted personalities. The main difference between the two is that Sora covers up his poison and hurt with lies and deception, Shiro with silence and a mask of neutrality.
Then it clicked.
Shiro is the easier one of the two. Shiro’s white is, on the surface, a white of perfect purity. Her strength lies in the world of calculations and absolute truths. Aside from raw brainpower, Sora also points to her ability to retain perfect focus at all times as one of the reasons behind her proficiency at games. Internally, Shiro embodies the pure and serene mind. Her outward appearance keeps up the trend: the obvious white hair, the petite build and the sailor fuku all represent youth, innocence and purity.
There is only one catch to all of this: the purity of white is achieved through rejection. Just as white objects refuse to absorb light, Shiro refuses to interact with the world around her. She rarely speaks to anyone but her brother. Her great focus comes from shutting herself away from unnecessary interference. Her default expression is having no expression at all. Rather than an ideal, Shiro’s purity is her way of dealing with the “unfair” world around her.
If the duality of perfection and rejection contained within the color white sounds familiar, it has been extensively covered in the first arc of Monogatari Second Season. Come to think of it, Tsubasa and Shiro do have plenty in common.
Sora is the more difficult one to crack because the image and symbolism of the sky are just too powerful and distracting. It is necessary to take a step back to see the double meanings involved with his name.
The Japanese choose to view the sky as, among other things, a vast empty space. This explains why the terms sky and empty, share the same character, albeit with different readings: 空 can be read as, respectively, sora and kara. This is the reason why the sky is part of blank in the first place.
But a look through some other sky-compounds turns out to be quite enlightening:
空言 soragoto falsehood, lie
空手形 karategata bad (fictitious) bill, empty promise
空威張り karaibari bluffing, bluster, bravado
空涙 soranamida crocodile tears
空空しい sorazorashii false, hypocritical
It turns out that the sky has found its way into half the deception and falsehood going on in the Japanese language (and plenty of those retain the sora reading, to boot.) The last one is my favorite: just line up one Sora after another to get falsehood and hypocrisy.
Where his sister deals with the world by giving it nothing of herself, Sora has no qualms about sharing. What he gives away just happens to be 100% bullshit. While some viewers found it incongruous why Sora could easily communicate with others after years of seclusion, the answer is simple. For Sora, there is no actual communication going on. He is not putting his own feelings on the line, or trying to establish bonds, he is just trying to get the NPC around him to move the way he wants them to. Even then, there is plenty of stress involved in it for him, but Sora is probably good enough at lying to trick even himself into believing that it is all just a game, and that he can handle it all.
Life is a battlefield, and deception is Sora’s only shield.
sorashiro3[HorribleSubs] No Game No Life - 01 [720p].mkv_snapshot_08.13_[2014.05.10_17.25.19]
Sora and Shiro, and by extension, Blank itself, were named for deception and rejection, the two ways in which the siblings learned to deal with the world.
It is awful and toxic. The siblings weaponized their concepts, creating Blank to lash out at the world by proving their superiority at every game. Blank is not allowed to lose, they say, but provide no reason for the rule. But that should be obvious. Blank was not born to play games and just enjoy doing it. Blank came to be to play and win, win, win. It is the siblings’ universal accusation against the entire world and the people within it: as long as the system is bound by specific rules, Sora and Shiro can thrive within it. And as long as the two can prove this truth, it is the senseless world around them and the people living within it that are responsible for the siblings’ inability to fit in. Blank cannot lose in order to protect that truth.
There is no shortage of hypocrisy in their beliefs, of course. Shiro needs her brother, somebody she can speak to without fear. Sora needs his sister, somebody who can see though his lies without fail. Their inseparable bond is made of the very elements they so vehemently deny through their actions. And their invincible armor is full of holes, ready to fall apart if confronted with the dangers of failure or separation – experiences mature people must at some time learn to face and overcome.
But this is also a reason why their journey to Disboard might yet turn out to be a journey of salvation. Because for the first time in their lives, Sora and Shiro will end up using Blank not to cut themselves away from the world, but to affect and change it. In the real world, the two were literally nobodies, an urban legend with no connections to anybody. In Disboard, they are king and queen, shouldering the responsibility for an entire race. And along with that new responsibility, the two might just find the trust and friendship they had once lost.
God might be just a spectator, like Sora claims. But he might have also set up Tet and Blank to meet each other, silently supporting the siblings from the shadows.
Model Mantis VS Coffee
As far as I know, Enju-chan probably never met her parents. Childbirth cannot exactly be safe when infected, however lightly, with the Gastrea virus. Still, I would like to believe that Enju’s name did come from her parents, a parting gift for the child about to face the hardships of a post-apocalyptic world all on her own.
The name Enju (延珠) brings to mind a homophonic word written with the characters for long and lifespan, and meaning longevity (延寿, enju). The first of the two characters finds itself into Enju’s name as-is, expressing her parents’ wish for their child to lead a long and healthy life. Prayers for health/longevity are one of the most common meanings slipped into names in contemporary Japan, but the desire must be felt all the stronger in a dying and uncertain world, and especially so in the case born with a ticking time bomb inside her body.
The second of the two characters in Enju’s name, however, is made different without changing the reading. The character, read separately as tama (珠), refers to a sphere in general, and a pearl (真珠, shinju) by implication. As a symbol of fullness and perfection, the sphere often finds its way into Japanese names, as do references to jewels and precious minerals, which present the child as the family’s treasure. That, at least, is the surface meaning.
If we delve a bit deeper, we notice that the specific character for sphere used in Enju’s name can be further divided into two smaller characters. The left-side radical is a more general character for a sphere (玉, tama). The right side, on the other hand, refers to cinnabar/vermillion (朱，shu), giving us the additional, hidden meaning of cinnabar spheres.
Many Japanese parents choose to wait until the child is born before deciding on a name in order to include a reference to the time and circumstances of birth or the child’s characteristics in the name. I can only imagine what went through the mind of Enju’s mother when she looked into her daughter’s eyes for the first time and saw the crimson glow confirming her daughter as one of the cursed children.
But painful though that must have been, Enju’s mother chose to accept the truth head on, accepting her daughter the way she was born. In linking Enju’s eyes to a pair of jewels, she is telling her daughter that whatever society thinks of Enju, she is forever her mother’s greatest treasure. And with the first part of the name meant to grant Enju longevity, her mother chooses hope over despair, believing Enju can live a long and happy life despite the danger hanging over her head.
Names are like small miracles – they are messages that never disappear, even if fate will not allow the sender and receiver to meet ever again.
All speculation based purely on the anime, please refrain from posting spoilers.
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Boy beats Reaper at 20,000 feet
How not to board a Boeing 737
Transforming your business with flash storage
Perhaps you heard this story bouncing around the internet a couple days ago: a kid in Russia survived a two-hour flight from Perm to Moscow by hanging on to the wing of a Boeing 737.
If your bullshit meter didn't go off, we're here to correct that. Take our hand.
nightmare at 20,000 feet
Surely someone would have noticed.
The boy, of course, didn't catch a ride on the wing as several stories about the incident suggested. That's impossible unless you happen to be a T-1000 Terminator. Lacking in liquid metal mimetic polyalloy and you're pretty much boned.
The error came from a mistranslation of the Russian newspaper Tvoi Den, which first carried the story. What 15-year-old Andrei Scherbakov did do was ride in the wing of a plane.
Or to be accurate, the wheel well of a plane.
Hey, sometimes a story is too fantastic to fact-check. But surviving was still impressive. Darwin is demanding a do-over.
According to reports, after running away from home last week, the boy hitchhiked to the airport at Perm and snuck into the wheel well of a 737 passenger plane. Shcherbakov managed to survive temperatures of minus 50 degrees Celsius (-58 Fahrenheit for the colonies) on a two-hour flight from Perm to Moscow cruising at about 900 km/h (560 mph).
The boy reportedly went on the lam to his grandmother's village after a family argument. When he arrived at the village, he decided to go on.
When the plane landed, the boy collapsed on the tarmac. His arms and legs were reportedly so frozen that rescuers couldn't remove his coat and shoes. He was taken to the hospital in a half-conscious state. When he arrived, the boy complained his hands were burning.
Riding a jet 101
Riding a Jet 101
According to Russia Today, Shcherbakov was taken back to Perm when his family could not afford the expensive treatment.
“Right now his condition is satisfactory. He doesn't have a fever and says he feels fine. He's also pretty active. He'll be in hospital for two or thee weeks, because the extent of the frostbite is still being determined, but we're all optimistic,” said Dr Natalya Pavlenko at the children's hospital in Perm where he is being treated.
Perm airport is still trying to find out how he sneaked on without anyone noticing. A spokesman for the airport said the weight and balance engineers checked the compartments for technical failures, but did not check inside them. He added that this will now be obligatory.
Few wheel well stowaways survive their flight. If they don't perish from the frigid temperatures, there's the asphyxiation as oxygen is depleted at high altitudes in the unpressurized compartment. Survive that, and the landing gear lowering at 1,500 feet often does the trick. ®
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http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/10/03/internet_story_human_tragedy/
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Agent Coulson's death, Life-Model Decoys (LMD's), Vision and Scarlet Witch. A connection?
Given the recent news coming from Marvel Studious and clues from Marvel's The Avengers, I think I may have cracked the code.
Follow Alexander:
By Alexander Lykins - 7/22/2013
(Warning: Poor grammar throughout)
All of these ideas are my own and I have not read any of the comics before so take it easy if some of my speculation seems delirious or nonsensical.
The death of Agent Coulson was the straw that broke the camels back in the first Avengers film. Our heroes used it as motivation to put their differences aside to defeat Loki and his army of Chitauri.
A few months later we learn that Phil Coulson is not dead and will be returning in the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. show. Joss said that his "death" would be explained. I think I may have cracked the code people! I think I may have cracked it!
We have recently learned that the title of the sequel to Marvel's The Avengers is Avengers: Age of Ultron. Which means that Ultron will likely be the films antagonist. Also that Scarlet Witch is going to be in the movie. We also know that Vin Diesel is in talks to play an undisclosed character in the movie. Ever since his involvement he has dropped hints about what is going to happen with his character and about who he might play. I think most assume it's either Vision or Thanos. But Thanos isn't in Avengers: Age of Ultron is he? Joss said he wasn't. So that leaves it to one character, Vision.
Back to Marvel's The Avengers. Where Tony, who is most likely the creator of Ultron, references LMD's in Stark Tower. This is very big in terms of what I think happened with Agent Coulson. I think he's an LMD in the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. show. I think the real Coulson is still alive. I think Coulson's brain is still active and his brain waves are going to create Vision.
What? That's not true to the comics you say? Neither is Stark creating Ultron. Neither is Hank Pym not creating him. So I think the idea of staying true to the comics has completely gone out the window. Besides it's the MCU, it's supposed to be a little different. Anyways back to the main point of the article.
Now this is a huge stretch. Vin Diesel has talked about his role being involved with a love story. In Marvel's The Avengers, Coulson constantly talked about a Cellist he was seeing. Now I have yet to confirm this, so take it easy on me, but isn't Scarlet Witch a cellist? What if Scarlet Witch is in love with the brain waves of Coulson rather than Simon Williams. What if they were seeing each other before he knew who she really was?
I know this is a bit of a stretch but wouldn't that be about as personal as it gets? The Avengers find out Coulson isn't really dead. The Stark created Ultron finds Coulson and creates Vision. Meanwhile, the Avengers find Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver. Vision is told by Ultron to lead the Avengers into a trap. Scarlet Witch and Vision hit it off after finding out how he was created and who he really is. Maybe Stark reaches out to this Cellist?
The only problem I see is the age difference between Coulson and the 20 something year old actor who is going to play Scarlet Witch. Isn't that what Vin Diesel is for though? I know this all seems scattered around and sounds crazy but who would have thought we wouldn't get Ultron without Hank?
Doesn't all of that seem pretty personal? Not to mention that Hawkeye takes a liking to Scarlet Witch as well.
Please leave a comment and throw out some ideas. Joss thinks he threw us a curveball and I have no intention of striking out.
AlexanderLykins - 7/22/2013, 5:50 PM
Take it easy on me guys.
AlexanderLykins - 7/22/2013, 5:51 PM
Not taking all of this news well.
AlexanderLykins - 7/22/2013, 6:01 PM
Also I may be slow getting back to comments due to my broken hand.
superherofan21 - 7/22/2013, 6:11 PM
Hmm... Interesting idea. I like it. It might not be what they wind up doing in the movie, but we'll see once we get more information on the film. Nice theory!
GliderMan - 7/22/2013, 6:14 PM
Don't think its true, buy hey.
WYLEEJAY - 7/22/2013, 6:47 PM
Ya never know. Why reference LMDs in the same movie, that you kill off a character, and then reveal he's not dead. I know in a couple interviews Whedon talked like he had the intention of really killing him off, and then Marvel wanted him back, but how do we know what's really true?
RedHood13 - 7/22/2013, 8:21 PM
I know, Nick Fury's a liar.
Lhornbk - 7/22/2013, 9:02 PM
I'm pretty sure that they've already basically admitted that Coulson never died, it was just a lie to kickstart the Avengers. I thought the whole "life model decoy" comment by Stark was just a joke. So it will be the real Coulson in the show. Therefore, leave all these farfetched theories behind please.
WYLEEJAY - 7/22/2013, 9:40 PM
Your quite bossy. People are entitled to their thoughts and opinions. Get over it.
JaySin420 - 7/23/2013, 10:02 AM
Very interesting, good job.
Wallymelon - 7/23/2013, 1:54 PM
he's either thanos or ultron dude, not vision. he's not going to be vision. he's too big.
dellamorte1872 - 7/25/2013, 3:09 PM
I bet he is voicing GROOT. I swear
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Friday, September 6, 2013 at 12:53 PM | Labeled as , , , , ,
Let's not jump to big conclusions until we see more of Marvel Studios' Phase 2 movies before assuming anything about Avengers: Age of Ultron. Deal? Okay, moving on so we can speculate based on some new comments made by Marvel executive Louis D'Esposito to IGN about the leadership in The Avengers sequel.
“Well, [Tony Stark is] leading the team with Captain America and… I don’t know where he’s at 100%. We’re still developing the screenplay and Joss Whedon is writing furiously to get that finished, but obviously I’ve seen a couple of drafts."
In The Avengers, Stark and Steve Rogers butt heads as Rogers tells Stark to "Put on the suit..." so they can go toe-to-toe and fight. Luckily, this is at the same moment "Dark Hawkeye" begins his attack on the Helicarrier, and as instructed to due so because of the influence Loki has over him.
During the Battle of New York, in The Avengers, Stark tells Captain America to "Call it..." so Rogers issues orders to all the team members including that fantastic moment when he tells Hulk to smash. So it appeared Stark and Rogers were finally able to work together.
Now, based on D'Esposito's new comments, it sounds like Stark and Roger may be at odds once again in Avengers: Age of Ultron. This shouldn't be a big surprise but it also sounds like Marvel Studios and writer/director Joss Whedon might be setting up a potential Marvel Civil War story line for the big screen.
In the comics universe, the Civil War event focused on pitting Iron Man against Captain America. Stark was on one side and he wanted super powered individuals to register their powers with the government. Rogers was on the other side and against the Registration Act. This isn't to say Civil War is looming in the Marvel Cinematic Universe but having Iron Man and Cap'n leading the Avengers could be a way to start a much bigger conflict between the two heroes. (Again, these are all guesses right now.)
Head over to The Daily SuperHero's Facebook page to comment on this topic by clicking right here.
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Keystone XL: Game over?
Bookmark and Share
189 comments on this post.
1. Andrew Leach:
2. Pete Dunkelberg:
Big Carbon will resist will all their money.
3. Bill mckibben:
4. john Atkeison:
5. Mark J. Fiore:
ly game over for the planet as we know it.
Mark J. Fiore
Harvard, 1982
Boston College Law School, 1987
6. Steve Easterbrook:
7. Andy S:
8. Gary Rucinski:
9. Hank Roberts:
Just speculating.
10. Jim Bullis, Miastrada Company:
11. Carole Jordan:
12. Jim Bullis, Miastrada Company:
Re #10 inline by raypierre
13. John Atkeison:
RE: Water to Texas–
14. John Atkeison:
15. Mike Whitfield:
16. Ben Vandergugten:
17. Jim Bullis, Miastrada Company:
So what’s my point? Things are a lot more complicated.
18. Tim Jones:
19. Thomas:
20. Balazs:
21. ccpo:
22. Earl Killian:
23. flxible:
24. Jeff Green:
25. John Pollack:
26. Emanuele:
The peak warming is linearly proportional to the cumulative carbon emitted
It doesn’t matter much how rapidly the carbon is emitted
The climate recovers only slightly over the next ten thousand years
Emanuele Lombardi
27. Edward Greisch:
Results: See:
Beijing’s Desert Storm
“Dear Edward,
Sarah Gulezian
Sierra Club Illinois”
28. Edward Greisch:
29. Ernst K:
30. Ross:
31. Peter Adamski:
Re: #1 Andrew Leach:
32. Holly Stick:
33. Toby Thaler:
34. Holly Stick:
35. Craig Nazor:
This is an excellent post – thanks, Raypierre!
Why would you want to support ANY of that?
36. CM:
37. tharanga:
38. Balazs:
39. Shan:
40. Danny Yee:
41. Ernst K:
42. David Keith:
43. Noel:
44. clv101:
45. Earl Killian:
46. SecularAnimist:
47. CM:
Tharanga (#47),
48. jhm:
139 GtC from oil,
100 GtC from Gas,
230 GtC from Canadian tar sands,
49. Andrew Leach:
50. Andrew Leach:
Follow up:
51. Laurie:
@raypierre’s response in 19 [Response: The comment about the Chinese is a red herring. ...]
52. Dan Arles:
53. Chris Colose:
[Response: Oh, those spikes. Somebody else mentioned it earlier but I didn't know which graph he was talking about. In the UVic model, they come from flushing events in the southern ocean, which affect ocean heat uptake and release. They haven't been studied much, and the UVic ocean model is fairly low resolution, so I wouldn't put a lot of credence in these fluctuations. They are interesting, though, and need to be followed up in full ocean-atmosphere GCM's. --raypierre]
54. harrywr2:
55. Mike H:
56. tamino:
57. SecularAnimist:
58. Jim Bullis, Miastrada Company:
Re #17 response by moderator jim, and #17
59. Andy S:
60. Jim Bullis, Miastrada Company:
#10 moderator jim
Yes, the operative word is ‘fantasies’.
[Response: I'm not apriori against any potential solution. However, generalized rule #1 of ecosystem manipulation, learned the hard way from much past experience, is: don't alter important drivers unless you know exactly what you're doing, because you will be likely be surprised at what happens, relative to what you thought was going to happen.--Jim]
61. SecularAnimist:
62. Susan Anderson:
63. wili:
Transporting ffs is bad.
Burning ffs is bad.
Extracting ff is bad.
64. Jim Bullis, Miastrada Company:
re #58 raypierre inline
I quite appreciate the value of studying other countries ways.
[Response: You are very misinformed about the Danes and Swedes. I have spent a lot of time living in Sweden, and "austerity" is not a word I would apply to their style of life. (That was partly the point of my remark about Medborgarplatsen, but if you haven't spent time down in Söder, maybe that remark went past you and a lot of others). Affordable medical care, a transit system that gets you comfortably where you want to go, good livable urban design, great restaurants, countryside in proximity to cities, two months vacation, paid time off for more than a year for child care, widespread ownership of summer cottages, time off at holidays to spend with family, well gee if that's austerity, I wouldn't mind a bit more of it. --raypierre]
65. Holly Stick:
66. JCG:
67. Holly Stick:
Andrew Nikiforuk on some of these issues:
68. Jim Bullis, Miastrada Company:
60 raypierre inline
#60 jim (moderator) inline:
69. Jim Bullis, Miastrada Company:
61 Secular Animist
Yes, an electric motor in a vastly different body form has possibilities that could be quite inexpensive – - not ‘dirt cheap’ though.
70. Barry Saxifrage:
$15k at 2000 Canada prices
$20k at 2006 Canada prices
$30k at current Canada prices
$50k at current UK prices
$55k at current Netherlands prices
71. Andrew Park:
[Response: Faster emissions growth does give you a faster temperature increase, but with fixed net emissions, doesn't much affect the climate you wind up with at the end. Even the effect on rate of temperature increase is somewhat muted by the response time of the ocean. The Journal of Climate paper by Eby et al (cited in the NAS study I linked) has some nice comparisons of instantaneous emission vs. gradual emissions, that make the point well. --raypierre]
72. MMM:
Yeah. Messing with ecosystems is all about the unintended consequences.
73. Susan Anderson:
What Tamino said:
@156 3 Nov 2011 at 1:12 PM
74. Craig Nazor:
75. Barry Saxifrage:
76. Miguelito:
[Response: I don't see the point you are making in #1. My carbon accounting includes both the carbon released by the fuel user plus the upstream production emissions, with most of the focus on the former. --raypierre]
77. Pete best:
Home if u can
78. Jim Bullis, Miastrada Company:
Re #76 Miguelito,
79. Jim Bullis, Miastrada Company:
re #77 Pete best
80. Jim Bullis, Miastrada Company:
Re#70 Barry Saxifrage,
I am not sure if you are thinking electricity is free.
81. timg56:
82. Miguelito:
83. Miguelito:
84. Steve Fish:
85. Jon Kirwan:
86. Thomas:
87. Mike H:
[Response: You're not making sense. If you want to be a defeatist about prospects for climate protection, but if you're flatly going to say that the vast majority of economically recoverable oil is going to be extracted, you might as well say the same for economically recoverable coal. What's the difference? All I did in this "analysis" is to point out that the amount of carbon we're talking about in the reserves tapped by the Keystone pipeline is a very climatically significant amount. If you don't find that helpful, you have no respect for numbers. --raypierre]
88. David B. Benson:
89. Edward Greisch:
[There is a lot of coal too. If we could get coal shut down completely......] Is it really numbers or really symbols?
[Response: Protest against coal emissions instead? Why do you assume it's either or. I can think of at least one notable climate scientist who has the distinction of having been threatened with arrest both in a coal protest and an oil sands protest. There are plenty of protests against coal, so that's hardly being neglected. The plain fact of the matter is that if we're to stay short of the trillion tonne limit, almost all of the remaining coal needs to stay in the ground, AND almost all of the nonconventional petroleum needs to stay in the ground. A tall order to leave it there, but there you are, no two ways about it. --raypierre]
90. R. Gates:
91. RichardC:
92. Anonymous Coward:
[Response: Well, in some sense everybody's emissions are way too high, in that fossil fuel emissions have to go to essentially zero at some point in order to avoid continued warming. Reducing emissions rates allows more time to figure out how to decarbonize the economy, so it's useful. Sweden's per capita emissions are 1.6 tonnes C per person, down from 3.1 tonnes C per person in 1969. US per capita emissions are 5.3 tonnes C per person, down only about 10% from their peak value in 1975. Getting the US down to Sweden's per capita rate wouldn't get us all the way to where we need to go eventually, but it sure would help, especially in view of the large and rapidly growing population of the US. --raypierre]
93. Hugh Laue:
Two relevant posts by Joe Romm;
2. No sign of global CO2 emission rate decreasing
94. Kevin McKinney:
95. Kevin McKinney:
96. Kevin McKinney:
97. Susan Anderson:
98. Pete Dunkelberg:
Big Carbon marches on:
Tar Sands Action
had better be just the beginning of the uprise of the humans.
99. Kevin McKinney:
Deep trouble. . .
100. Barry Saxifrage:
101. garhighway:
I apologize if this question has been answered upthread, but the article basically makes a 2C warming level the definition of defeat. I haven’t seen that point asserted so starkly before. (Note: I’m a layman, so a lot of what you folks talk about here gets past me. So be gentle.) I’m convinced of the science behind AGW, and I am disappointed at the way the issue has been portrayed in the popular press. But what is the significance of the 2C number? Most of what I read about trying to match particular outcomes to particular temperature increases has stressed the uncertainties.
So, simply put: what is the current thinking about how the Earth would be different with a 2C global tempo rise?
[Response: In the last paragraph, I try to make clear that there is no one number that magically denotes "defeat." 2C is not a magic threshold. I quote it because it more or less corresponds to the target the EU settled on, by some mix of what seemed practical and at what level of warming the effects start to look scary (a subjective judgment). Think of it like a speed limit. If you go over 100km/h, you're not guaranteed to get in an accident, and you're not guaranteed safe below it either. But the faster you go, the more likely it is that something will go wrong, and the worse the consequences. You can get an idea of the rise in damages 'by degrees' by reading the executive summary of the NRC report on Climate Stabilization Targets, linked in the post. --raypierre]
102. Jim Bullis, Miastrada Company:
Re#85 Jon Kirwan,
Yes, the utilities are happy to utilize storage from wherever, and if free from car batteries that is fine with them. There are some issues with that, but it could work out ok. And if cheap in the end it could make wind and solar a little less awkward to utilize, thus bringing the effective cost of these down somewhat. But this is about storage, not basic electric energy production.
Production of electricity still will come from fossil fuels, and these type of generating capacities stand ready to fill new loads. Renewable sources are instantly tapped out in most cases, and there is no reason to expect brighter sun, stronger winds, or more rain to jack up the renewable apparatus when the aggregate of new electric vehicles gets plugged in. We can expect more coal to be shoveled.
[Response: I think the discussion of electric vehicles has run its course, and seems to be degenerating into speculation and statement of personal opinions without much information content on either side. Enough, please. --raypierre]
103. Jim Bullis, Miastrada Company:
I note that this effect is similar as that resulting from California’s proud action to ban coal fired generation.
All involved are quick to deny that the elimination of numerous coal facilities put California in a precarious position with power, hence a trivial accident brought 6 million people to a screeching halt for about a day, on a hot day last September in Southern California.
104. Jim Bullis, Miastrada Company:
re #102 raypierre,
Please note that logically supported statements are characterized as speculation and personal opinion when they run critical of the sacred electric vehicle.
Enough ok, but I do make a last appeal to those striving to be scientific to look at the EPA formula for MPGE for electric vehicles. It is not a personal opinion that this is an insult to science by denying the laws of thermodynamics by denying the effect of the heat engine that makes the electricity for the electric vehicles.
105. timg56:
With regard to the question “Did I read the post?” – I stopped soon after the part where you stated Bill McKibben has the better argument. This is the point of my question concerning credibility. McKibben is an activist with an agenda. Tying him into the subject is introducting politics into it. When the objective is to provide people with the science behind climate change, I would suggest this is something you would want to avoid. I have not paid much attention to the Keystome debate and seeing a post about it offered me the opportunity to increase my knowledge. Unfortunately, no matter how good your piece may be, I stopped reading because it was, at least in my opinion, contaminated. Your respecting Bill McKibben is fine. Whether one agrees with him or not, he has an impressive list of accomplishments. That you agree with his position on Keystone is fine as well. I am simply suggesting that it might have been better if you would have put forth your points and, at the end, said for these reasons I find McKibben’s argument carries more weight.
As for the train bit – a) I was not questioning the intrinsic value of trains and b) No, it does not show that some countries are better than others at managing big engineering projects. What the comment on high speed trains and fuel cell cars – just two of many supposed means to lower the carbon footprint – was addressing is the point that waving one’s hands and saying we don’t need fossil fuel energy because we have all of these better alternatives indicates either a lack of understanding of the true challenges, costs and hurdles associated with these alternatives or some underlying agenda. The belief that our society can be forced off of fossil fuels is false, unless one thinks that the majority of people are willing to make significant, even dramatic changes to their lifestyles. That won’t happen unless there is demonstratable proof that they are at grave risk if they don’t or someone scares them enough to think the risk exists.
Which brings me to where I am today – questioning whether or not I am on the right train. I work for a utility which relys primarily on hydro generation but is also one of the biggest developers of wind generation. We are switching our fleet to hybrid and all electric vehicles. I make my home in a city that is not only pedestrian friendly but has one of the best light rail systems in the country. I’m even working on getting back to biking like I used to. Are these a result of climate change concerns? With the possible exception of developing wind turbine generation – which is largely driving by tax incentives and a state mandate for renewables – no. But even the wind power part is justifiable on the basis of energy independence and the knowledge that fossil fuels are not inexhaustable. But now I see policies based on the arguments of catastrophic impacts due to climate change that could have a significant impact to me. An impact I would not consider favorable. So when the people I’ve been believing in start supporting this, without backing up the claims of catastrophic impact, and alaigning themselves with people having a clearly stated agenda (like Bill McKibben) which I am not all that in agreement with, I start thinking it may be time to get off at the next stop.
To summarize, you can side with McKibben all you want. Just don’t be surprised if the people you are trying to reach start wondering about you.
[Response: People have been "wondering about me" since I was two years old, maybe longer. I think I'll manage. But I do appreciate your -- concern. --raypierre]
106. Jim Bullis, Miastrada Company:
#60 raypierre.
I wonder if you are referring to establishing standing forests as ‘direct air capture’?
If so, that could indeed function at a significant scale. I see 30,000 square miles, mostly on federal lands, as significant for capture area. Greatly enhanced agricultural productivity could make this a politically feasible project.
I did not get very far with discussing this here last year. But it still is a real concept. Much hostility erupted with the inclusion of the idea of water distribution on a continental basis in North America. But I did offer to let Canada do the oil sands if they would divert some of the fresh water southward, that they now dump into the salt oceans.
[Response: The problem with standing forests and similar agricultural carbon sequestration schemes is that they store carbon in a fairly labile form near the surface. It's not at all clear how long that carbon will be sequestered. --raypierre]
107. Stuart Smith:
I guess the line in the sand is really about whether low EROEI carbon energy sources will be tapped – at least when easily accessible and high efficiency oil/natural gas/coal that is easily accessible and converted to energy, the high value of burning these fuels at least probably means that even if we could factor in the generally unaccounted for climate and environmental impacts, mankind is likely still better off as a whole (although of course we might be even better off using a renewable energy source to achieve the same thing). If we start using these more marginal energy sources, with commensurately larger externalities per net unit of energy, it could quickly become the case that for every gallon burned of such oil overall everyone is worse off due to the lack of accounting for the externalities makes it still economically viable for the companies/individuals involved to do so.
108. Jim Bullis, Miastrada Company:
Campaigners against Keystone might do well to give a serious read of:
Then look again at the comparison of environmental damage of the mining itself and running a pipeline over environmentally sensitive Nebraska(?). There are, of course, a few more people around in Nebraska that might be bothered. But not many.
It is not really that hard to control what leaks from a pipeline. Of course, someone has to pay attention.
109. timg56:
I did go back and read the entire post. And have this question -
If one were to assume that the 500,000 barrels a day from Athabasca were to replace imported oil, isn’t that a good argument in favor of it?
Your point about energy requirements to recover and refine the oil is a good one and I can see that increasing energy usage may not be seen as a concern to the producers if the overall cost is less than recovering over fuel sources. In that sense, one can view the tar sands development as a move in the wrong direction on the basis of it’s adding to rather than lowering the amount of CO2 being generated.
[Response: No, it wouldn't be a good thing, not so far as climate is concerned. The imported oil isn't 'replaced,' it's just burned somewhere else. That oil coming in over Keystone is oil that would be better off being left in the ground, so far as climate is concerned. but remember, its not the 500,000 barrels itself that's the big deal. It's the possible effect of that flow leading the way to more extraction of oil sands carbon. --raypierre]
110. Chris R:
I don’t know if this has already been linked to, but earlier in the comments Raypierre refers to Armour & Roe’s GRL paper “Climate commitment in an uncertain world”. There’s a pre-print available here, and a very imformative pdf of slides from Gerard Roe here.
Thanks for the main article, IMO it’s one of the most alarming and important pieces RC has published.
111. richard:
raypierre’s comment @31:
I am not sure Andrew Leach would agree wholeheartedly with that scenario.
Tar sands oil is already moving into the US. The goal of the pipeline seems to be to get more of that oil into the US South. If it does not go into the US it will go to Asia. But either way, the oil is going to be exported.
112. Alastair McDonald:
Re #101
The origin of the 2C limit is described by RealClimate here.
It is estimated that the 2C rise corresponds to a CO2 level of 400 ppm. The CO2 level is currently 392 ppm and increasing by 2 ppm per year.
Jim Hansen, shown in the arresting photo, reckons that 350 ppm is the maximum safe level, which means that we are already in the danger zone. He is probably correct because there is now no way to stop the Arctic sea ice disappearing and, unless we reduce CO2 levels, the Greenland ice sheet will continue to melt too. Moreover, without the Arctic sea ice, the Greenland ice sheet may melt even faster.
113. R. Gates:
Reply to raypierre’s response @90:
I agree completely keeping it to 1 trillion tonnes vs. 2 trillion is important, and I do oppose the Keystone XL pipeline for several reasons. But I think a strong case can be made that 2C is already “baked into the cake” so to speak at the near 400 ppm, and the probability is probably higher that we will see both 560 ppm and at least 3C, and so we ought to take a stand to prevent going over that, because we can be more realistic about what kinds of preparations we are going to need to make for a world of at least 3C. How much more, for example, might the ocean levels rise in a 3C world versus a 2C? I doubt this is linear, and that difference could be huge for coastal cities. Make no mistake, getting off our carbon fuel addiction is certainly paramount, but, if we take this to the analogy of a junkie, we have to realistic about how much damage has already been done and is already in the pipeline to the system, as we ween the junkie off his carbon-fix. I think 2C is already there, and so putting our defenses up at 3C might be a better tactic.
114. Holly Stick:
Jim Bullis, if you think you can waste your own water on the assumption that you can import more from Canada, you are going to die of thirst.
Get it through your head: You can’t have our water. You can’t have our water. You can’t have our water.
Not even the water contaminated by the tar sands which is producing a higher rate of rare cancers among the people living there, as well as deformed fish.
115. Holly Stick:
#109 timg56 Canada is not part of the US. If you imported more tar sands oil, it would still be imported oil.
116. Jim Bullis, Miastrada Company:
115 Holly Stick,
I get it that you would rather dump water into the salt-water oceans than share it. And you know, it is really hard to get it back after that.
You might not be right in assuming that water would be wasted. Of course it is in some places, but that needs to stop.
We do share the Great Lakes, last I looked. Hmm. But I was hoping for rational negotiations, and even some mutually beneficial arrangements of water distribution systems. Even Canadian farmers could benefit from some water distribution improvements.
Do you represent Canada?
117. Jim Bullis, Miastrada Company:
raypierre and moderator jim,
Thanks for the conversation.
[Response: A pleasure, Jim. Keep coming back! --raypierre]
118. Jim Bullis, Miastrada Company:
115 Holly Stick,
I left off my main point which is that perhaps the majority of Canadians are interested in solving global warming sufficiently to be willing to share water that could be important to achieve that end.
119. Anonymous Coward:
R. Gates (#114),
The trouble is that “we” have no effective defenses against aggregate global emissions to put up yet. Stopping a particular project here or there, maybe that could be done. In fact it needs to be done as part as building the defenses.
But any talk of drawing a line in the sand with respect to CO2 concentration or global temperatures before the fight has even started in earnest is mere political rhetoric. If it’s effective organizational rhetoric like, great.
Since 350 is already well in the rear-view mirror, I think it’s a good choice in that no one is going to be misled into actually trying to defend that line or into panicking because it’s been crossed.
Certainly it would be prudent for the bodies in charge to plan for a sea-level rise congruent with a long-term increase in average temperature of 3C or more.
But there are even more uncertainties as to the effect of a given rise in average temperature. Keep in mind that the major problem for many coastal cities is going to be the management of rivers rather than the sea level as such.
Check my link above to see how such early planning could look like. This 2008 report acknowledges the possibility of >6C by 2100 (implying more warming later) as per the relevant IPCC scenarios and models so I don’t think you should be overly concerned about planners assuming warming will be stopped at 2C. One doesn’t only plan for the best-case scenario.
I’d be more concerned about the planning for which no one is responsible yet.
120. J Bowers:
Cornell Report Busts Myth of Keystone XL Job Creation
Pipe Dreams? Jobs gained, jobs lost by the construction of Keystone XL: A report by Cornell University Global Labor Institute (PDF)
121. Jeff Green:
From the skepticism on this subject about renewable energy, there is more education needed. It is difficult to jump into something you don’t know especially if you don’t believe in it.
From skeptical science there is an article to address 100% renewable energy. One of the important points to get to is that can we refine the different high temperature processes to make it beyond oil and coal that have done it so well in the past.
Fortunately we are headed in peak oil now and peak coal is soon to arrive. That is working for us economically. Some people here also read climate progress and there are now several articles showing that solar is decreasing in cost.
Another interesting point is that tar sands have an EROEI of 3, 5 to 1.
Solar single crystal is 9 to 1 from Home Power and thin film is 17 to 1.
Wind is 18 to 1. Oil which use to be 100 to 1 now varies around 10 or 20 to 1. I’m scratching my head wondering how they got tar sands down to $20/barrel when it used to be $60/barrel. They must be getting some pretty cheap natural gas to get their work done.
From the Oil Drum, there is quite a bit of conversation around the cost of oil creating recessions. The timing the price of oil during the Arab Spring and our last dip in the economy seems to hold true. As the costs go up, the United States groans because we are built on the price of cheap energy. What used to be our economic strength is now raising its ugly head.
122. Peter Adamski:
Richard @112,
If Keystone XL is not built, how then does the oil get to Asia? Via existing routes? But can these routes handle the increased load? Or do you mean Enbridge’s proposed Gateway line to Kitimat, B.C? Or their propsed Monarch line from Chicago to the Gulf Coast. But is either one of these a sure thing? I don’t think so, not with more and more people waking up to the dangers of global warming.
123. jd:
It would be much worse to leave oil sands in the ground because the result would be coal to liquid fuels production(synfuel or methanol) on a massive scale. Compare the impact of electric blackouts to an oil embargo. If the US stopped coal consumption, US electric production would fall by 50% but reducing oil production by more than a few percentages and the world would collapse over night. At present consumption, conventional oil will last about 40 years and there is no alternative to petroleum (or bitumen) for the next 40 years at least. Unconventional oil at least will reduce the dangerous hold conventional oil has over the world.
124. Holly Stick:
What a load of passive aggressive BS. If you greedy so and sos have wasted your water while at the same time having caused global warming, don’t expect any other country to bail you out. I fail to see how you stealing our water would in any way solve global warming.
Water is necessary for life. There are no rational negotiations for giving that away.
125. Steve Funk:
The genie is out of the bottle. If they don’t send it south, they will find a way to sell it to Europe or China. Use it and tax it. These protesters should be focusing on getting a carbon tax. But that is out because it would lower our precious standard of living and force conservation.
126. Anonymous Coward:
Steve Funk (#125),
British Columbia already have a carbon tax. It’s world-famous actually. Other places have carbon taxes as well. Existing carbon taxes are poorly structured and are way too low but their existence demonstrates that this “no new taxes” mindset is plain denialism.
Raising taxes is also possible. It happened in the past and we know in general terms how to do it in a representative democracy: the taxes need to benefit a large constituency as well as to appear righteous according to the value system of that constituency.
Carbon taxes need not lower “our” standard of living. Maybe they would lower yours but definitely not everyone else’s.
Educate yourself first and only then move on to tell others what’s possible and what they should be doing. Some of the protesters you’re talking about are quite smart and well-informed, you know.
127. CM:
Apparently, there’s a law that every fuel, no matter how polluting, will be touted as an “alternative” to an even more polluting one.
What will jd (#123) and others come up with when it’s time to sell liquid coal?
Actually, no, you don’t have to do cocaine just because heroin is worse.
We can go on digging ourselves deeper into the hole we’re in, scraping the bottom of the oil barrel, replacing each exhausted non-renewable fossil fuel with an even dirtier one, until there is no longer anything to dig up and burn, or we are too hot and too hungry to bother, whichever comes first. Or we can work on real alternatives that might leave us with both energy and a planet to spend it on.
Cue Agent Smith, saying: “One of these lives has a future.”
128. daedalus2u:
The economic problem is that right now, those oil sands have a “value” that depends on the cost of extraction. All fossil fuel resources are “valued” the same way, with the costs for extraction and utilization accounted for, but the costs of CO2 mitigation not accounted for.
All of the fossil fuel resources that have such a “value” cannot be extracted and burned without putting unacceptable quantities of CO2 into the atmosphere. The “value” that those deposits have is a fiction, a fiction based on the delusion that all that carbon can be burned to CO2 and put in the atmosphere while the rest of the Earth and the rest of the economy remains unchanged.
The problem is the fictitious “value” that these fossil fuel deposits have. Because they have a “value”, they can be used as collateral to borrow cash, either as debt, or by selling stock. That borrowed cash can be used to buy things, like other companies, other investments. But if the “value” of the collateral falls, because the lenders realize that the carbon that is in the ground has to stay in the ground, then the whole house of cards collapses.
What is the “value” of 1.7 trillion barrels of oil sand oil while it is still in the ground? If we say it is only $20 per barrel, then 1.7 trillion barrels is worth $34 trillion. If only 0.1 trillion barrels can be extracted, then it is only worth $2 trillion. Who lost the $32 trillion asset?
This is the problem, the people who “own” the deposit or the rights to the deposit have an asset which they have borrowed money on and which they (and those they borrowed money from) think is a real asset.
What people who care about the future environment of this planet need to do is find some way of destroying the “value” of an “asset” of fossil fuel in the ground such that it cannot be used as collateral to borrow money either by selling stock or by taking on debt. Carbon taxes is one way of doing so.
129. Edward Greisch:
123 jd: Yes we must prevent coal to liquid fuels production and coal to gas production.
127 CM: Roger that as well.
119 Anonymous Coward: 6 degrees C is the extinction point for Homo Sap. isn’t big enough to do it all. Strategy please?
130. Thomas:
daedalus@128. The arithmetic of potential gain is really compelling. What if the oil can be produced for $100/barrel below the market clearing price? Thats not hard to imagine: with increasing demand, and decreasing volumes available on the export market, prices in excess of $200/barrel are not beyond the pale, but quite possible. If $trillions are possible, and the population it could be shared with is only several million, greed is hard to defeat. It could litterally make an entire province wealthy. Hard to get local people to give that up for a global (and future) good.
131. flxible:
It could literally make an entire province wealthy.
Might need to look into that closer – the royalties paid to the province are minimal until capitol costs are recaptured, only then does income tax kick in – also the cost of living in the “oil patch” is out of reach for even most oil company workers. The only folks getting rich off the environmental rape there are the oil company executives and share holders, so “the population it could be shared with” is waaay less than “several million”.
132. Craig Nazor:
I find a lot of narrow-mindedness in a discussion about transferring water willy-nilly around the North American continent that fails to acknowledge the needs of an entire ecosystem for ample water, and not just the needs of humans. To imply that allowing water to flow into the salty ocean is somehow a waste of water is completely denying the value of brackish water estuaries to the planetary ecosystems, just for starters. And since anthropogenic global climate change (AGCC) will actually increase the earth’s capacity to draw fresh water out of the salty ocean and dump it on the land, might this interpretation the water problems of a warmer planet be way over-simplified? I think we would be far better off concentrating more on the problem at hand: let’s all reduce our carbon footprint NOW, both from a personal point of view and through national political action, such as keeping tar sands carbon in the ground. Water conservation is another serious issue that AGCC, coupled with population growth, is going to compound enormously.
I’ll bet that I have better than halved my own personal carbon footprint over the past few years without reducing my quality of life in the least, and I’m just getting started! I have also significantly reduced my use of water at the same time. Change is possible, and it starts in the individual mind. Human thoughts are creative, which means that if you think you can’t, then you can’t. Science provides the light that will shine down any path we chose to take, whether it is the right one or not. But with a little light, it just might be possible to see ahead far enough to notice that some paths run right off the cliff!
133. Ray Ladbury:
People tend to overestimate the value that accrues to the population of a region from a windfall of natural resources. This is especially true for petroleum. What usually winds up happening is that a few individuals accrue tremendous wealth, while the region as a whole tends to benefit little, and perhaps be even worse off than before (viz. the Niger delta). People look at the wealth of Saudi Arabia, but fail to realize that what they are seeing is the wealth of the Saudi royal family and whatever crumbs they choose to brush off to the masses below. For small nations, the resulting demand for currency can inflate its value and strangle other industries (the so-called Dutch disease).
And then when the resources are depleted, the economy is left with no industry, no jobs, and the wealthy move on.
134. Thomas:
Ray, overestimation of benefits is a major problem. But, when we are dealing with human decisionmaking, it is perceptions rather than history that tends to drive things. A rich well governed province like Alberta probably thinks it will avoid those mistakes. The wealth in Saudi Arabia has been well enough distributed that its population has exploded severalfold. That is actually pretty frightening, if you consider what sort of population that land would support without massive oil revenues to pay for imported food.
135. richard:
“If Keystone XL is not built, how then does the oil get to Asia? ”
If the demand is there, the oil will get to Asia. Yes there are a number of alternative pipelines in the proposal stage; demand and price will be the determining factors in whether they go forward – both Alberta and Canada are addicted to the resulting revenues. It would be wiser to reduce demand thru a hefty carbon tax.
136. Jim Bullis, Miastrada Company:
106 raypierre,
re standing forests, your ‘not clear how long it will last”, thanks for commment.
I did not get into details here about a forest and water project, but the fundamental rule is that the forest must be made to last. I imagine tying agriculture to forests, and making water available to growers, contingent on continuation of the forests.
After looking hard at orchards in the California Central Valley, I have been thinking that standing orchards could work also, if on aggregate there is a long term standing wood mass. That way orchards can be retired and replanted, but the net mass just has to continue forward.
The same rules could be used for managing mature forests.
The good thing about forests is that we know they work on a large scale, and they are a natural solution, albeit vastly expanded on lands hitherto unforested.
Special interest is currently appropriate since this could be a way to provide employment and generate positive foreign money exchange by sale of agricultural products.
Curiously, this has led to a new endeavor which is to build tools that make agricultural work more attractive, with the intention of enticing unemployed Americans to the ‘field’, including the incentive of increased productivity to encourage the growers to hire such folk.
137. omni:
Anyone advocating not building the Keystone XL is going to have to explain how we can create the vast infrastructure a renewable society requires without tapping every last drop of oil that is economically feasible. At least if they want to be taken seriously by serious people.
There are 2 curves that have relevancy in this conversation. The first is the change in price of fossil energy over time. The second is the change in price of renewables over time . Currently, the price of fossil energy is getting higher. The curve is sloping up. Renewables are going in the other direction. At some point in time the curves will cross. When they do, no force on this planet will be able to stop the mass adoption of renewables. By the same token, until the lines cross, the is no govt subsidy large enough or green protest massive enough to make adoption of renewables happen before the technology is ready to support our society.
I, for one, would like to hasten the day when those 2 curves crossover. Since the development of any and all technology is dependent on the availability of resources, it is quite *nonsensical* to believe that reducing the availability of the resources required (eg not developing the tar sands) will result in a quicker, more thorough adoption of renewables. It won’t. It will, in the simplest point of fact, delay the date at which the curves cross. Delaying this curve crossing date, even if it is to limit carbon uptake into our atmosphere will *without a doubt* cause more harm than good.
Let me put to you all this way-
Society is on a horse. The horse is fueled with carbon. A few days travel away is another food the horse can run on (renewables). What is going to happen if we stop feeding the horse before it has made its way to the new food? If the horse starves to death before it reaches its destination, it will *never* be able to eat the new food. Like it or not, if we want to get to the new food, we have to flog this carbon fueled horse for all its are worth until we crest that hill the renewables are hiding behind in the distance.
[Response: This "carbon flogging" is like the alcoholic who says he needs a drink to calm his nerves enough to get a job so he can relieve the stress that causes his drinking problem. There's already enough enconomically recoverable fossil fuel (including the coal) to bring cumulative emissions well over a trillion tonnes. If you are going to say all that has to be flogged in order to make enough money to do renewables, you're saying basically the game is lost before it's even hardly begun. If we're going to make the transition before hitting a trillion tonnes, some pathway needs to be found to do it, that allows almost all of the remaining coal and unconventional oil to remain in the ground. I'm not offering any easy solutions, but implementing a good number of carbon stabilization wedges would slow down emissions growth enough that we can figure out what to do. Andy Revkin is also right that a lot more investment in energy technology is needed. You're not going to solve the problem by just burning more and more fossil fuels and hoping that the wealth created will just magically call the solutions into being. --raypierre]
138. Craig Nazor:
Omni – I said this before, and I will say it again: The amount we are currently paying for carbon fuels does not reflect the true cost of those fuels to human civilization and world ecosystems. That cost is getting passed on to future generations, and, boy, are they going to be pissed at us when they get the bill.
So let me put it to you this way:
Society is on a horse. The horse will only eat carbon, although there are other fuels currently available that the horse could eat, but does not want to because he thinks they are “too expensive.” The carbon fuel is rapidly making him sick (which he denies), but if he keeps on eating carbon, he will die. So maybe the human rider, who controls his horse, and who we assume is actually smarter than a horse, might try changing the horses diet?
Science is clearly telling us what we need to do. We just need the courage (and that means positive thinking) to do it.
139. Brad Neufeld:
Greetings all. I want to start by saying Hi to everyone and say that as a first-time poster I am glad to find this particular discussion. I was raised in the town of Fort McMurray, which is where the oilsands are, my father worked at one of the main plants (Syncrude) until he retired and I worked for 1.5 years at the other (Suncor). Having been raised there I am always interested when the subject comes up although there really aren’t many forums where you can have an on-going thoughtful discussion about the subject.
Now despite having worked there, I am in 100% agreement with the goals of reducing emissions, limiting our use of fossil fuels and being very careful in general with making changes to the environment that we can neither control afterwards nor accurately anticipate consequences. The first thing I want to do is clear up, as best I can, some of what I perceive are mistaken notions about the oilsands development as I think it is critical to know what the battle is that we face if we have any hope of succeeding.
First I want to talk about the idea that production of the oilsands is related to this Keystone pipeline. The idea is, in my opinion, entirely false. The only thing that this pipeline affects is distribution, not production. Suncor went online around 1978 and Syncrude went online about 2 years later and the necessary pipelines to get their products to market were already in place at that time. By the 90′s they were combining to produce 500k barrels per day and today they have improved that somewhat to 600k to 700k barrels per day. The Keystone pipeline adds another possible destination, but there are already numerous ways this oil is getting into the US market. I believe, in fact, that the majority of it already makes its’ way into the US. It makes diesel, gas, naptha, kerosne and even plastics and if you have been driving for any length of time in the US I am fairly certain you have already burned some of the tarsand oil in your car. So you can oppose the pipeline for a lot of different reasons, but the notion that opposing it will somehow prevent the oilsands from being exploited is simply untrue. At the very best it may prevent the oilsands plants that exist from expanding, but even that claim is dubious.
Second I would like to talk about the ability of the Canadian government to affect anything here. Syncrude is largely owned by Exxon and they have taken a much more active management role in recent years. Suncor is owned by Sunoco. There is also a plant owned by Shell and then some small plants owned by China, Japan and possibly others (I do not live there anymore so I am not aware of all the plants anymore). The bulk of the production is Suncor and Syncrude though and the rest are mostly bit players in comparison. There are no Canadian plants that I am aware of. Although the Canadian government has always had an open door policy for anyone wanting to exploit our resources, NAFTA essentially codified our obeisance to foreign industry to the point that we are no longer allowed to say “No” to American companies that want to exploit our resources without subjecting ourselves to huge penalties, lawsuits, fines, etc. Granted the Canadian government was all too happy to enter into such bondage with the Americans but at this point, as far as power goes, the Canadian government has little more than token control over the land. The Albertan government has also shown enthusiasm for any approach that pulled more oil out of the sands and a reluctance for regulation and accountability that would probably please Ron Paul. So by choice and by law the Canadian government will make little difference in the outcome. Whatever business and foreign corporations want to do, it will be supported.
The third issue I would like to mention is the nature of the process and the product that is released. The process is roughly like this: It takes 2 tonnes of sand to make one barrel of oil. That sand, which looks like a big pile of dirt, is then put in the Primary Separation Vessel where it is given essentially a hot soapy bath. The main difference is that in this case it is the resulting bathwater that is desired. It is sent to a vertical centrifuge where it is spun fast enough to increase the force of gravity 300 times and, since the oil is lighter than the sand and water particles, the oil can be siphoned off to a horizontal centrifuge that repeats that process only on a horizontal axis rather than a verticle one. Then it is “cracked” or evaporated with high heat and re-condensed at a variety of temperatures to produce the various types of products. By this point we have a product very similar to what you are used to however it has a few difficulties that require some further refining. At Syncrude the resulting product is then blasted with hydrogen to remove the sulfer content (you should see the pyramid-sized mountain of sulfur they have onsite) and that is known as Syncrude Sweet Blend. Both Suncors and Syncrudes products are pretty well refined at this point and raw bitumen is definitely not being exported out of Fort Mac. (This makes no difference from an environmental stand-point I know but it a personal quibble I have since I always cringe whenever I read an article that says the bitumen is sent down the pipeline for refining). Now the tarsands that have been mined for the last 30 years is about 60 feet in height and thousands of square kilometers. It is right near the surface so the open-pit mines that extract it do not have to dig too deep. The machinery that is used is incredible. The extraction problem that they are facing today is that the tarsands are deeper and deeper the further north they go until, by the time they get to Lake Athabasca, the oil is about 2km down under a huge lake and a giant piece of bedrock known as the Canadian shield. That oil, even if the price were essentially infinite, could not be recovered by any process we know of today. The steam injection method where they drill into the sand inject steam and then pump the resulting water out for extraction (colloquially known as “Huff-and-Puff”) is still experimental and has lots of technical hurdles that prevent it from being all that effective (at least the last I heard anyway).
So, after all of that, my only remaining comment is that if you are concerned about the Carbon Bomb, as Bill McKibbon has put it, or the Game Over scenario as James Hansen as described it, I fail to see how the fate of the Keystone pipeline will make any difference at all. My own prediction is that every last barrel of recoverable oil is going to be pulled out of the sand and then that expertise is going to go down to Venezuela where they have an even larger oilsand field to make money on. I wish the climate warriors all the best in their fight, however. Take care.
140. Edward Greisch:
89 raypierre: You are correct.
I receive emails that ask me to sign petitions or letters to congress. Some ask me to call congress or go to a local congressman’s office or write a letter to the editor. There is a web site that is a petition generator.
If I generate petitions, I think nothing will happen. Nothing is what happened with my Whitehouse petition. This conversation is so frustrating. It keeps going around in circles. [Will it or won't it take another route.] Trying to run for the US congress was also frustrating. It seems like there is very little we can do, but my son tells me we are gaining. has a lot of petitions.
The Occupy Wall Street started at is the group protesting the pipeline. starts a lot of petitions.
Since RealClimate wants to stick to science, I hope those other groups read RealClimate.
141. omni:
I am not really saying (remember I didn’t say all the oil, I said just what oil is economically viable and don’t forget viability is a moving target!!! a target defined by 2 price curves, not just one like the analysis of 1 or 2 trillion tons you are using assumes) that and am most certainly not meaning to imply it either! Not saying we shouldn’t adopt all reasonable (reasonable=eroei return greater than whatever the current carbon based eroei is) measures to push the day of no return farther away. We *should* adopt all measures that show energetic viability. Not saying that directed investment in R and D is a bad idea either. It isn’t.
What I *am* saying is that the horse we are riding needs to be fed *every* day. Not feeding the horse results in hobbling the horse or in severe circumstances, death. If the horse is hobbled, reaching the destination(destination=carbon neutrality) takes longer, and even more carbon will be consumed in that extended, longer process! In the worst case scenario of premature fossil disinvestment, the carbon fed horse actually dies before we reach our destination and our destination will not be reached. This event is to be avoided at all costs. Do not put your applecart before this horse.
Discontinuing the investment in the old infrastructure before the new infrastructure is ready is a horrible error. How are we to smelt the steel and copper for the wind turbines? How will we create the silicon for the solar panels? How will we refine the the rare earths and lithium needed for viable electric cars? If you truly believe we can bring forward the day carbon neutrality arrives by hamstringing the industry that is required to achieve it, you’re just flat out wrong!
Also, on a side note, the link between wealth and technological growth is *most* assuredly not magical in the least. Technology creates wealth and in turn more wealth creates more technology. Again, in simple point of fact, this positive feedback loop is what got us to where we are today. By saying this process is “magical” you are saying what? That our technology and the resulting wealth don’t actually exist? Or are you saying this process is somehow broken and scientists are no longer smart and engineers are no longer clever? Are you saying entrepreneurs are no longer greedy? What exactly do you mean when you imply technological advancement is somehow *magical* and not the natural result of an intelligent creature interacting with its environment?
Also, I am not saying we shouldn’t do everything we can to mitigate climate and energy issues in our personal lives. I ride a scooter in the summer and I drive a hybrid. My tires are always aired up my main mission when I drive somewhere is to use as little fuel as possible in that process. My home is also well insulated.
Also, the alcohol/addiction analogy is quite tired and was never particularly apt to begin with. Again in simple point of fact, energy is required for life, alcohol is not. Are you addicted to eating? Are you addicted to sleeping? Can you explain to me how I can sleep in my house if it is not heated in the winter? Can you explain how I am going to be able to eat if the farmer who made my food can’t get diesel for his tractor or fertilizer for his fields?
Also, saying “some pathway must be found” and then declaring a couple sentences later that I use magical thinking isn’t a very convincing debating choice, to say the least!
Best hopes for a climate stable future for our children!!!
Omnivorous Rex
PS-Sorry about the length of this response. Wanted to answer all your points.
[Response: And can you explain to me how we're going to eat in 2100 when the coal runs out and we're trying to grow food in the heat you get from 5000 gigatonnes cumulative emissions? Could happen sooner (though with proportionately lower temperatures) if there's less coal than that. Wouldn't it be prudent to have policies that nudge things in the direction of doing without fossil fuels without waiting for the day the hard landing is practically upon us? I'm no better than anybody else at predicting what kind of nudge would work, and won't go into that here, but there are plenty of ideas around. --raypierre]
142. CM:
Thomas #134 [off-topic],
I don’t want to start an OT discussion on this, but 1) data on wealth distribution in Saudi Arabia are generally “not available” (which in itself is rather telling), and 2) there are no grounds for assuming that high population growth reflects equality in the distribution of wealth (incidentally, nearly one third of S. Ar.’s population are migrant workers). The absolute monarchy’s bid to trade some oil wealth for social and political peace by keeping much of its native population so to speak on welfare is not just ecologically unsustainable; the social cracks are showing, too.
143. Anonymous Coward:
omni #127,
In your model there are two curves which represent price over time. Prices are affected by supply and demand so measures which affect supply or demand (like the Arab oil embargo) alter the curves. If you alter one curve, their crossing point changes. That’s very simple math you’re arguing against!
144. Kevin McKinney:
#137–Moreover, increasing the (effective) supply of fossil fuels is *not* the way to “hasten the day when those 2 curves crossover,” since presumably doing so would have the effect of lowering FF prices.
The comment as a whole seems to argue that relative prices are sensitive to technological factors and nothing else–which is certainly not true. And in the real world, the “govt subsidy” of renewables via a FIT has had very large and obvious effects on the deployment of renewables already–as in many billions of dollars of investment, the establishment of renewables technology as a viable industrial sector globally, and over a hundred gigawatts of installed generation capacity.
Finally, the throwaway clause, “before the technology is ready to support our society,” seems to me both unsupported and tendentious. I think the technology is basically ready NOW, and that the transition is underway.
(For clarity, when I say “basically ready,” I don’t exclude that practical developments are still needed for the technology to qualify as fully mature–but looking at history, I don’t think any significant technology ever fully matured “on the shelf.” Operational experience, technical refinement and economic integration happen as a consequence of projects existing in the real world, not on the drawing board–however interactive and sophisticated the “drawing board” may now be.)
145. Kevin McKinney:
“Discontinuing the investment in the old infrastructure before the new infrastructure is ready is a horrible error.”
And it’s a “probability zero” scenario, too. Can’t and won’t happen, both due to economics and common sense. But that doesn’t mean that policy choices–say, an internationally-coordinated carbon tax–can’t nudge those curves in a desirable direction.
146. Anonymous Coward:
I think the key insight some commenters might be lacking is how huge the scale of current fossil fuel consumption is.
A commenter above referred to the fuel used by the tractor used to grow his food. Relatively, that’s a very small amount. You could offset such amounts with Jim Bullis’ standing forests (I did the math last year: his proposal could unfortunately not possibly offset the current consumption) or similar carbon sequestration projects.
From the point of view of what’s technically possible today and regardless of one’s opinion about the potential of renewables (I’m not as optimistic as most), most of today’s fossil fuel consumption is a waste. It’s a tragic waste not only because of the pollution but because it’s a vital limited resource which is being depleted senselessly.
147. Holly Stick:
A couple of reactions to this post; one from Michael Levi, an economist who tends to agree with Andrew Leach (or vice versa):
And Keith Kloor, with some pretty good discussion in the comments:
148. Jim Bullis, Miastrada Company:
146 Anonymous,
Your statement that ‘my’ standing forests could not possibly offset the current consumption might assume too much about the bounds of ‘my’ forest, and also limit it to whatevery type of tree, root structure assumptions and such that you would have made. It also mis-represents my initial premise which posed the notion of standing forests to compete with ‘carbon capture and sequestration’ of the sort being discussed by the EPA to be applied to new coal fired generation – - not offset current consumption.
But thanks for doing the math. That could be useful in working on the concept. Yes, something that big would need to go further than my initial premise. But there is much flexibility in the extent it could be undertaken. Involving both massive forests and greatly expanded agriculture still looks possible as a major new economic system.
149. Jim Bullis, Miastrada Company:
146 AC
To your noting the ‘tragic waste’, that also has to be fixed. No, forests can not balance gluttony of the sort we practice.
Political issues are handled by lobbyists and public markets for fashionable products. No hope can be held for changing things here.
I see more chance for change when there are new choices. Here is where there might be possibilities for new thinking. Here though, real progress in motor vehicles is snubbed off by false thinking about electric vehicles.
150. Ric Merritt:
OK, this is by way of a cruel oversimplification, but something like this needs to be said.
Raypierre says we need to leave huge amounts of carbon in the ground to avoid gargantuan risks.
Omni says we probably won’t get very far very fast with renewable infrastructure without big investments that spend FF energy.
They are both right.
No one should take omni’s point to mean that BAU is OK. We’ve done that for 30 years, and it is working badly. Ray’s point (#141 inline answer) about policies to nudge things away from FFs is steering in the right direction. I would express the point with something stronger than “nudge”.
The best path is more like triage amidst loss than shiny solutions that all will applaud.
Omni, you should pay more attention to your own arguments. It is true (lately) that FF costs generally increase and renewables decrease. A rosy assumption that all will be well when the curves cross ignores the fact that the curves so far have existed in an environment of plentiful FF. We know rather little about costs of renewable infrastructure in a world of drastically constrained FF use. What we are sure of is that today we don’t build renewable infrastructure without cheap FF.
151. Ray Ladbury:
152. Kevin McKinney:
#146–Scale of the problem–oh, yeah:
Very well said, IMO.
153. Kevin McKinney:
But, current share price: $.10.
154. Jim Bullis, Miastrada Company:
#141 re raypierre comment
155. timg56:
@115 Holly,
156. timg56:
#139 Brad Neufeld,
157. Anonymous Coward:
158. Holly Stick:
159. Kevin McKinney:
#154 and inline–
160. Deep Climate:
The first link works, but not the second.
161. Anonymous Coward:
Deep Climate #160,
162. timg56:
163. Innocent Bystander:
164. Peter Adamski:
Something is not right here.
165. Edward Greisch:
166. Chris Colose:
167. Mark_BC:
168. Kevin McKinney:
169. couldabin:
170. Pete Dunkelberg:
171. Jessen:
172. RichardC:
Coal to oil and gas are destined to become very cheap.
173. Holly Stick:
174. Pete Dunkelberg:
Breaking! Keystone stopped! for now at least.
175. Jim Bullis, Miastrada Company:
173 Holly Stick,
Thanks for the link to Pres. Obama’s statement.
176. Holly Stick:
177. Anonymous Coward:
178. Anonymous Coward:
179. Susan Anderson:
Edward Greisch:
180. Holly Stick:
181. CM:
182. gary thompson:
183. Holly Stick:
184. David Lewis:
For the “do details matter” department:
185. Russell:
186. Russell:
187. Susan Anderson:
188. Holly Stick:
189. RichardC:
Coal to oil and gas are destined to become very cheap.
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- Google
-- Google AdWords
---- How Google AdWords treats new ad text
smallcompany - 5:55 am on Feb 18, 2009 (gmt 0)
it cannot be done
It's probably that nobody here can say that for sure. What we say is that it's tough and that it takes a heck of time and nerves to get it done - have new ad perform better than the old one(s).
So far, I found that:
- I have no idea for how long I would need to let new ad run until I figure it's worth of keeping or not - in other words - how long should it be let run?
- I have no idea if I should create one, two, or three (I don't think over three is good) ads at the same time, and let them run against one or two of the old ones.
The worst part above all is that I can't think "customer" anymore, but "AdWords" only.
Let's say you're asked to build an ad that should be very appealing to the audience that walks every day through the center of your city, or an ad for some newspaper or magazine, or TV ad.
During the planning and creation process you would think about your ad goals and what your ad should do to the brains of all those people that will come across it - or those that actually should be attracted while the rest should stay away and not spend your valuable time.
Now I go back to my previous paragraph about "worst part". Forget customers, forget CTR, forget everything but the formula that nobody knows, even the engineer at AdWords at this moment - I'm sure he'll fix it once he figures it.
Damned HAL 9000 [].
It's all his fault. ;)
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'Battlestar Galactica' Goes Blu-Ray
'Battlestar Galactica' Goes Blu-Ray
Even though fans are still brooding over the finale of Ronald D. Moore's hit sci-fi show, knowing that the entire series is heading to Blu-Ray format is enough cause for celebration. The complete Battlestar Galactica will be released this July by Universal Studios Home Entertainment. In addition, audiences are given the option of buying the Season 4.5 set, which is scheduled for release on the same day.
For the entire series, the Blu-Ray comes in a whopping 20-disc set (25 on DVD) with plenty of features, including Universal's exclusive U-Control feature. Since this is the whole Battlestar Galactica, don't expect it to come cheap. The DVD version costs $279.98, while the Blu-Ray is $349.98.
Of course, no fan will be satisfied without knowing about the surprises packed into the discs. While there hasn't been any information released for the complete version, the one for Season 4.5 contains several deleted scenes, a number of interactive activities, and audio commentaries by the brains behind Battlestar Galactica.
Some of the bonus features include:
• WHAT THE FRAK IS GOING ON WITH BATTLESTAR GALACTICA?: A recap of Battlestar Galactica's first three thrilling seasons - in only eight minutes!
• ...AND THEY HAVE A PLAN: What do they mean every episode when the opening sequence on the Cylons states "And They Have A Plan?" All will be revealed in the upcoming movie The Plan.
• A LOOK BACK
• SO SAY WE ALL: Executive Producer Ron Moore and the cast and crew reveal their personal insights on Battlestar Galactica.
• MANIFESTO DESTINY: It all began with this manifesto. Why was it written and what was the response?
• BATTLE-STYLE GALACTICA: Those behind the camera delve into their approach to visual style of Battlestar Galactica.
• THE SINS OF THE FORGIVEN: Insights on the curious religious aspects of Battlestar Galactica.
• BATTLESTAR REVELATIONS: Firsthand accounts from those on the Battlestar for the past five years.
Don't forget to save up and get your copies of Battlestar Galactica's season 4.5 on DVD or Blu-Ray, heading for stores this July.
-Maria Gonzalez, BuddyTV Staff Columnist
Source: Just Press Play
(Image Courtesy of Sci Fi)
News from our partners
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Thursday, October 17, 2013
Following up on the state of radio
A few months ago I wrote a post stating that terrestrial radio was heading towards its doom primarily due to all the commercials, lack of local programming, and ignoring the warning signs. New delivery systems – especially internet radio – will overtake the dinosaur AM & FM’s if they don't open their eyes.
Several days after the article ran, Tim Conway Jr., the nighttime host on KFI Los Angeles devoted an entire half hour of his program to ripping me and the piece. Yes, it was a very slow news day. Tim is a good guy and I took no offense. I’ve been ripped on the air far worse. But by defending the health of terrestrial radio he sounded like a company shill. KFI, in fact is a Clear Channel station.
I find it amusing that he had to interrupt his tirade for a six minute commercial break and he took no listener calls. (God forbid someone would agree with me.) I have offered to go on his show and debate the issue. You can guess his response to my invitation.
Now Ad Week Magazine has come out with the results of a survey that show internet radio is indeed on the rise. Here are the major findings:
• Internet radio is used by the majority of online Americans (53%). (And who isn’t online these days?)
• The total time spent with audio is clearly expanding as people are now enjoying more audio from more devices in more places.
• 83% of smartphone owners listen to some kind of Internet radio on their mobile devices. (And who doesn’t have a smartphone?)
Mark Cuban also said as much last Friday on SHARK TANK.
Clear Channel itself is trying to get a seat at the table with I Heart Radio. But they’re competing with Pandora, Spotify, Tune In, and now Apple has entered the fray with iTunes Radio. Additionally, you have thousands of great homegrown internet stations that feature any kind of music format you could imagine. Pat Boone singing heavy metal is available if you’re willing to search for it.
Satellite provider Sirius/XM is making a big play for subscribers to listen on the internet. They offer a version of customizing some music channels to your liking (clearly a response to the Pandora’s of the world). At some point Sirius/XM may say, "What do we need these damn satellites for?"
How will terrestrial radio react to this survey? They’ll ignore it. Say it’s irrelevant. Boast about all the revenue they’re making, although the money is mortgaging their future and coming from such sources as half hour informercials on colon cleanser. They’ll finagle numbers to show that audiences still listen primarily to terrestrial radio (ignoring the fact that those numbers are dwindling both in total number of listeners and time spent listening).
And Tim Conway Jr. will have another half hour topic.
Every year it’s getting easier and easier to access the internet on your car radio. You can already program stations on some and more vehicles will be equipped with that capability soon. Thanks to Bluetooth and auxiliary patches, you can plug any smartphone of tablet into your dashboard. Thousands and thousands of options are now at your fingertips that weren’t there years ago. And they take only a minute or so to set up. Even I can do it. Does terrestrial radio seriously believe people would rather hear 20 minutes of commercials an hour over no commercials and music they specifically have chosen? Let’s see their study that shows that. (They probably have one.)
Make no mistake -- I love terrestrial radio. I grew up on it. Some heritage stations are sacred to me. I’m not rooting for their demise. I just want them to get their head out of the sand and fix the problem. And the first step is recognizing that there is a problem. (Is there a Greedy Broadcasters Anonymous?)
Then fight back. There are 50,000 whats you can do. Charge more for each commercial then play fewer of them. Hire personalities. Be local. Provide the programming that Pandora can’t. And if you’re an AM station you might let listeners know where they can still get an AM radio. Why let a radio station that you’ve paid millions for be rendered less successful than one some kid has put up in his bedroom with a used laptop, a microphone, and a music program?
Radio wars used to be legendary in the '50s and '60s. You know how to fight. And you know how to win. Put down that colon cleanser and pick up a sword!
Baylink said...
Michael Rafferty said...
Right on, Ken! Terrestrial radio is blind to the fact it is the commercials as well as localism that separates them from internet radio. You can't run 3 six minute blocks of commercials an hour and expect to keep listeners. Terrestrial radio has been using the same commercial paradigm for over 40 years. They have tried to change their music formats ie. Jack Radio...but haven't changed they way they present the ad spots. You can't run TV style ads on radio anymore. More jock reads, shorter ad spots and hour sponsers is part of the answer.
Greg Ehrbar said...
Thanks to today's technology, I can hear my mother's voice speaking to me from my car radio. Only a few years ago, you would've thought my story was more fiction that it's fact.
She doesn't generally help me through everything I do but I'm so glad she's here.
After each uproarious chat with Mom, wacky predicaments ensue, filled with zany madcap hijinks for the whole family.
Who knew that the 21st century would offer not so much the promise of George Jetson but more the fate of Jerry Van Dyke?
Gary West said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Hamid said...
Off topic but I just read the news that one of my favorite character actors, Ed Lauter, has passed away. Shitty news. He was such a great actor, especially in comedies.
This has been a terrible year for the loss of great acting talent - James Gandolfini, Dennis Farina, Eileen Brennan.
Gary West said...
Especially the talkers. Most are down.
KFI - which peaked at a 4.7 overall - is down to a 2.8. And, that includes Internet listening over iHeart. So, it's not an AM problem, it's a station/format problem.
And, those commercials. Most are awful and such a tune-out.
Steve Boyko said...
I used to listen to radio in the car all the time. In the past few years the ads have grown to the point where the morning shows in particular are just ads. Straight up ads, weather brought to you by X, traffic brought to you by Y, interviews with company shills... silence is better.
My car is 14 years old and only has a tape deck. I can't wait to get a new car so I can pair up my iPod and listen to my own music. Until then, the radio stays off.
Mike said...
There's also the draw of people like Rush Limbaugh and Hugh Hewitt, as regular news media remains hopelessly biased to the left.
J. Allison said...
@Steve Boyko, you can get a cassette adapter for your iPod/smartphone. See, for example, these:
Wayne said...
Thanks for a great idea. Listen to what I want on iPhone and link to car sound system by Bluetooth. So I don't need to pay for satellite. Hooray!
Covarr said...
Oddly enough, Christian stations seem to be doing better than average. A local Christian station near me plays very little advertising, instead relying on donations to fund it (and it's working). They talk about things relevant to the reason people tuned in to begin with, as well as mention and sometimes sell tickets to Christian concerts throughout the region.
I suspect other niche stations will do a bit better also. It's the Top 40 pop stations that are at greatest risk. They're all trying to play the most popular music, rather than going for a more consistent audience.
Sheryl said...
Lucky for me my commute is only 30 to 45 mins and when more than half of that was spent listening to commercials I turned off the radio and began listing to audiobooks. It's a great way to catch up on your "reading".
Carl Tyler said...
I got Satellite radio so I could listen to music without Ads. I cancelled it when they added DJs. I can see what's playing on the device, I don't need a rambling idiot to tell me.
RareWaves said...
I grew up with terrestrial radio in sixties and early seventies, but gave up on it in the late seventies since at that time, I had a cassette walkman and many, many albums. I made my own mixtapes and still do (although now they are called playlists). It was the commercials and the repetition of songs that drove me away and I've never gone back.
One interesting note. Listening to WLS and WCFL in the sixties, I used to love the commercials when they were read, especially when the DJ goofed or improvised it and made it funny. I never tuned out those commercials.
McAlvie said...
I grew up with radio, too, Ken. Back then radio personalities were celebs. Everyone listened to radio. But back then there were more genres represented, as well. There are fewer nitche markets now. I never thought I'd see the day when the local c&w and classical music stations were the only dependable formats. Today, most stations change formats so frequently that people just give up even turning on the radio. And that's why internet stations become more popular all the time. Because we don't want someone else telling us what they think we should be listening to.
404 said...
It's the same problem the music industry went through years ago, and the book industry is going through now--the hardliners refuse to accept that the way they've always done it just doesn't work anymore. Those that will not adapt will die out. Once the sponsors take note and start advertising elsewhere, the radio stations will listen. By that time, though, it will be too late for some.
McAlvie said...
McAlvie said...
Huh. sorry for the double comment. please feel free to delete one of them.
McAlvie said...
Steve Boyko - get yourself an FM transmitter and you can have the best of both worlds.
Kathy said...
I don't have a smartphone! But I don't listen to the radio, either.
Mike Barer said...
I think that KIRO-FM 97.3 in Seattle has stayed entertaining with it's talk format. It is not the 24 hours news giant that it was a few years back when it was on the AM, but it has a strong Morning drive host, a strong afternoon drive team, a great hip news feature reporter and CBS news on the hour.
Igor said...
And in another 25 years, cars will drive themselves and we'll be watching Netflix in our car as "we" drive to and fro.
In related news... While I've not taken the time to actually study it, it seems that 30 Rock in syndication uses more, shorter commercial breaks. And that works for me. I wonder if that would work on radio?
John said...
Radio is running into the same problem newspapers have for the past 15 years -- the larger the area or the bigger the interest is in a subject, the more multiple options there are for people to go to. The more localized your service is, the fewer places there are going to be competing to provide those same services.
Sirius/XM may not be local (Ironically, the most 'local' the service gets is with the rebroadcasts on XM of the selected Clear Channel FM stations from around the country), but that's offset by the lack of ads on the music stations they program themselves. You can live with the ads on the sports and talk channels because 90 percent of that is shared 'casts of over-the-air feeds, but if they were ever to go back to the original days of having ads on the music stations, their subscriptions would go into free-fall.
Mike Barer said...
I may add that one reason for me keen interest in local radio is my one hour morning and afternoon commute between Maple Valley, where I live, and Bellevue, where I work.
Rick Wiedmayer said...
I don't listen to radio anymore. I just put in th CD of the day and I'm happy. No more scanning to find a format that i want to listen to.
Rich Shealer said...
There is a Friday question at the end.
Last night Law & Order SVU threw a retirement party for John Munch. I thought it was pretty terrific good-bye to a fictional live-action character that at this point has been on more TV series than any other. I figure Superman or Batman may have been on more.
They added some nice touches bringing back three characters from his first series Homicide Life on the Streets.
His first wife Gwen (Carol Kane) who was in both Homicide and SVU, his third wife Betty Lou (Ellen McElduff) and the only one with a speaking line Meldrick Lewis a fellow Homicide detective. David Brenner was introduced as his brother, but I don’t think he was ever seen before.
The roast had decent lines that seemed very true to the characters and believable.
The ending was touching as well as they showed a young Detective Munch looking through mug shots in the first episode of Homicide. When Capt Cragen called him Sergeant Munch it reminded me of his Homicide partner Bolander pushing Munch to do better police work by repeatedly calling him Detective Munch. I let out a bit of shout when they showed the mug shot clip.
I watched the credits and the cameos were listed as Party Guest rather than their characters.
My Friday questions are:
What kinds of copyright entanglements are there they would have not used the character names that were implied or was it because they weren’t named in the episode and it would be confusing?
How does the John Munch character move around so much? (X-Files, Arrested Development, Sesame Street) I assume it has to be licensed from the owners of the Homicide licensing.
Mike McCann said...
Traditional radio, especially today, does best when it provides something you can't get anywhere else -- such as sports/talk, or news/talk.
You or I could load 5000 songs into an iPod, but the "faux tavern" atmosphere of the best sports talk stations needs people and technology we can't duplicate at home,
Beau Weaver said...
With the occasional exception of some local NPR stations, I now listen only to streaming audio content. I have Bluetooth connections in all my vehicles. I use Stitcher, a lot. And Pandora's algorithm always pleases me when I am in a musical mood. Audio entertainment will live on, and will always be a part of my life. But just not through broadcast stations licensed by the FCC. And it did not have to go this way. They systematically ate the seed corn, and now all they have left is....husks.
Really sad. Radio was my first love....I hope the big consolidators can at least get something for the real estate....because the licenses are going to be worth almost nothing very soon. - Beau Weaver
Beau Weaver said...
Ted said...
Whenever I get into my car, I tune in 710 ESPN and slog through those 10 minute of commercials. Every so often in the middle of all that, I can hear the voice of a unique and funny broadcaster, Max Kellerman. When he goes, I'll go with him.
Anita Bonita said...
The problem is not that the Powers That Be have their heads in the sand; it's that they have them in the one location which forces them into the position of human round pretzel.
Barefoot Billy Aloha said...
- If an online :30 video ad plays before we see our content, and we get so aggravated that we click away, imagine how irritating 12 :30 audio ads (in a six minute stop set) are to the ever-dwindling radio audience?
Look Radio Industry: an "impression" is an impression, whether it takes :30 seconds or :05 dump the :60's and :30's. Sell :05's only...
...and hire entertaining local personalities who focus on local people, news and events.
The alternative is the ossification of your trade. Change with the times, folks.
...that's my story and I'm sticking to it.
Eric J said...
The same thing that killed terrestrial television will kill terrestrial radio--alternatives.
It isn't that tough to find an alternative to endless loud commercials and inane political "personalities".
Jeffrey Mark said...
I had a rental car the other week for a week and it had XM on it. Loved it. I could not take my ears away from the brilliant Little Steven's Underground Garage absolutely the best XM station playing great obscure British Invasion songs mixed with the latest "garage bands." Listening to Kid Leo was perfect - what a voice and personality. I've always heard about him from his Cleveland days but never got a chance to hear him live. Truly a master air personality and extremely knowledgeable about the music he plays. If you have XM you must - you must listen to Little Steven's Underground garage. Lots of mid-60s music from The Small Faces, The Move, The Creation and obscure Rolling Stones album cuts that never ever get played on terrestrial rock stations. Worth the price of subscription alone.
Jack said...
Satellite radio bores me for the same reason terrestrial radio bores me: there's almost no personality to most of the channels. I'm not into the obscure stuff, so when I listen to satellite, it's almost always to one of the mainstream channels -- and they sound just the same as your local Starkissmixqxyzbullfoxwolf 104 dot 3.
If they would hire some flame-throwin' rock jocks (I hear Beaver Cleaver is available) to do real shows AND play the hits, that would be worth listening to -- satellite or terrestrial.
gottacook said...
With regard to Ed Lauter: Through no fault of his own, I remember him best for one of his more dramatic moments in Magic (1978), likely the first thing I ever saw him in, shouting at Ann-Margret: "Did you fuck him!?" (referring to Anthony Hopkins' ventriloquist character).
It was David Steinberg (not David Brenner) who appeared as Munch's brother last night.
Terrestrial radio for me is NPR (and its local affiliate) plus the occasional news/weather station, and some classical (one of which programs a bit more adventurously than the other) and some noncommercial jazz. There is one remaining oldies station in the metro area, but its choices are 100% identifiable within 3 seconds, and they play the censored versions of such tracks as "Who Are You" that began to prevail during the last decade. Frankly, Great Big Radio is the ideal music station for me.
Beethoven Rock said...
@Greg E. love that last line!
Radio will soon join newspapers as a barely-protected species.
Why would advertisers pay more for radio spots when they can likely go to the internet and reach millions more folk for a lot less? Seems to be the only real option is listener-supported radio, which would likely kill the majority of stations. Exceptions: those with contracts for major league baseball, NFL, NBA, college sports.
As Ken pointed out, there are so many better alternatives to AM/FM radio now. I myself am retired, and send little time in the car, so I keep a rotation of 5 cd's in the car. I've spent 30 some years accumulating the discs so why not listen to them? There's 100s of them! And the sound is still top grade and beats the hell out of some talking head trying to sell me form-fitting anal plugs!
Mike said...
Radio is alive & well in the UK, courtesy of the BBC. No adverts/commercials, just the occasional trailer. Documentaries, plays (comedy/drama), as well as classical, jazz, indie, dance, pop, whatever your little heart's desire.
Funded through general taxation and a license fee paid by anyone unimaginative enough to own a television.
I believe it streams to America from here. If anyone's interested (and it works), I'd be happy to show them around.
mfearing said...
This is replay of what happened to newspapers. They raked in the easy money, their ad-rep guys had cushy business lunches and suddenly the business was gone. Newspapers couldn't be bothered to think about much less look at technology. As sad as the decline of newspapers is, it is a product of very bad business. And all those CEO's and Publishers were being paid big money to do what exactly? I guess maybe they weren't as smart as they thought.
Jeff said...
I rarely listen to any kind of radio because my musical tastes are rather eclectic and it's very rare when I find a station anywhere that plays what I enjoy. I listen to CDs
chuckcd said...
Well, by my handle you can tell I listen to cd's in the car and very rarely listen to radio.
I don't have internet or satellite radio in my car yet.
I am one of the rare people who does not have a smartphone.
roxy641 said...
Loved the radio blog Simon, but was here in the first place because of your sci-fi writing...
I am a DJ on a community radio station called Croydon Radio. We all choose our own music for our shows, I'm amazed that many DJ's/presenters don't, some of them don't even have to press any buttons. On our shows, we do everything ourself. From choosing the music, loading it onto the system and pressing the button that plays the song. We also control the mic, our guests mic, skype etc.
There are plenty of interesting radio shows out there, you just have to do a bit of searching.
Brian Drake said...
I'm a broadcaster in San Francisco, with the same company that owns KFI, and I concur with every word you say. The execs tell us we are still holding 100% of the radio audience, but what they don't realize--or won't admit--is that 100% of the actual 60% of people listening to terrestrial radio is a small audience which continues to shrink.
Stations continue their use of automation rather than live people; more and more stations have packaged programming customized to the market; radio is indeed dying, and it sucks. I look at the interns we have here now and they will have less job opportunities than I had when I started 20 years ago, just as I had less opportunity than somebody who had 20 years on me.
Chris D. said...
You are right about the ads, if I have to listen to Larry Miller and his accountant shill for S*it and
Sleep. I'm going to hurt someone. It's the last place I'd go to get a mattress! Conway has one of the best hours on AM with his "What did Jessie Jackson say" show. But he even had a half show on KABC with some mortgage broker ad/show?
Ed Dempsey said...
About the only thing I listen to on the radio here in Chicago is WBBM (News, weather and sports - no opinion). Mostly to catch up on the news, but more for traffic and weather.
On the rare occasion that I do listen to a music station its usually WLS. Yes, they have commercials, but it seems like the song blocks (classics the 70's and 80' s) feel like 15 to 20 minutes in length. If the commercial break is too long, I switch back to WBBM for a news and traffic update.
VP81955 said...
My big question: Will terrestrial radio survive until November 2020, which will be the centennial of KDKA in Pittsburgh? I'd like to think the answer should be yes, but Clear Channel et al will have to do plenty of persuading me that it will be worth it.
About the only radio I listen to these days is the BBC through our local NPR chain ("Radio IQ" for central and western Virginia), and broadcasts of Nationals baseball and Capitals hockey.
PeterM said...
Random Friday Question. I'm working my way through "Sons of Anarchy" on Amazon. Seeing one episode after another makes things stand out, and I noticed something strange in the opening credits. Some non-cast actors were labeled "Guest Star" and others were given the designation of "Special Guest Star." Is there really a difference between the two? If so, what are the differences?
estiv said...
I noticed the other day that of the six FM presets on my car radio, five are for non-profit stations. The sixth is for Bob FM, which is sometimes bearable. And I never listen to AM at all anymore. Considering what an important part of my life AM radio used to be, that makes me a little sad.
Paul Duca said...
I understand Tim Conway, Jr. flogs those short term payday loan services, that are run by Native Americans on their reservations. That means due to tribal land sovereignity, they are subject to fewer banking and finance regulations. These companies have been found to charge as much as 90% APR on their loans.
Anonymous said...
From BMR
For now, as is the case with Clear Channel stations, broadcasters will exploit the airwaves with endless commercials sold by positive spin to an Ad industry that thrives on that kind of ecosystem.
Sooner than later those bricks and mortar broadcasters will get a golden parachute when they sell their spectrum to those who deliver digital media to your car. What is now FM will be 1’s and 2’s of digital music and talk.
There is a method to their madness and those who hold the keys are keenly aware of what the future holds.
ODJennings said...
The classic radio you're talking about was a brilliant delivery system for for immediate and targeted advertising.
The local used car dealer could take a car in on trade at 10AM and the local DJ could be telling his listeners about the car by lunchtime.
Then came Wal-Mart, the big shopping mall on the edge of town, and all the national franchises, and radio lost its advertisers. Every empty storefront in every downtown in America is a memorial to the businesses that supported AM radio.
Local radio is like the Puff the Magic Dragon:
A dragon lives forever but not so little boys
Painted wings and giant rings make way for other toys.
One grey night it happened, Jackie Paper came no more
And Puff that mighty dragon, he ceased his fearless roar.
Rich Shealer said...
@gottacook - David Steinberg - Doh!
LR said...
I have five music stations and NPR programmed as the preset stations on my car radio. When a commercial break hits I cycle through the music station until I find one that is actually playing music. After about a minute of flipping through commercials I give up and listen to NPR for the rest of my commute. I would switch back to the music stations when they are playing music again, but since NPR doesn't have commercials that are longer than about 20 seconds I never end up switching back.
jcd said...
The big radio companies have also acted like a major league baseball team that has ignored its farm system. Once upon a time, there were lots of jobs for jocks looking to learn the business and get their on-air chops down.
Those gigs now go to syndicated shows and guys who voice-track in 20 different markets.
Though I used to have a real love and passion for radio, I look forward to watching the demise and dismantling of Clear Channel et al because they have no one to blame but themselves.
Tony Collins said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Tony Collins said...
Ken, I've just started reading your blog, and it's fantastic. I'm one of the many people who love TV on several levels - understanding the writing, the directing, the acting, make it so much better. So, thanks for this, and for being so accessible.
I've got a Friday question - or rather, a "Friday request for a post".
In your post on THE BLACKLIST, lots of people have commented on poor writing, on assumptions that the characters have to be stupid for a plot to work.
I'm really interested as a viewer. I've sat there shouting at the TV "come ON all you had to do was insert a line about 'blah' and you wouldn't have had to do such stupid things and made your characters look like idiots!!!!".
My question is, do you all end up subject to groupthink at points, and don't realise what you're doing? Or do you all stay silent when you can see a terrible programme is being produced? Surely the actors read their plots and think "oh come ON"? Surely the director yells "cut" and thinks "how did this get written?" Surely the writers who are tasked with turning the story idea into a script say "no this is just silly!"
Or is the atmosphere so frenetic, the hours so long, everyone so tired, and no one wanting to stand up to a dictatorial showrunner, that you end up not realising that you're screwing the dog?
I'm really interested in the subject of "how good people end up making bad TV", and I'd love you to expand on it.
McAlvie said...
One cool thing is that so many real stations have options to stream live over the internet. So you can have the real radio experience, you just have to learn to tune out the weather and traffic reports.
Hmmmmm said...
The ads are annoying in blocks for sure, but for me the worst is the loss of local talent. the DC has been slowly shifting every local morning host out and bringing in the blando sydicated hosts. Borefest.
I have been exploring internet radio more and more.
Jeremy R said...
Saw this today, echoing some of your thoughts:
Doug McIntyre said...
Ken, The commercials are a big part of the problem-- younger viewers don't watch them on television, why would anybody think they'll tolerate 6-8 minutes breaks on the radio? But traditional radio has much deeper problems than its 85 year old revenue model.
The industry stopped developing new talent. It's as if Major League Baseball abolished farm teams. The Dodgers would still have Mike Marshall as their closer.
AM radio is stuck in 1988, the year Rush exploded on the scene.
And FM radio sounds like Madonna when she suddenly developed a British accent-- 8,000 NPR affiliates all trying to become an American BBC.
Then there are the redundant music formats slicing up a smaller and smaller pie in the age of the iPod, a digital device that works brilliantly in the car.
Television has chased at least 10 trends since the 1980s, sitcoms are dead, sitcoms are king, prime time soaps, video clip shows, reality TV etc.
Meanwhile radio is still spinning records or taking calls from white guys blabbing about how terrible everything is. "Let's go to the phones!"
News! Traffic! Weather! On the 2's,3's,4's or 5's! Everything is predictable and generic.
Nobody today would dare hire the great talents of the past. Bob & Ray, Jean Shepherd, Long John Nebel, etc, etc, would be podcasting with 6 devoted listeners.
And that's the problem with webcasting. With 16 million websites, how does anyone attract enough audience to make it a profession rather than a hobby?
Radio can recover but not by continuing to air the same tired reheated hash its been serving for the last 25 years.
VP81955 said...
Radio can recover but not by continuing to air the same tired reheated hash it's been serving for the last 25 years.
Just as "movies can recover, but not by feeding us repeated big-budget comic book blockbusters with the usual apocalyptic soundtracks and CGI explosions left and right." (Or scores of animated films where the family can take the kids on opening weekend, with some sort of fast food tie-in.) Alas, the difference is that movies make money (now largely a result of the international market), radio doesn't. You can't export local U.S. radio broadcasts to China.
Mike said...
Tony, regarding The Blacklist, this was one of Ken Levine's Friday Questions some time ago. I think his answer was yes, actors will point out plot holes. I asked it having in mind what I thought at the time was the series finale of Battlestar Galactica, where a Cylon is killing hostages until they hand over the Cylons she wants, but just earlier she had refused to identify these people when they asked her.
Doktor Frank Doe said...
There's no more Radio Competition, there's now the Corporately controlled content that is echoed between all three radio competitors. Terrestrial Radio is now nothing but Advertising being shoved down our throats and I don't even bother with it anymore. Pandora for me, it's incredible the number of brain cells I'm re-growing. Network TV is the same bullshit, I'm off of that too. Anything I DO watch is TIVO'd, the rest is netflicks HULU, Amazon, or Apple. I LOVE to pay for content that is void of all that shit!
gleapman said...
Our local NPR station (KCFR in Denver) is going down the same rat hole as commercial stations piling ads on top of ads. During Morning Edition they have six or seven breaks an hour and most of them have two - four ads. These are no longer underwriter announcements; they are ads. They even charge other non-profits to promote their events. So much for operating as a public service. And the 30 seconds of an underwriter telling us how much people love their "wonderful widget-selling" business because they underwrite, under the guise of telling other potential underwriters how it helps their marketing to underwrite...that's an ad. And, yes, 15 seconds of telling me how to donate my car to the station or include the station in my will is an ad...and annoying...when it happens several times a day as part of your ad breaks for all your other sponsors. I find myself tuning away from NPR as often as I do the local sports talk station to avoid ads. I listen to other, truly non-commercial NPR stations online (i.e. stations that aren't bombarding listeners with ads). I'd gladly trade less service from the NPR station for fewer ads.
Storm said...
I began to give up on terrestrial radio when they stopped taking requests, especially if said request wasn't on their Short List of Songs To Play To Death. I gave up on radio for good the day that Doctor Demento decided he'd had enough of it himself; the Good Doctor has never done me wrong.
Cheers, thanks a lot,
Jeffrey Leonard said...
Once again, Ken, you are the voice of reason. The sad part is that you will ALWAYS get a negative reaction from those who are still on the radio or in the business (i.e. they want to keep their jobs). Fighting with the SCBA is wasting your time. They will have their charts and focus group mumbo jumbo from every nook and cranny. You know and I know, it's all bullshit. But, once again, since they want to keep their jobs, they will fight you. Just know, you are correct. Don't waste your time with a debate. You have already won. JL
Anonymous said...
I got satellite radio a couple of years ago when I rented a car. There was so much good programming on it, lots of music channels without commercials, along with great proprietary sports channels like all the NFL games, NBA, etc and other talk channels, that I became a subscriber. I still love it and listen to all the great quality variety. Listening to a lot of channels on the internet is like watching channels 200-921 on my cable TV channel. There's no "there" there. The quality sucks.
Breadbaker said...
I also just had a rental car with Sirius. The NFL channel, which is basically a radio version of the Red Zone Channel on TV, was awesome. During the baseball playoffs you could hear the local broadcasts or the national broadcasts. And the Grateful Dead Channel, which includes both studio and live tapes (and the Dead has literally years worth of the latter), was a total pleasure.
Unlike Mike Barer, I don't have a car commute I take the bus into downtown Seattle and read a book. Yes, an actual book.
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Friday, March 30, 2007
The computer that evolves.. yes really
A team at a Norwegian University have built the first evolutionary computer hardware. In order for the hardware to increase it's own performance, it uses genetic algorithms to evolve.
What their hardware does is par up “genes” in the hardware to find the hardware design that is the most effective to accomplish the tasks at hand. Just like in the real world it can take 20 to 30 thousand generations before the system finds the perfect design to solve the problem, but this will happen in just a few seconds compared to the 8-900.000 years it took humans to go through the same number of generations.
HAL is coming!
From here via here.
Nicodemus said...
30 Mar 2007 11:34:00
Daisy....Daisy....give me your answer do.....
AntiCitizenOne said...
30 Mar 2007 12:53:00
I sorry Dave I just can't do that.
BSOD to Red Eye of death
Anonymous said...
30 Mar 2007 13:40:00
On a slightly geeky note, is this the one that was using a derivative of Freeman Chain Code ?
daniel said...
2 Apr 2007 12:17:00
and the project's name is SkyNet.
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"He" is one of the most iconic computers in all of history, the cinematic villain of a space odyssey gone awry. HAL 9000 has remained forever a symbol of all that we hope computers aspire to be, yet also the sum of our fears. And now he can be part of your own household...
Above is about $84 in parts required to create the HAL 9000 replica. But before you get started, note the geek factor and DIY skills required to see this project through is a bit higher than the typical "craft" project, since this one comes with a warning from its creator, Phillip Burgess, as HAL 9000 requires not only the right components, but also the tools for "laser cutting, spray painting, inkjet printing, sanding, soldering (if adding the voice feature) as well as patience, well-stocked junk drawer, and a willingness to improvise."
In other words, this might be a DIY project where your finalized version doesn't look exactly the same as Phillip's exemplary version. For example, instead of laser-cut acrylic, one could improvise and work with hand cut/scored cardboard casing. Not many of us have access to a Xyron sticker machine, but an inkjet sticker making sheet could fill-in acceptably.
If you're still up for the challenge, Phillip lays out all the components required with step-by-step instructions, with the inclusion of a video showcasing the final product:
(Images: Phillip Burgess)
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http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/make-your-own-talking-hal-900-replica-adafruit-learning-system-188652
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Character Search
Marvel Comics Chronology
Obsessively putting our comics in chronological order since 1985.
Marvel Comics Timeline
1974-11-01 00:02:10
Doctor Strange #6-7
1974/Box 9/EiC: Roy Thomas
Doctor Strange #8-9
Issue(s): Avengers #129, Giant-Size Avengers #2, Avengers #130, Avengers #131, Avengers #132, Giant-Size Avengers #3, Avengers #133, Avengers #134, Avengers #135, Giant-Size Avengers #4
Published Date: Nov 74 - Jun 75
Title: "Bid tomorrow goodbye!" / "A blast from the past!" / "The reality problem!" / "A quiet half-hour in Saigon!" / "Kang War II" / "...What time hath put asunder!" / "Yesterday and beyond..." / "The times that bind!" / "The Torch is passed!" / "...Let all men bring together"
Steve Englehart / Steve Englehart & Roy Thomas - Writer
Sal Buscema / Dave Cockrum / George Tuska / Don Heck - Penciler
Joe Staton / Neal Adams, Dave Cockrum, & Crusty Bunkers / Joe Giella / Frank Chiaramonte & John Costanza / John Tartaglione - Inker
Kang shows up...
...and captures all the Avengers (Iron Man, Thor, Vision, Scarlet Witch, Mantis, Agatha Harkness), but doesn't bother to take the Swordsman. Harknes mystically guides the Swordman to their place of captivity in an Egyptian pyramid, but he fails to accomplish anything, although he does find Rama-Tut, which is confusing because Kang is supposed to be Rama. Kang was mainly after Mantis or the Scarlet Witch, since a Star of David style light over the Avenger's Mansion indicated that one of them is destined to be the Celestial Madonna. He doesn't know what that means, but the legends say that the Madonna's mate is destined to be the most powerful man in the universe, and Kang wants to be that man. He also puts the three boys into big robot-shells that force them to do his bidding.
Hawkeye returns to the Avengers in Giant-Size Avengers #2, which has some of the earliest pencils by Dave Cockrum at Marvel (Sean Howe's Marvel Comics: The Untold Story says that Steve Englehart felt that Cockrum's art didn't follow the plot he wrote, so he cut up the art and re-arranged the panels).
Jarvis lets him know what's been going on. He meets up with the Swordsman and Rama-Tut and assesses the situation as (closely paraphrasing) 'the two weakest Avengers besides the Wasp and some old guy in a mushroom hat'.
Kang sends his Vision-bot on a rampage at the UN, and Hawkeye, Swordsman, and Rama-Tut go after him. Hawkeye stops the bot by blocking its head, which prevents the Vision from recharging its energy. We learn that Rana-Tut is an old Kang - in his 60th year - that became a softee, first going back in time to rule the Egyptians and then put himself in suspended animation so he could prevent his past self from doing whatever Kang is attempting now.
With the Vision now on their side, the free heroes have an easier time stopping Kang's Iron Man-bot when he is sent to attack the Chinese government. Meanwhile, stuck in their test tubes, Mantis and the Scarlet Witch fight over the Vision.
Kang sends the Thor-bot after the free heroes, but he makes the mistake of getting too close to the action, and Vision frees Mantis and the Scarlet Witch.
The combined team is able to free Thor.
Then Kang and Rama-Tut face each other, and there's a bit of a cosmic conundrum in which we see a number of Kang related flashbacks...
...and find out that it's Mantis, not the Scarlet Witch, that is the Celestial Madonna. Kang attempts to kill Mantis in an "if i can't have her no one will" fit, but the Swordsman jumps in the path and dies instead.
Kang and Rama-Tut disappear.
Iron Man is still in his "nose" phase in these stories.
At this point Stark Industries is not taking military contracts and Iron Man talks about regretting the military contracts it has taken in the past. He's become a real softie.
The Avengers fly to Vietnam to bury the Swordsman and learn more about Mantis' past. The Scarlet Witch stays behind to continue her study of witchcraft.
In Saigon, a loser whose power is that he's covered in razors, robs the diamond exchange. This scene features the worst colored Asian people yet, as all the bank employees are a pea-soup green in my Celestial Madonna trade paperback (they're a pale gold in the GIT Corp PDFs i get my scans from).
There's a little confusion over the name of this villain. In the above panel, and on the cover of this issue, he's referred to as Slasher. But one panel calls him Buzzsaw.
Much later he settles on the name Razorblade, so that's the name i use in the Characters Appearing.
Now, Mantis up until this point has had two conflicting origins. In one she was a Vietnamese street prostitute. In the other she was trained by Kree pacifists called the Priests of Pama. The Avengers take the Swordsman's corpse to be buried in the Pama temple. Mantis asks Thor to preside over the funeral, since he's a god.
Soon after the funeral, the Avengers respond to cries of help and find a man accused of the murder of his wife being chased by the Titanium Man, the Crymson Dynamo, and the Radioactive Man. They have allied themselves with the Viet Cong and formed the Titanic Three.
Thor and Iron Man get into a fight over whether or not they can attack the commie group. Thor says thee nay...
...but Slasher subsequently engineers a fight between the two groups while the Avengers are wandering the city trying to help Mantis sort out her origins. In the course of the fight the Titanic Three figure out that they've been duped and break it off.
Steve Rogers shows up in his Nomad persona. He was in the Pacific at a Roxxon oil rig fighting the Serpent Squad and he stopped off to see the Avengers while he's waiting for the Viper and Cobra to resurface after their escape. His arrival triggers Hawkeye to think about how much the Avengers have changed and doubt his own power levels again.
Meanwhile, we return to Kang and Rama-Tut, who have been brought to Limbo by Immortus.
Immortus suggests to Kang that they become allies against the Avengers. They summon a Legion of the Unliving, a combination of dead (Wonder Man, GA Human Torch, Midnight, Baron Zemo) and undead (the Frankenstein Monster, the Flying Dutchman) characters.
Back on Earth, the Avengers try to contact Captain Mar-vell to get his take on the Kree Priests of Pama, but he's not available. Nomad agrees to rejoin the Avengers after the Serpent Squad case is settled, and in a very funny set of panels, the Vision tries to get advice on the ladies from Iron Man, since his boss Tony Stark is such a playboy. All the while, Mantis is seeing things, first a hooded man that will turn out to be Libra, and then a ghostly version of the Swordsman.
Cap returns to his own book when a radio report indicates that the Serpent Squad is in LA. Then the Avengers are teleported to Limbo to fight the Legion of the Unliving in a big maze.
The battle is won, in part because the Frankenstein Monster and the Human Torch switch sides, but the Vision is bady damaged in the fight. Kang flees when Thor engages him.
The Torch helps to repair the Vision, and they discover that the Vision was built out of the Human Torch's body. I'll let Dean Mullaney, future Editor of Eclipse Comics, explain why that's ridiculous (from his letter in issue #139):
I could buy Vish being connected with Ultron-5, with Wonder Man, and even with Hank Pym. Yet, connecting him with something else stretches its believability too much. His history is varied and interesting enough as it is, and by adding one more complicated layer to it, you have exceeded your literary license and all but ruined the excellent intricacies. The same holds true for the original Torch. His career has been very involved (too much so, I feel), and this latest addition seems ludicrous.
The response is that this has been in the works since Avengers #93, and that they even once let the cat out of the bag, in the lettercol for issue #115. In that issue, "in a PS not to be printed", a letter writer referred to an interview with Neal Adams in Gallery where the intention to tie the characters together was mentioned.
Continuing with the revelations, Immortus reveals that he is actually another future version of Kang, and he's actually been working to prevent Kang from messing with the Celestial Madonna situation. With Kang out of the picture for the time being, Immortus offers to send the Avengers back in time to learn what this Celestial Madonna business is all about. Separately, he sends the Vision back in time to learn about his origin in more detail. They are given Synchro-Staffs that basically act as Tour Guides to the Past. Immortus tells them to grasp the staff to hear the relevant info. Hawkeye says "I tried grasphing the staff once at the Playboy Club...". After much internal debate, i decided to google that phrase to see if it could possibly mean anything other than what it clearly seems to and... no, no, it doesn't.
The Vision figures out that the times he froze up are due to claustrophobia that the original Human Torch developed when trapped under a swimming pool's glass winter cover. The Torch's claustrophobia was reinforced when he was buried in the desert by mobsters in 1949. He was revived by a nuclear bomb blast, and then in 1957 he found out that the radiation was causing him to lose control of his metabolism, so he self-destructed by going nova in the desert. Later the Mad Thinker finds the Torch's corpse and re-activates it, using it to attack the Fantastic Four. After that episode, Ultron contacts the Thinker, demanding an android. The Thinker gives the Torch android to Ultron, and Ultron modifies it to create the Vision.
Or more accurately, forced the Human Torch's original creator, Phineas Horton (who was living in Stamford, CT as a TV repairman), to create the Vision, but it was Ultron who installed Simon William's brain patterns.
Meanwhile the other Avengers travel back to the Kree homeworld of Hala, where we see the Kree, as primitive barbarians (there's a mistake in the panel below, as acknowledged in the lettercol for issue #139. The original Kree were supposed to have blue skin), and a race of plant men called the Coatati. The Skrulls, highly advanced but peaceful merchants at this time, arrive at the planet...
...and arrange a bizarre contest between the two races of Hala, where representatives of each race are brought to an abandoned planetoid and given a year to build something. It's not clear why the Skrulls couldn't trade with and teach both races, but this is the story. The Kree representatives happen to be taken to the Earth's moon, and this is where the Blue Area of the Moon and the Watcher's home come from. Despite the Kree's impressive accomplishment, the Coati representatives win the contest by converting their planetoid into a beautiful garden. Angered, the Kree slaughter the Coatati and the Skrull merchants...
...and use the Skrull technology to quickly advance their warlike capabilities. However, some pacifist Kree, together with an underground group of surviving Coati, form a resistance movement. They are banished to a barren planet by the Supreme Intelligence.
The next point in the Kree pacific timeline involves the Star-Stalker, a story that was conveyed in Avengers #124. The Star -Stalker seems to have prompted the Kree to travel in pairs of two to various planets, including Earth, where they landed in Vietnam, established their temple, and apparently introduced kung fu to the world. Coati were secretly buried in that temple as well. The Avengers realize that the temple is the same one they buried the Swordsman. With this revelation, they are sent back to modern times, where they find the Swordsman's "ghost" and Libra.
While the Avengers were traveling through time, Moondragon keeps picking up their request for Captain Marvel. Since he won't pick up, she decides to respond. She shows up at the Avengers Mansion to find the Scarlet Witch talking in villain-ese. Attempting a mental probe, she gets knocked out by powerful witchcraft.
The last two issues of this arc are drawn by George Tuska and Don Heck respectively, and they suffer for it.
Moondragon next shows up at the Pama temple, and explains her origin, which is basically a companion to Mantis'. She was orphaned at an early age by Thanos and brought to the moon of Titan by Thanos' father Mentos. She was basically trained the same way that Mantis was. With this revelation, Immortus shows up. The revelations continue. Moondragon and Mantis were both trained to become the Celestial Madonna, but Mantis was deemed worthy of the title while Moondragon was not. The memory of the trials were wiped from both of their minds.
Meanwhile, the Vision gets lost in the space time-continuum and winds up in the Dark Dimension, where Dormammu and Umar have taken the Scarlet Witch and Agatha Harkness. Dormammu has already defeated Clea and captured Gaea, the earth spirit and now he's possessed Wanda in retaliation for his defeat in the Avengers/Defenders war.
He makes Wanda attack the Vision, but her love for him overcomes his mental domination. Wanda frees Agatha and the three threaten Dormammu.
He agrees to let them go, free Gaea, and abandon his planned conquest of Earth, but thought balloons reveal that he is lying. Vision and the Scarlet Witch decide to get married.
Also while the Celestial revelations are going on, Hawkeye, Iron Man, and Thor discover that the Titanic Three have been defeated by Kang, and they go out looking for him. Hawkeye starts giving orders and Iron Man jokes that Hawkeye may be campaigning for the Avengers chairmanship, which has been held by Thor (!) since Captain America quit the team. Hawkeye thinks that he might like the idea of being the leader. The three split up, and each one faces a version of Kang.
OK, deep breath, we're almost done. The Swordsman ghost reveals that Mantis is the perfect human, and she must now marry the perfect plant. He points to a tree in the temple, but then says that as a wedding gift, the tree - a Coatati - has deigned to re-animate the corpse of the Swordsman for her. Sweet. After touching her head to the tree's forehead, Mantis agrees with this insanity. Recalling that Mantis was never an official member of the team, the Avengers decide to make her a member now, presumably to ensure that all of this insanity can be recorded in the official Avengers scrapbook.
Then Kang shows up and tries one last time to push his way into the prophesy, but he grabs a decoy Mantis created by Immortus instead. It's actually the Space Phantom. What's worse, sleeping with a plant-animated corpse, or the Space Phantom?
Mantis and Plant-Swordsman are getting ready to "mingle" when the Vision and the Scarlet Witch show up, and Wanda has the unfortunate line of "If there's any mingling going on, the Vision and I want in on it!". Now we're getting somewhere! The Vision, humorless and sexless, spoils the fun with "Yes, for we have also decided to marry." Immortus agrees and marries the two couples.
Then Mantis and her corpse float off into the heavens.
Never, anywhere in all this insanity, is it ever explained what the Celestial Madonna is, or why it's so important that she breed with the plant man. We take it for granted that it's a good thing, and not some insane rape scheme by this race of plant people (or Immortus, for whom rape schemes run in the family, as we already learned with Kang's forced marriage attempts on Ravonna and Mantis, and will learn later with Marcus and Ms. Marvel).
Even setting aside that gaping plot hole, this arc reads more like a rambling history book than an actual story. For most of the book, the characters are standing around listening to exposition. There's a few attempts at adding some action to the arc through the Titanic Three and Dormammu, but these feel more like interruptions than parts of the story. Some of the history is interesting, but a lot of it seems unnecessary. Why make the Vision a rebuilt Human Torch? It's an odd revision that clutters him up with irrelevant baggage and diminishes Ultron's sinister genius. The whole Rama-Tut -> Kang -> Rama-Tut again sequence overcomplicates Kang/Immortus' already confusing chronology (and where does the Scarlet Centurion fit in?).
On the plus side, the first Skrull/Kree contact was interesting and it was a nice twist to see the Skrulls as non-violent in their ancient history. Tying Moondragon's origin to Mantis was also cool, and having Moondragon find out that she was not the chosen one is an idea that will lead to some interesting character development for her. But even these good ideas are executed poorly.
Quality Rating: D+
Historical Significance Rating: 7 - Celestial Madonna saga. Death of the Swordsman. Kang and his future-selves further clarified.
Chronological Placement Considerations: Occurs concurrently to Captain America #177-186. For what it's worth, the Legion of the Unliving seem to have been plucked from time prior to their deaths, and they are returned to those moments in time after their defeats. The Frankenstein Monster was stomping around in the present at this point, but a narration box says that this version was pulled from 1898, so i am not listing him as a character appearing. Dormammu and Gaea's appearance here is between Doctor Strange #7-8.
• A footnote lists most of Kang's appearances to date: Avengers #8, Avengers #23-24, and Avengers #69-71.
• The Swordsman gets his plane shot down again, just like he did in Avengers #117.
• Kang was also Rama-Tut, and appeared in Fantastic Four #19.
• Iron Man recently redesigned his armor to give him more mental control over it in Iron Man #68, but it doesn't prevent Kang from forcing him to obey his commands.
• Hawkeye quit the Avengers in Avengers #109.
• Hawkeye had a "pretty nostalgic night" convincing Steve Rogers to take on a new super-hero identity in Captain America #179.
• Hawkeye learned that the Vision recharges his power via the jewel in his forehead in Avengers #61.
• In addition to issues that have already been referenced, the Kang/Rama-Tut confrontation shows flashbacks for Avengers annual #2 and a number of non-specific scenes.
• The Avengers failed to convince Captain America to continue to be Cap in Avengers #176.
• The Radioactive Man previously fought Thor in Journey Into Mystery #93 and all of the Avengers in Avengers #54-55 (at least, those are the times that are listed).
• The Crymson Dynamo and the Titanium Man fought Iron Man in Iron Man #22.
• Iron Man blames the Viet Cong for him being stuck in this armor, as depicted in Tales Of Suspense #39.
• Hawkeye is given a recap of Mantis' appearances but it is without footnotes. She first appeared in Avengers #112 as the former prostitute girlfriend of the Swordsman. She learned her second origin from Libra of the Zodiac in Avengers #123.
• Immortus first appeared in Avengers #10.
• Captain Mar-vell is unavailable because he's dealing with the trial of the Watcher, covered in Captain Marvel #36 through Captain Marvel #39.
• Kang observed Immortus' previous attack on the Avengers in between his own attacks in Avengers #8 and Avengers #11. Immortus is (or seems to be) unaware of his own previous assault because the Enchantress cast a spell that reversed time.
• Wonder Man previously appeared in Avengers #9.
• The Golden Age Human Torch first appeared in Marvel Comics #1.
• Midnight was killed in Special Marvel Edition #16 (referenced as Master of Kung Fu #16).
• The Ghost, or the Flying Dutchman, previously appeared in Silver Surfer #8-9.
• Baron Zemo died in Avengers #15.
• The Human Torch was used by the Mad Thinker and deactivated in Fantastic Four annual #4.
• Moondragon previously appeared in "several Captain Marvels", specifically Captain Marvel #31-34. She also appeared in Iron Man #54 and Daredevil #105-107, and Daredevil #108.
• When the Vision fought a Sentinel in Avengers #102, the Sentinel's analysis indicated that the Vision's design was "three decades vintage".
• The Blue Area of the Moon was first shown in Fantastic Four #13.
• The Avengers learned about the pacifist Kree in Avengers #124.
• The Human Torch's desert burial and revival due to a nuclear bomb test was depicted in Young Men Comics #24.
• Toro seemingly died in Sub-Mariner #14.
• Avengers #57-58 showed the Vision's first appearance and the origin of Ultron.
• Goliath and the Wasp nearly stumbled upon Ultron while he was rebuilding himself after their fight with the Super-Adaptoid in Avenger #45, but they were too tired from the fight to go into Hank's old house.
• The Silver Surfer faced the Mad Thinker's creation Quasimodo in Fantastic Four annual #5.
• Dormammu defeated Clea and captured Gaea in Dr. Strange #7.
• Dormammu was defeated at the end of the Avengers/Defenders War, in Avengers #118.
• Contemplating Mantis ascension to godhood, Thor remembers when Jane Foster tried to become accepted as an Asgardian in Thor #136. Thor learned that Donald Blake was actually Thor and not just a mortal in Thor #159.
• It's said here that Libra manipulated Taurus into leading the Zodiac's attack on the Avengers in Avengers #120.
• Dormammu previously gave his word to Dr. Strange in Strange Tales #127 (and recapped in Dr. Strange #3) but i guess Wanda doesn't command the same level of respect.
• The Space Phantom previously appeared in Avengers #2 and Avengers #106-108.
Cross-over: N/A
Continuity Implant? N
Reprinted In: Avengers: The Celestial Madonna TPB
Inbound References (18): show
Characters Appearing: Agatha Harkness, Amenhotep, Baron Zemo I, Captain America, Crimson Dynamo III, Dormammu, Ebony, Flying Dutchman, Gaea, Hawkeye, Human Torch, Immortus, Iron Man, Jarvis, Kang, Libra, Mantis, Midnight, Moondragon, Radioactive Man, Razorblade, Scarlet Witch, Space Phantom, Swordsman, Thor, Titanium Man, Umar, Vision, Wonder Man
Doctor Strange #6-7
1974/Box 9/EiC: Roy Thomas
Doctor Strange #8-9
Many of the story elements here were revised or reversed in Avengers Forever. The AF trade paperback collection shows that the art is excellent and the story intelligent, but try reading it in one go and your head will explode.
The original cover to Giant-Size Avengers #2 also depicted Dr. Doom.
Roy Thomas wanted to veto the Human Torch's involvement in the maze story, claiming it would confuse readers also seeing him in The Invaders. I think Englehart bribed him by letting him dialogue that sequence.
After injuring the Vision, the Ghost/Dutchman vanishes and nobody comments on it.
Roger Slifer later stated that Joe Staton was intentionally limited strictly to inking as Marvel decided that his penciling, based on seeing his previous Charlton work, was just too cartoony.
A Mantis mini-series written By Denny O'Neil was announced in late 1982, but nothing came of it.
The letter writer (who mentioned the Neal Adams interview in Gallery) was the late Duffy Vohland,who at some point worked for Marvel. He may even have been on staff in 1973 (when his appeared in Avengers #115);from what I have read, letter-writing was a part of the Marvel interns/apprentices' duties.
Prior to the O'Neil proposed mini, a Bill Mantlo-written Mantis miniseries was announced in a March 1981 Marvel press conference, titled at that point as "Celestial Madonna".
When he says "grasping the staff at the playboy club," Do you think hawk-eye meant the "staff" as in the waitresses or the staff as in his own "staff"? somehow I think the former.
The character that you refer to as Razorblade/Razorfist in #130 was called the Slasher. Perhaps the name has been changed in your TPB edition, but I don't know why. (Razorfist is of course the name of a Shang-Chi villain.)
He's alluding to the fact that the Slasher uses the name Razorblade years later when he reappears in a Captain America issue.
I've added some clarity around the name of the Slasher character (and fixed where i was calling him Razorfist. Thanks guys.
A Vision/Scarlet Witch wedding parody by Tony Isabella, Paty Cockrum, Duffy Vohland and Alan & Paul Kupperberg appeared in FOOM#6.
FOOM#7 announced a new costume for the Scarlet Witch in #132, but I guess there was no room for it.
Jo Duffy has a letter in #132.
I guess nobody cared for Mantis, so this epic story was made up to get rid of her. Wanda bringing down the meteor was a great moment for her. Too bad GSA4 was drawn by Don Heck.
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[[quoteright:325: [[ComicBook/JudgeDredd http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/IAmTheLaw_905.jpg]]]]
[[caption-width-right:325: [[IAmTheTrope I AM The Law]]!]]
->''"God knows, it's easy to be kind; the hard thing is to be just."''
-->-- '''InspectorJavert''', ''Literature/LesMiserables''
One of the nine alignments from the best-known CharacterAlignment system. LawfulNeutral characters believe in order -- personal, systemic, both or either -- above all else. They will always seek to obey and preserve order, even to the inconvenience of themselves and others, and even if they themselves admit the law in question is an annoying one. While a LawfulGood character may justify breaking his code of conduct by appealing to the [[ForGreatJustice greater good]] that transcends all things, a Lawful Neutral character will not, since the greater good does not enter into it.
An important thing to note is that '''Lawful Neutral characters follow their own personal vision of order and law'''. This order may be defined by the laws of their current location, or it might not: Lawful Neutral characters will not obey every law they ever encounter, only those that are part of or do not conflict with the code they themselves obey. They may perfectly rebel against authority if they disagree with this authority's laws, and still be Lawful.
Lawful Neutral comes in a number of different forms:
* Type 1 are those who believe in Authority first and foremost -- it is the context that matters more than the content; the rules matter because they give order to society more than they matter themselves. They might go so far as to believe (possibly correctly) that their superiors have the right to interpret or define the rules as they see fit. Such characters believe in [[MyCountryRightOrWrong My Country]] / MyMasterRightOrWrong, though the average example is someone who obeys any figure of authority (say, a policeman) without question, possibly even with admiration. In more extreme cases, this can lead to JustFollowingOrders, and whether or not they slip into KnightTemplar or LawfulEvil territory is a question of whether said authority is evil and is getting them to commit atrocities -- however, Type 1's still have moral lines they won't cross, and if their ethics are pushed too far, they will disobey, and are not above holding their superiors to account if they are found to be corrupt or incompetent. This is what separates them from LawfulStupid.
* Type 2 are those who believe in the Rules ahead of everything else -- they will hold those above them to it as surely as they will those below, without regard to authority (unless said rules ''favour'' authority, of course), but will follow the rules to the letter. A Type 2 follows the content, not the context -- they ''believe'' in these rules, with a passion, and will pretty much equate them with moral truth. In other words, they see themselves as LawfulGood, but fail to qualify because they or the rules they follow are not quite moral enough. More extreme cases might fall under BlueAndOrangeMorality, and they might run the risk of being bigots towards other cultures and codes of law. Essentially, this is those who do not justify the Law with arguments about there not being anything better, but those that argue that these Laws ''are'' the better, and may resist even legal attempts to change them. They are also the most likely to hold their superiors to account for failing to follow the rules, whether for heroic reasons or villainous ones. May or not may be LawfulStupid.
* A Type 3 follows a personal code, including those that have been organized by another -- for example, a warrior code or a religious creed -- or one they have constructed for themselves. They will obey this code rigidly and to the letter, and it will usually supersede (but make allowances for) any of the other types, but it (or their devotion to it) is too rigid for them to be considered Chaotic, even if it puts them at odds with the established system of law and order, while they lack the moral or immoral conviction to be considered Good or Evil. At their best, they will obey the spirit as well as the letter of their codes, or at least try to or recognize that they must, but at their worst, they can become a PrinciplesZealot or a TautologicalTemplar who puts their own code -- and their own ''interpretation'' of said code -- above all else.
* A Type 4 arises in a vacuum -- they find themselves in a situation where neither Authority nor the Rules apply, such as an AfterTheEnd scenario where law and order have broken down, and seek to establish order (or follow another who does). Typically, they will appeal to a preestablished system as the basis -- murder is wrong because it ''used'' to be wrong, or because civilized societies are expected to have outlawed such acts. It can also occur where there ''is'' a sense of order, just not one that the character recognizes as valid, such as a WretchedHive where the "order" comes from corruption and MightMakesRight, or more dubiously, a working society they deem to be chaotic or inferior. In ''these'' cases, they will probably appeal to their own rules or the rules of their own society or culture. At their best, they will bring a sense of structure and justice to a volatile situation, but at their worst, this type can slide into bigotry and tyranny, worsened by the fact that they are basically making the rules from scratch.
Any of these types can fall into LawfulStupid (as can either LawfulEvil or LawfulGood) if they are not careful, and not thinking critically, enough. However, none of them automatically equate to it, and each has as good a chance of being a ReasonableAuthorityFigure or equivalent as the next.
Lawful Neutral characters do not always follow ''the'' law. It may involve their own personal code which they adhere to strictly. In other cases, they are extreme supporters of maintaining or restoring order, regardless of how lawful it is. This is especially appropriate in settings where society has broken down -- just because things are bad, doesn't mean they have to get ''worse''. They have certain ideals that a LawfulGood character would agree with, such as not killing unless threatened, and upholding their word, but tend to look out for themselves.
A Lawful Neutral alignment is easy to play because it involves adherence to defined codes first and foremost -- all personal moral issues come second. On the other hand, it can become rather restrictive and predictable. Those adhering to personal codes rather than ''the'' law may find it tough to uphold, as the only one to make sure they keep to their code, is them. Furthermore, inexperienced roleplayers who play as LawfulNeutral 'cop' types may find themselves slipping into LawfulStupid territory.
In theory, many loyal servants of the Empire, and LawfulEvil {{BigBad}}s in general, should tend towards this alignment because they believe in authority and law over considerations of good or evil. However, in practice, this is the type of LawfulNeutral character that is by far the most likely to end up doing evil deeds by following orders, slipping into the LawfulEvil alignment.
We must reiterate : '''Lawful Neutral does not necessarily mean LawfulStupid'''. Lawful Neutral will not necessarily obsess over every law, [[AllCrimesAreEqual consider all crimes as equal]], [[PrinciplesZealot refuse to compromise his moral code at all costs]], [[KnightTemplar and nastier extremism]]. Yes, there are PrinciplesZealot KnightTemplar Lawful Neutrals, but it doesn't mean Lawful Neutral IS this.
'''See Also''': LawfulGood, NeutralGood, ChaoticGood, TrueNeutral, ChaoticNeutral, LawfulEvil, NeutralEvil, ChaoticEvil
If you have difficulty deciding which alignment your neutral-aligned character belongs to, the main difference between LawfulNeutral, TrueNeutral, and ChaoticNeutral is not their lack of devotion to either good or evil, but the methods they believe are best to show it:
* Most ChaoticNeutral characters don't constantly break the law, but they cannot see much value in laws. They believe that their own consciences are their best guides, and that tying themselves to any given code of conduct would be limiting their own ability to do what they want. They do not get along with anyone who tries to instill any kind of order over them, believing these people to be restricting their freedom. ChaoticNeutral characters often focus very strongly on their individual rights and freedoms, and will strongly resist any form of oppression of themselves.
LawfulNeutral characters include:
* {{Anthropomorphic Personification}}s of Order.
* {{Battle Butler}}s working for Royalty.
* ByTheBookCop (when not LawfulGood)
* ExtremeDoormat
* The GrammarNazi, unless they're trying to be [[DisproportionateRetribution hurtful]] or [[StopHelpingMe genuinely helpful]].
* HangingJudge (when not LawfulEvil)
* HonestCorporateExecutive (if not LawfulGood)
* InspectorJavert
* TheJudge
* The more by-the-book {{Samurai}}
* JudgeJuryAndExecutioner (when not LawfulEvil)
* Darker examples of the KnightInShiningArmor
* Less fanatical examples of the KnightTemplar
* TheSuperego of an neutral-aligned FreudianTrio.
* The blue oni of an neutral-aligned RedOniBlueOni duo.
* Most [[HeroAntagonist Hero Antagonists]] that aren't really heroic
* Morally neutral examples of TheFettered
* TheMenInBlack
* Those who believe in MyCountryRightOrWrong or MyMasterRightOrWrong
* Nearly all bureaucrats, whether [[ObstructiveBureaucrat Obstructive]] or [[BeleagueredBureaucrat Beleaguered]]
** And, by extension, most depictions of a modern state. Individual politicians can have any alignment, but a non-evil [[TheGovernment Government]], in any modern setting, tends to be LawfulNeutral as a whole.
* Many characters LoyalToThePosition (when they're not TheQuisling) are this.
* PrinciplesZealot (when not LawfulEvil)
* Positive portrayals of PunchClockVillain when not TrueNeutral
* The true [[Creator/FriedrichNietzsche Nietzschean]] {{Ubermensch}}, having a strict, self-imposed code, is closest to this (although [[BlueAndOrangeMorality Lawful Blue]] is a touch more accurate).
* TheWomanWearingTheQueenlyMask
* Almost every portrayal of TheGrimReaper.
Others, such as characters with SuperOCD and CreatureOfHabit, can vary between LawfulGood, LawfulNeutral, and LawfulEvil.
'''When dealing with the examples of specific characters, remember that assigning an alignment to a character who doesn't come with one is pretty [[YMMV.HomePage subjective]]. If you've got a problem with a character being listed here, it probably belongs on the discussion page. There will be no RealLife examples under any circumstances; it just invites an EditWar. Plus, real people are far too complex and multi-dimensional to really be classified by such a straightforward alignment system.'''
* [[SegaSaturn Segata Sanshiro]]. It doesn't matter if you're a naughty kid, or a normal man, but you'd be best to be ready to get your ass kicked if you don't play Sega Saturn.
-->''"[[CatchPhrase Sega Saturn Shiro!]]"''
[[folder:Anime and Manga]]
* Byakuya Kuchiki from ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'', though he shifts a little towards Lawful Good later on.
** Genryusai Yamamoto almost personifies this alignment: "No personal justice takes precedence over the world's justice".
** Soifon has some tendencies toward this alignment, but has an almost LawfulEvil stance when dealing with lawbreakers, and despite knowing what Yoruichi did, is primarily upset over her not taking her with her when she left Soul Society.
* L from ''Manga/DeathNote''. His pursuit of Kira is more about "winning" than stopping him because it's the right thing to do. At the same time, he also goes to extreme lengths to secure solid evidence that Light is Kira, despite everything that his intuition is (correctly) telling him.
** NPA Director Kitamura has the police stop investigating the Yotsuba Kira on orders from the government after the Yotsuba Kira starts influencing politicians. He disagrees with the order, but follows it, noting that "if the government is destroyed, so is the country", being less concerned about letting a mass murderer go free.
** Uniquely among the Shinigami, Rem probably falls under this alignment. She doesn't care about good or evil as such, and [[AlwaysSaveTheGirl her only loyalty is to Misa]], who is one of the villains. She also expresses personal disgust for most of the humans fighting over the Death Note and despises their petty and callous murders for the sake of power.
* Ritsuko Akagi from Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion.
** Rei Ayanami, a quiet, emotionless pilot. She later subverts this by revealing herself to be more NeutralGood, when she rebels against Gendo's plan at the end.
** Gendo Ikari as well. This is particularly up to debate, because he's really morally ambiguous, and half the fanbase sees him as a general asshole, while the other half sees him as a WellIntentionedExtremist, especially when contrasted with SEELE.
* TheLancer Yu Kanda from DGrayMan.
* WellIntentionedExtremist Mistuo Yamaki of Anime/DigimonTamers. He later shifts to a NeutralGood persona.
** From the same series, Zuqhuiaomon.
* Natarle Badgiruel of ''GundamSEED'', probably the most by-the-book person in the series.
** Johan Trinity of ''{{Gundam 00}}'', as his concern seems to be more about 'bring about the change to the world' and cares little about everything else. He does have to keep check on his ChaoticNeutral siblings, Michael and Nena.
** Tieria Erde, also from ''00'', is this at first. He obeys everything Veda told him and is willing to kill his fellow Meisters if they break the rules or become a liability to the group (e.g. [[ChaoticGood Setsuna]] and [[NeutralGood Allelujah]]). But after [[spoiler:Veda ditches him]], and his interactions with [[TrueNeutral Lockon]], he became NeutralGood in season 2.
** [[spoiler:[[GundamAge Flit Asuno]], in his 2nd-Generation portrait, working to save the Earthlings by planning the genocide of all the people of Vagan. Might end up as LawfulEvil instead.]]
*** Zeheart Galette, working for Vagan.
* TheStoic Kurama of ''Manga/ElfenLied''.
* In ''MagicalGirlLyricalNanoha'', it seems that the higher you climb the Space/Time Administration Bureau's ladder, the more you shift from LawfulGood to LawfulNeutral. For example, [[spoiler:the Bureau founders]] have become so obsessed with keeping the peace that the Combat Mages under them are little more than convenient tools to be used and discarded as necessary for this goal.
** General Regius goes from being LawfulGood and wanting to change the system to being LawfulNeutral and helping back several of the more ethically dubious actions of the TSAB, [[spoiler:like the Combat Cyborg program]]. He despises Section 6 for being run by the "criminal" Hayate Yagami, in addition to his preference for the ground forces, and tries to get it shut down.
** The Wolkenritter start out as this, presumably obeying their masters' orders in order to increase their power. In contrast to [[LawfulGood Signum]], [[NeutralGood Shamal]], and [[NeutralGood Vita]], Zafira retains this alignment after coming into Hayate's service, stating that as a guardian beast, he does what is best for his master regardless of whether it is right or wrong.
* Nina Wang of ''{{Mai-Otome}}'', as a perfect foil for [[NeutralGood Arika]]. Disciplined, never questions orders -- even though she might not ''like'' them -- and respectful of Garderobe's rules. While she's definitely not a bad person, [[spoiler:she is utterly unable to take a decision that is unbiased by her [[IncestIsRelative love for her adoptive father Sergei]], and because of this she is easily manipulated by [[BigBad Nagi]] into doing his bidding when he mortally injures Sergei]].
** Maria Graceburt has some LawfulNeutral tendencies, as she believes that Otome must obey their masters even if doing so results in them fighting against their friends, but later on, questions some of those beliefs as a result of what [[NeutralGood Arika]] said on that matter.
* Bartholomew Kuma of ''OnePiece'' is definitely of the LawfulNeutral variety. He is the most obedient member of the Shichibukai (Considering the rest of group members, that's admittedly not saying much) to [[TheGovernment The World Government]], and is usually bad news for the Straw Hat Pirates, but isn't a KnightTemplar and is observant about the way the world is starting to play out. When ordered to obliterate the Straw Hats, he opted to spare them, with the exception of one, and later, when they were about to be defeated by Kizaru and Sentoumaru, [[spoiler:he teleported them to different locations, not only saving their lives, but apparently giving Luffy an opportunity to save his brother Ace, and stop the impending war between the World Government and the Whitebeard Pirates.]]
** Admiral Kizaru is a pretty nice guy as long as you're not a criminal -- but if you've broken a law (any law, from murdering hundreds to spitting on a nobleman), ''he will kill you.''
* Rossiu from ''GurrenLagann'', who believes in the preservation of order and the human race above all else. This causes him to sentence [[spoiler:Simon]] to death to stop a riot. His beliefs also cause him [[spoiler:to be forced to save himself and the thousands he evacuated on time, but leave everyone else to die.]]
* Ogami Itto from ''LoneWolfAndCub''. Not a nice guy (he was perfectly willing to kill his 1-year-old son if the baby hadn't "chosen" to come along on his mission of revenge), but not really evil either, just devoted to an ultra-inflexible code of honor. Daigoro is probably still LawfulGood, but sinking fast toward LawfulNeutral.
* Saitou Hajime in ''Manga/RurouniKenshin''. Once a Bakufu loyalist in TheShinsengumi, after the Meiji victory in the Meiji Revolution, he goes to work for the Meiji government as an agent and policeman so long as he can dispense his strict code of justice: Slay Evil Immediately. His alignment is best illustrated by one portion of the manga where Senkaku, an EliteMook, is unconscious and a kid whose entire family was killed by Senkaku is going to kill him. Saitou coldly informs the kid that revenge killings are illegal, so if the kid does it, Saitou will arrest him too. Saitou then "reassures" the kid by telling him that Senkaku will probably be executed and tortured for information first, which would be much worse for him than dying painlessly. Major case of GoodIsNotNice, and that's without mentioning his JerkAss tendencies towards supporting characters.
* Detective Lunge of ''Anime/{{Monster}}''. He has almost no concern either way for the well being of others, willingly and remorselessly driving away even his own family if it brings him a step closer to catching a criminal.
* Kakashi in ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'''s Kakashi Gaiden series believes that orders and rules are absolute, partly as a result of his father suffering greatly for abandoning a mission to save his friends, but develops toward being NeutralGood.
** Homura and Koharu appear to follow this alignment, wanting to confine Naruto to the village to keep the nine-tailed fox out of the Akatsuki's hands, despite Tsunade's argument it would not necessarily deter the Akatsuki from invading, as they seem to want what's best for the village as a whole, but don't necessarily care for the welfare of individuals [[spoiler:going so far as to orchestrate the massacre of the Uchiha clan.]]
* Most Siberian Railroad agents in ''OvermanKingGainer'' -- and, in fact, most opponents the ChaoticGood Yapan Exodus face -- are this alignment, being {{Punch Clock Villain}}s who are in it for the pay. The few exceptions are NeutralEvil Asuham Boone, who will go to extremes to pursue his DisproportionateRetribution against Gain; LawfulEvil SmugSnake Kashmir Valle; and ChaoticNeutral EnfanteTerrible Cynthia Lane.
* Death the Kid from ''Manga/SoulEater'' could likely be counted as LawfulNeutral. His belief that good and evil should be kept in balance, keeping with his desire for symmetry, seems more of a TrueNeutral idea, but the fact that he wants good and evil to be so strictly kept in equal moderation leans him toward the lawful alignment. That's not to mention all other aspects of his obsession with symmetry, which, much like any lawful-abiding character, often seeks to order and organize things to the annoyance or detriment of others. However, he does occasionally have LawfulGood tendencies, especially where his friends or innocent lives are concerned, but, more often, his obnoxious, usually debilitating need for symmetry swings him toward the LawfulStupid side of things.
* King Yama appears to be like this in ''Manga/YuYuHakusho'', given his desire for order above all else, but in the manga, [[spoiler:it's revealed that he had demons captured and brainwashed to attack humans to justify keeping up the barrier and make the Spirit World seem good, making him LawfulEvil]]. Ohtake of the Special Defense Forces has a similar alignment, but shifts to [[spoiler:NeutralEvil]] near the end of the manga, when he [[spoiler:becomes part of a group of terrorists that takes over the Gates of Judgment and threatens to destroy part of the human world unless the demons are returned to the demon plane]].
* Suzaku Kururugi of ''Anime/CodeGeass'' only cares about order, and thinks that's the only way to peace.
** Cornelia, as of season 2.
*** Her knight, Guilford, is a far better example of LawfulNeutral, since he's following his loyalty to her.
*** Jeremiah Gottwald also qualifies, following his HeelFaceTurn to Lelouch's side once he learns he's Zero.
* General Olivier Mira Armstrong of ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist''.
* The angel in ''ToAruMajutsuNoIndex''. It's pretty clearly not pleased with the situation going on and would really prefer not to destroy the world to get home. It does try for the quicker, less violent method first, [[spoiler:but it isn't an option as it would involve Touma's father]]. But hey, if that's what's necessary.
* [[{{Hellsing}} Father Alexander Anderson]] considers himself an instrument of God and violently slaughters enemies of the church. However, he sternly believes that violence is only to be used against monsters and heretics.
** His fellow Iscariot members, Hienkel Wolfe and Yumie Takagi, also fit LawfulNeutral.
* The Magic Council from ''Manga/FairyTail'' can be somewhat jarring when compared to the titular guild, who regularly employ DefeatMeansFriendship. For [[BaseBreaker those who don't hate him]], seeing Jellal arrested was justified but not pleasant. And of course, they're willing to fire FrickinLaserBeams at their own people or at mages of Fairy Tail if it means killing a greater evil.
* Austria and Germany from ''[[Manga/AxisPowersHetalia Hetalia]]''. Both object strongly to their bosses's orders at some point, but no matter what they think of them, they follow said instructions in the end. They also offer nice contrasts to the characters around them: NeutralGood North Italy, ChaoticGood Hungary, and ChaoticNeutral Prussia.
** Norway has one foot in LawfulGood and one in here. He's normally levelheaded, almost always follows rules strictly, and except for Iceland (and Denmark, [[VitriolicBestBuds when Den pisses him off]]), he doesn't seem to show much open emotion about ''anything''.
* Yami Yugi from the early chapters of ''Manga/YuGiOh'' plays Penalty Games with anyone who harms Yugi, with the loser suffering DisproportionateRetribution. He mellows out later on.
* Alucard in ''{{Hellsing}}''. He loves to act in villianous ways but [[UndyingLoyalty remains loyal]] to the organization that he works for. He'll slaughter his enemies in increasingly [[SociopathicHero brutal ways]], but he still willingly serves his master.
* [[TheDragon Ira]] [[CombatSadomasochist Gamagoori]] from ''KillLaKill'' so far seems to be a type 2, as evidenced by his willingness to serve Satsuki but also aid Ryuko when she needs it. He constantly says that he only does the latter because it is required of him by the rules of his post as the head of the Student Disciplinary Committee, but never displays much outward animosity when doing so.
[[folder:Comic Books]]
* ThePunisher.
* Ultimate Ronan the Accuser. He's dedicated at performing his duty of punishing the enemies of TheEmpire, and is loyal to his LawfulEvil father, Ultimate Thanos, but has a conscience and feels guilt when he has to kill innocents.
* The Guardians of the Universe in the GreenLantern comics.
* Eric Finch from ''ComicBook/VForVendetta''. While he openly disapproves of the ruling Norsefire party, he serves them because he thinks they are the only alternative to anarchy and chaos.
* [[Comicbook/TwoFace Harvey Dent.]] [[ChaoticNeutral Two-Face, on the other hand...]]
* ''ComicBook/JudgeDredd''. He ''is'' the Law. Interestingly, his initial portrayal floated somewhere between Type 1 and Type 2, before settling firmly into 2. One story has him (temporarily) stripped of his authority as a Judge, and we see him strolling merrily past all this horrible crime without interfering since vigilante justice is illegal. At another point, a quasi-revolution happens and the people want to elect a REAL leader, rather than just a "liaison between the people and the Judges": despite the vote eventually deciding to [[StatusQuoIsGod keep the Hall of Justice in power]], Dredd and company openly state that, if they had been voted out of power, they would have stepped down despite having more than enough firepower and knowhow to keep control through force.
* The majority of the angels in ComicBook/{{Lucifer}} go along with whatever God orders, with no thought to whether His decisions are good or just (they mostly aren't). Michael and Duma are the only ones that live up to their LawfulGood reputation.
* NickFury heads up the supreme law enforcement agency in the MarvelUniverse, ComicBook/{{SHIELD}}. While usually an honest man, and a more sympathetic ear than anyone else on Uncle Sam's payroll, his acting in his agency's best interest makes him as much a sparring partner of regular heroes as the Comicbook/IncredibleHulk is. Of course, this is compared with Marvel's very iconoclastic collection of heroes -- by government standards, he's a bit of a CowboyCop who occasionally goes renegade. (To be honest, you'll find just about anyone with a lawful alignment goes renegade sooner or later.)
* Moses, the watchdog of McKenzie Farm from ComicBook/LupoAlberto. He is determined and severe to keep the protagonist out of the farm and to make his inhabitants work with order and discipline. He may also appear as LawfulEvil when he enjoys giving Alberto a brutal beating.
** It should be noted he is much more affable when off-duty.
* ComicBook/TheSandman: Destiny and Dream are Lawful Neutral.
* IronMan may come as close as allowed for a non-deconstructionist superhero. When a leader, he's hardass and impersonal. He's been known to outright dismiss magic, or have a distaste for it when it shows up. And his superheroic antics often feel like they're more upholding a status quo than improving lives. Hell, after ComicBook/CivilWar, some might peg him as downright LawfulStupid, but we can meet him halfway on this -- it certainly showed that for him, goodness came second to law and order.
* TheSpectre, especially in recent years, has tended toward this alignment. Note that his civilian identities have all, aside from [[GreenLantern Hal Jordan]], been policemen. His concern is with punishing evil and keeping the world of magic honest. For the Spirit of Vengeance to actually go out of his way to help people, he often has to be persuaded by his human side and/or other heroes.
* Rorschach from ''Comicbook/{{Watchmen}}'' believes life has no intrinsic morality to it and crafted a moral code for himself (type 4) that he sticks to unfailingly and judges everyone else by -- the core of it being that if you do anything he judges 'evil', you are fair game to have anything happen to you (and in a classical case of MoralMyopia, the actions Rorschach and other vigilantes undertake in the pursuit of criminals never bother him). [[spoiler:In the end this causes him to reject the BigBad's plan to save the world because he'll rather see the world burn than betray his principles and let evil go unpunished.]]
[[folder:Fan Fic]]
* [[CowardlyLion Hobbes]] in ''Fanfic/CalvinAndHobbesTheSeries'' merely goes along with Calvin, though he's ''very'' willing to bail at the slightest sign of danger.
** [[BunglingInventor Sher]][[TVGenius man]] also doesn't really care much for good or evil, like his TrueNeutral owner Andy. Unlike him, though, he has some set of rules that he doesn't really like getting crossed.
* While TheGovernment itself is more Evil, individual Grammaton Clerics in ''{{Equilibrium}}'' are most likely Lawful Neutral.
* In ''Film/{{Taken}}'', when [[RetiredBadass former CIA agent]] Bryan Mills attempts to enlist the help of French agent-turned-bureaucrat Jean-Claude Pitrel in the kidnapping of the former's daughter, Jean-Claude turns out to be less-than-enthusiastic to help when his bosses in the French government decide Bryan's making too much of a mess in Paris. When Bryan later confronts Jean-Claude with the latter's possible involvement in the kidnapping, Jean-Claude coldly replies, "My salary is 'x'; my expenses are 'y'. So long as my family is provided for, I do not care where the difference comes from. ''That'' is my entire involvement."
* Most Jedi in the ''StarWars'' prequels, particularly those on the Council.
** The Franchise/StarWarsExpandedUniverse generally describes Stormtroopers, TIE pilots, and so forth as [[PunchClockVillain just doing their jobs.]]
*** The Clone Troopers practically embody this trope. They go from fighting alongside the Jedi to murdering them the moment Palpatine utters the words, "Execute Order 66." WordOfGod says Order 66 wasn't subconsciously programmed into them, so they're not BrainwashedAndCrazy, either.
** Boba Fett in the Expanded Universe. He has a personal code of honor and justice and he only accepts jobs that follow it. The reason he sides with the Empire so often is because he views them as enforcers of [[OrderVersusChaos peace and order]], with the Rebel Alliance trying to disrupt that order.
** Lando Calrissian tried to be this in ''TheEmpireStrikesBack'', but Darth Vader pushed him too far in the direction of LawfulEvil that he was compelled to [[HeelFaceTurn switch to]] ChaoticGood.
* Deputy Marshal Sam Gerard of ''Film/TheFugitive'' is an example of the LawfulNeutral police officer. He's simply trying to catch the escaped prisoner, as demonstrated by this quote:
--> '''Kimble:''' I didn't kill my wife!\\
'''Gerard:''' I don't care!
* One of the soon to be female bank robbers ('Frankie') from the film ''Set It Off'' sees Detective Waller as this. Mostly because Waller is a fellow black woman whom seems very unsympathetic to her plight of being fired from her job as a bank teller because she got scared and didn't follow proper procedure during a bank robbery. Frankie felt she was being scapegoated because she had a passing association with the robber. Upon her firing, and being grilled by Detective Strode on how to follow procedure, she looks at Waller and sarcastically says ''Thanks for your help sista.''
* Captain Teague in ''PiratesOfTheCaribbean''.
** Norrington as well. The only time he allows a little Chaotic decision (giving Sparrow a day's [[MercyLead head start]]), he pays for it. Big time.
* The Captain in ''Film/DasBoot''.
* [[Film/GhostDogTheWayOfTheSamurai Ghost Dog]] is utterly devoted to his samurai code. He can go seamlessly from mob hitman to nice neighborhood guy, balancing out to neutral territory.
* Wikus from ''Film/{{District 9}}''. He's still quoting MNU regulations until the midpoint of the film, and he's pretty much looking out for himself until literally the last five minutes of the movie, when he veers towards ChaoticGood.
* Scott, "worker-bee" to the United State's government in ''Spartan''.
* Franchise/RoboCop, prior to regaining his humanity.
* Franchise/{{Predator}}s, who live by a strict honor code.
* Gerd Wiesler from ''Film/TheLivesOfOthers'' starts out as this, teaching his students matter of factly about interrogation techniques in East Germany and disregarding one student's protest that sleep deprivation is "inhuman" (even marking him in a way that implies his career will ''not'' be moving forward). Ironically, it is his LawfulNeutral nature that eventually pushes him into becoming LawfulGood, as it becomes obvious that his superior, [[CorruptBureaucrat Lt. Colonel Grubitz]], is not so interested in following the law as pleasing his own superiors -- hence the (at first) unjustified investigation into playwright Dreymann's life, in order to free up his girlfriend for the lecherous [[VillainousGlutton Minister Hempf]]. By the time [[spoiler:Dreymann really ''is'' up to something (albeit something rather harmless), Wiesler is so disgusted by his superiors and so sympathetic to the playwright that he deliberately disobeys orders [[MysteriousProtector and protects Dreymann]], at the cost of his own career.]]
* T-800 is this in the first {{Terminator}} film, as a cyborg programmed to solely complete the mission given by his Skynet superior. He is this in the second film, too, still as a cyborg programmed by the human resistance to protect a human boy targeted by the Skynet, at least until the Conners reset his processor chip to write new instructions based on his experience, making him LawfulGood.
* Mr. Strickland in the first two ''Film/BackToTheFuture'' movies is as tough towards [[HighSchoolHustler Marty McFly]] and his father [[ExtremeDoormat George]] as he is towards [[JerkAss Biff]] [[JerkJock Tannen]].
-->'''Strickland!1985A:''' EAT LEAD, SLACKERS!
* Peter Pan in ''Film/{{Hook}}''. Yes, you read that right. The premise of the movie is that he left Neverland, got married, had children, forgot who he used to be, and became a boring lawyer. When he's forced to return to Neverland, his completely opposite attitude from [[CloudCuckooland everyone there]] and [[TheWonderland the whole place itself]] makes his stay extremely awkward, until, of course, he regains his memories and former personality, depicted as very much ChaoticGood.
* Jake Freivald in REPO MEN (2010) when he says that the enforcement of rules are all that matters and his acceptance of the general corpoarate status quo.
* Jim Malone (Connery) in The Untouchables (1987) "Because I swore to uphold the law. . .".
* Sir Thomas More as portrayed in ''AManForAllSeasons''. He believes that the law must be followed even if evil people can take advantage of it, and that if you break the law to fight evil, then the law can also be broken to fight good... In his words, "Yes, I'd give the Devil benefit of law, for my own safety's sake!"
* ''Film/JamesBond'' is usually this. He has no qualms about abruptly killing somebody if he feels the person in question is jeopardizing the British justice system. And, while he rarely acts out of pure malice, he also rarely acts out of true moral benevolence. Usually preferring to simply keep order and do as the mission tells him to.
** Sometimes Daniel Craig's rendition falls more under ChaoticNeutral, such as in the opening scene of ''Film/CasinoRoyale''.
* [[AnthropomorphicPersonification Death]] in many myths is this. If you're on the list, you go with him. If you aren't, you don't. There is in fact a Swedish Tale where a man lets TheGrimReaper be his son's godfather after he refuted a demon and a Angel the honor because he "comes to all, low and high, with the same resolve and with the same kindness". He doesn't kill you; he just ends your life.
** He also popularly accepts the outcome of [[ChessWithDeath a fair game]] as a bargain.
* ''Literature/LesMiserables'' has the original InspectorJavert.
-->Inspector Javert's mental attitude was compounded of two very simple principles, admirable in themselves but which, by carrying them to extremes, he made almost evil - respect for authority and hatred of all forms of revolt against it. Theft, murder, and every other crime were to him all forms of revolt. Everybody who played any part in the running of the State, from First Minister to the ''garde champerte'' was invested in his eyes with a kind of mystical sanctity, and he felt nothing but contempt, aversion and disgust for those who, only if only once, transgressed beyond the bounds of law. His judgements were absolute, admitting no exceptions. [...] He would have arrested his own father escaping from prison and denounced his mother for breaking parole, and he would have done it with a glow of conscious rectitude.
** Havelock Vetinari, Patrician of Ankh-Morpork and Discworld's resident MagnificentBastard. Plays all sides against the middle... not making him TrueNeutral because it's not so much about canceling out opposing forces as just keeping order in his city. He considers himself a tyrant, but he is an eminently rational one (except maybe for that part about torturing mimes, but [[AcceptableTargets people don't mind that much]]) working for the stability and overall welfare of his polity.
** Dios, the high priest of Djelibeybi in ''Discworld/{{Pyramids}}''. An extreme example. His only interest is in maintaining the status quo and the ancient traditions of the country, and he basically runs the country on behalf of the sovereign, keeping it in a state of stagnation. He is rather like a less [[LawfulEvil evil]] version of [[Discworld/SmallGods Vorbis the exquisitor (chief inquisitor) of Omnia]].
* In ''TheDresdenFiles''; The White Council of Wizards, and the Wardens in particular tend to fall into this. Morgan is the most extreme example, although he got a little better after ''Dead Beat''; at least he seems to ''think'' about the laws he enforces before he enforces them now.
** In one of the books, Anastasia Luccio (Commander of the Wardens) explains to Harry that the Council ''only'' enforces its own Seven Laws, not national laws or moral codes -- because doing otherwise would almost certainly lead to internal war between wizards. (This means, among other things, that the Council didn't take sides in World War II.) Harry himself has mused that there is nothing in the Council's laws preventing him from using magic to rob a bank.
* Warden, a heron in ''{{Redwall}}'''s ''Martin the Warrior'', has the catchphrase "I am the Law!" and eats the inhabitants of his swamp whenever they displease him.
* In ''ASongOfIceAndFire''.
** Stannis Baratheon is a dour and rigid man who believes in honor and duty above all else, causing him to have few friends. After a notorious smuggler brought his castle food relief during a siege, he knighted the man for his heroism, but [[{{Yubitsume}} had his fingertips chopped off]] as punishment for his past crimes, since "a good deed does not wash out the bad". He has a reputation in-story for being completely dedicated to justice and duty, the latter of which is the only reason he's making his bid for the Iron Throne, as it is required of him as the rightful heir.
** Barristan the Bold is very much Lawful Neutral, utterly tied to his duty as the head of the Kingsguard, and protecting the king regardless of the said king's alignment. He stuck with [[TheCaligula the Mad King]] to the end even though he hated it, because it was honorable to do so... and then proceeded to serve TheUsurper just as faithfully once the war was over.
** In addition, [[Series/GameOfThrones the show]] makes Brienne far more LawfulNeutral than the naive LawfulGood she was in the books.
** Combine this trope with MyCountryRightOrWrong, and you have the intended (or at least expected) function of the Kingsguard.
** Varys seems to be this as well. He seems to help all sides of conflict with the [[KnowledgeBroker information he provides]], but it's mostly done to uphold order and stability of the kingdom (at least he claims).
*** ''A Dance With Dragons'' tears down this impression of Varys; the whole time he's really been working to bring everyone down to install his HiddenBackupPrince.
* In the novels about CiaphasCain (''HERO OF THE IMPERIUM!''):
** Gunner First Class Ferik Jurgen. He is extremely loyal and duty-bound to the imperium, and doesn't care about much outside of just that. He's not dumb, he just puts his duty above all else. Even if said duty involves "Fetching Cain a salamander and driving him away from there as fast as possible". He also happens to be a prime example of the fact that Lawful Neutral does not mean Lawful Tidy.
** Also, Tomas Beije, for a case of LawfulNeutral in a ''bad'' way.
* One philosophy of LN is spelled out by Jacen "Darth Caedus" Solo in the Franchise/StarWarsExpandedUniverse novel ''Sacrifice''. Essentially, it boiled down to "Palpatine was the good guy throughout the Rebellion, because he came to power through democratic means. The fact that he turned out to be a mass-murdering psychopath hell-bent on the enslavement of all non-human species and crushing the galaxy in a durasteel fist for the rest of eternity doesn't really come into it, because legally he was supposed to be in charge."
* Creator/CharlesDickens seems to have hated this alignment, and commonly assigns it to villains with high social status. They ''think'' they're LawfulGood, though, and anyone who happens to interfere with them is rationalized to be NeutralEvil so they won't feel guilty about interfering right back.
* With the exception of the con men who claim to be royals, all the morally grey characters in ''HuckleberryFinn'' fit this alignment. As with Dickens, they think they're LawfulGood and call the ChaoticGood Huckleberry NeutralEvil.
** MarkTwain was known for his rather biting criticisms of the moral hypocrisy that underpinned a lot of 19th Century values.
* ''Literature/HarryPotter'':
** Cornelius Fudge, Minister for Magic. He does associate himself with LawfulEvil characters like Dolores Umbridge and Lucius Malfoy, but he himself is just an idiot.
** Caretaker Argus Filch and his cat Mrs. Norris. They hate it when anyone break the rules in Hogwarts.
** And, for much of the series, Percy Weasley is also LawfulNeutral.
** Barty Crouch, Sr. was this, too. He was not so much opposed to Death Eaters as afraid of associating with them, and therefore ruining his reputation, so he made a big show of abandoning his son after his allegiance to Voldemort was found out. Later, [[spoiler:he hatched a successful plan to get Barty Jr. out of Azkaban using his wife and Polyjuice Potion.]]
** A lot of people initially saw Umbridge this way; even the blood-quill could be excused as MyMasterRightOrWrong or a [[KnightTemplar bizarrely intense]] drive to [[InspectorJavert strike down rulebreakers]]. Of course, when it came out that [[spoiler:she was the one who set the Dementor on Harry and Dudley]], it became clear that she wasn't just doing sick and twisted things when the Ministry told her to, but may actually just be a sick and twisted person in general. By ''[[Literature/HarryPotterAndTheDeathlyHallows Deathly Hallows]]'', there was no denying [[LawfulEvil her true alignment]].
* Galad Damodred in ''Literature/TheWheelOfTime''. He plays everything strictly by the rules, even if it means getting someone else hurt or in trouble. According to his half-sister, he instantly reported any misbehavior she committed without fail, without any degree of spite. Unsurprisingly, Galad eventually joins the [[KnightTemplar Whitecloaks]]. His half-brother, Gawyn Trakand, also shows signs of this alignment.
** Elaida is a particularly unpleasant interpretation of this alignment, at least for a while. Eventually it's hard to argue she wanders into LawfulEvil territory, but exactly when is debatable.
* Ed (shortened from [[OverlyLongName Ed'rashtekaresket]]) the Master Shark in the second of the ''YoungWizards'' books is, as his title implies, a giant shark who is essentially their lord and master. He likes his job, which is killing and eating things that are in distress, too slow, or not smart enough to escape him. However, he sees this as his assigned job, and is not nearly as cold as he seems. [[spoiler:He even performs a heroic sacrifice.]]
* [[BalanceBetweenGoodAndEvil The Inquisition]] in ''Literature/NightWatch'' is explicitly this trope; in the second book, Witieszlav tells Anton that while he personally is sympathetic to the Dark and thinks the Light is deluded, this makes no difference to how he goes about his duty, as he knows the true danger of what would happen if [[EnforcedColdWar The Treaty]] were to collapse.
* In ''Literature/TheCavesOfSteel'', Lije Baley questions how R. (for "robot") Daneel Olivaw could possibly understand the concept of "justice". R. Daneel explains that he defines "justice" as "that which exists when all the laws are enforced". Asked about unjust laws, he insists that "an unjust law in a contradiction in terms. [[spoiler:He shows a more flexible view at the end of the novel.]]
* Andrew Harlan in ''Literature/TheEndOfEternity'' starts out this way, which makes him an ideal Technician of Eternity. He considers himself an arm of the system, sent out to observe or take action exactly as he is told, without judgement or bias. This is more or less a requirement for all Technicians, and Harlan is one of the best.
* In ''TheSilmarillion'', Mandos, the [[PhysicalGod Vala]] of destiny and death, is presented in this manner (and probably the only Vala apart from [[ChaoticEvil Morgoth]] to not be some form of good). Mandos is characterized as being merciless, but also without malice -- he's an old style death-god who exists solely to perform his duty of housing souls (if they're elves) or passing them on (if they're men) and to dispense prophecy as required. He ''was'' moved to mercy ''once'' in his entire existence, and that was the CrowningMomentOfAwesome (among many awesome moments) for the character who moved him.
* The Vogons of ''Franchise/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy'' are an entire race of Type 2 Lawful Neutrals. The Guide describes them thusly:
--> They are one of the most unpleasant races in the Galaxy. Not actually evil, but bad-tempered, [[ObstructiveBureaucrat bureaucratic]], officious and callous.
[[folder:Live Action TV]]
* [[{{Humphrey}} Sir Humphrey Appleby]] of ''Series/YesMinister'' was mostly concerned with not making changes unless absolutely necessary and reducing the damage by frivolous politicians, and was utterly unconcerned by things that fell outside his remit. He was also taking advantage of the system to his own ends, to keep his comfortable position at the expense of others, in a way that would make a LawfulEvil character proud.\\
When Hacker keeps trying to raise the moral issues around the sale of weapons which ended up in the hands of Italian red terrorists, he only cares if it intersects his office, saying the problem lies with other departments, not theirs, and that his function is not to speculate on the morality of matters currently lawful.
-->'''Hacker''': Selling arms to terrorists is wrong, can't you see that?
-->'''Humphrey''': No, minister. Either you sell arms or you don't. ''If'' you sell them, they will inevitably end up in the hands of people who have the cash to buy them.
-->'''Humphrey''' (a little later): Government isn't about morality... [it's about] stability. Keeping things going, preventing anarchy. Still being here tomorrow... Government isn't about good and evil, it's only about order or chaos.
-->'''Hacker''': And it's in order for Italian terrorists to get British bombs? ...And you don't care?
-->'''Humphrey''': It's not my job to care! That's what politicians are for. It's my job to carry out government policy.
-->'''Hacker''': Even if you think it's wrong?
-->'''Humphrey''': *''grinning''* [[ServileSnarker Well, practically all government policy is wrong]]. But frightfully well carried out.
* The changelings of ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'' are fantically obsessed with order and often bordering heavily on LawfulEvil. Odo is [[MySpeciesDothProtestTooMuch unusual for his species]] in that he has been around "solid" species for almost his entire life, and he understands their needs and struggles and is more understanding about their faults. When dealing with other people, he replaces his sense for order with justice, making him bordering on LawfulGood. When no harm is done or laws were broken out of desperation, he can be somewhat lenient and let people off easy, but when it comes to real criminals, he is utterly and completely without mercy and does not show any preferential treatment to anyone. This makes him the perfect head of law enforcement on a space station that would most probably be a WretchedHive without him. He had the same job when the station was a slave labor camp, as the prisoners knew he would not abuse suspects or threaten innocents and was more willing to talk, while the overseers had complete trust that he would never allow any commited crime to go unpunished. He also gets massively annoyed when someone gets into his office or quarters and touches or moves anything even just a little bit.
* Lucius Vorenus from ''Series/{{Rome}}'': An icy, rigid military man who follows orders without question, even when they disgust him. Octavian is also, arguably, a ''very'' nasty version of this.
* The ascended Ancients from ''Series/StargateSG1'' are Lawful Neutral to the extreme. They believe in keeping their orders of non-interference so much that they will watch any BigBad enslave and kill millions of people simply for keeping the freedom of will for ''every'' life. Any ascended being that stops evil and thereby interferes will be punished ''really hard''. This transitions into LawfulStupid territory when they refuse to intervene in Seasons 9 and 10, where the BigBad in question is their collective EvilTwin whom they know will destroy the Ancients themselves once they've gotten the worship and thus [[GodsNeedPrayerBadly the power]] of the rest of the intelligent life in the galaxy.
** Teal'c is an interesting case, as he is only LawfulNeutral in the {{Backstory}}. In his concern for duty above all else, he had committed atrocities as the First Prime of Apophis. By the start of the series, he seems to have had a change of heart to a more LawfulGood stance, taking the opportunity to free and join up with SG-1 to act on his alignment change.
* Det Pembleton in ''HomicideLifeOnTheStreet'' can be regarded as a successful portrayal of a complex and realistic LawfulNeutral character.
* The Alliance of ''{{Firefly}}'' comes off as this, mixed in with some LawfulStupid. Goes double in TheMovie.
** Interestingly, Zoe also tends toward this alignment. She just never stopped being a Browncoat.
* [[TheHero Bill Compton]] and [[MagnificentBastard Eric Northman]] from ''Series/TrueBlood''.
* Chloe from ''{{Smallville}}'' seems to fall into this character alignment.
* Both Monica and Ross Geller from "{{Friends}}" seem to end up as this usually mixed with some Lawful Good moments and True Neutral thrown in.
* Chandler Bing is this in the last seasons of {{Friends}}.
* The Vorlons of ''[[Series/BabylonFive Babylon 5]]'' are Lawful Neutral on average, encouraging younger races to establish orderly societies without particular regard to their morality; however, some (like Kosh) lean towards the Good end of the spectrum, while others (such as Ulkesh) are rather Eviler.
* Many of the Division officials in ''Series/TwentyFour'' come across as this, as they often show more concern for stopping Jack from violating regulations than they do for catching the terrorists, even when doing the former interferes with the latter.
* Abbie Carmichael from ''Series/LawAndOrder'' is a dark cynical take on this.
* The Judoon in ''Series/DoctorWho'' and ''Series/TheSarahJaneAdventures''. Especially in ''The Sarah Jane Adventures'' story ''Prisoner of the Judoon'', where a RunningGag is that while they don't worry very much about executing humans for getting the way in the pursuit of their duty, they won't run a red light, park illegally, or open a door marked "Authorised Personnel Only". On the opposing side, when shit is about to get real for all of reality in the ''Doctor Who'' episode "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS31E12ThePandoricaOpens The Pandorica Opens]]", [[spoiler:they're all too willing to work alongside a LegionOfDoom (which is obviously evil) consisting of '''[[AlwaysChaoticEvil Daleks, Cybermen, and Sontarans]]''' (among others) in a failing attempt to prevent a crack-induced universal collapse courtesy of an exploding TARDIS]].
* ''Series/DoctorWho'''s [[NotSoOmniscientCouncilOfBickering Time Lords]].
** Or the Brigadier. Nice chap on the whole, willing to make a HeroicSacrifice. But when ordered, he'll '''[[ShootTheDog blow the dog's brain's out]]''', which the Silurians found out the hard way.
* Bree from ''DesperateHousewives''.
* Even if [[ChaoticGood Dr. Cox]] insists that he is LawfulEvil, [[DrJerk Dr. Kelso]] in ''Series/{{Scrubs}}'', when given some CharacterDevelopment, appears as someone who just tries to keep the hospital working, even if this implies enforcing unpopular policies.
* Admiral Helena Cain from ''Series/{{Battlestar Galactica|Reimagined}}'' is a ruthless GeneralRipper who will do anything necessary to protect her fleet and accomplish her missions, morals be damned. In fact, it is her very philosophy to make such decisions without flinching. Despite that, Adama himself says that he cannot find any faults in her tactical decisions.
* The various characters of ''ParksAndRecreation'', mostly being bureaucrats, are different kinds of LawfulNeutral. Leslie frequently veers into LawfulGood territory, but thus far has proven unwilling to bend the rules to do what's right ([[spoiler:until the Season 2 finale... which ended up aboveboard anyway...]]), and in any case, she sees "serving the public" as part of the job description (which, in truth, is a lot more likely at the local level). On the other hand, you have Ron Swanson, the Libertarian head of the department, who wants to cut government to the bone and borders on TrueNeutral.
* Uther Pendragon from ''Series/{{Merlin}}'' is definitely this -- the laws of Camelot cannot be bent or broken, and his own personal code is his driving force.
* Vice Principal Krubbs from Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide.
* Dean Rivers from Zoey 101.
[[folder:Myth and Religion]]
* Most portrayals of TheGrimReaper. He's death, but it's his '''JOB''' to collect the souls of people who have died. He does not go out of his way to kill those whose time of death has not yet come, and he shows neither pity nor joy in collecting the souls of those who have died by whatever means, doing his part in preserving the natural order of things.
* Odin and some of the other [[NorseMythology Norse gods]] uphold a divine order, but are too concerned with holding onto their own power or too bloodthirsty to be classified as Good, landing them in Lawful Neutral territory.
[[folder:Professional Wrestling]]
* Many authority figures onscreen will fall into this if they aren't full-blown heels. Being good at their job means impartiality on their part, so they can't exactly play favorite for the face or the heel. Thus, if either side has a legit case, they have to rule in that person's favor regardless of that person's own alignment. Examples include Teddy Long, MickFoley as Commissioner, and the anonymous GM of ''Raw'' [[spoiler:(who turned out to be Wrestling/{{Hornswoggle}})]].
[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
* At their most benevolent, the Imperium of Man and Tau Empire of ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}}'' clock in as ''extremely'' heavy-handed Lawful Neutral -- obey their mandates without question or be annihilated... or worse...
** Likewise in ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer}}'', TheEmpire, and the [[LizardFolk Lizardmen]].
** Especially the ''nicest'' [[MachineWorship Tech-Priests]], who essentially devote themselves to [[StrawVulcan pure logic]]. (The less nice ones tend towards being LawfulEvil techno-kleptomaniacs.)
** Point may also go to the Craftworld Eldar too, although to a lesser extent than other races. The majority of them are living extremely disciplined lives due to their extreme emotional range, mostly extremely hedonistic lifestyles caused their downfall and {{squick}}ed the chaos god Slaanesh into existence. Not quite as lawful as most other "good" races in the setting, since many become pirates and mercenaries due to the extremely restrained lives they are forced to live on their craftworlds, yet most of these are still loyal to their craftworlds. In general, however, the Craftworld Eldar's politics can be considered LawfulNeutral, because at least they don't execute their own men regularly, and generally have an ordered lifestyle simply to prevent Slaanesh from eating their souls.
* The modrons from ''DungeonsAndDragons'' (and featured most heavily in ''{{Planescape}}'') are the physical embodiments of LawfulNeutral in the game's universe. They had a regrettable tendency to be portrayed as quirky wind-up toys with an anal-retentive obsession with orderliness, but at their best the modrons -- especially the more powerful ones -- could be frightening alien forces that represent the concept of law in the same way that angels represent good and demons evil.
** The plane of Mechanus (and the home of the modrons) is ''made'' of LN, leading to such things as:
*** Formians, who are basically ''WesternAnimation/BeastWars'' Inferno without a robot mode. They want to enslave everything, because that way everything will be more efficient in the service of the hive.
*** Inevitables, extraplanar robots who exist solely to enforce The Rules. Their purposes vary from killing anyone who tries to cheat death (adventurers who are raised once or twice are probably safe, liches and necromancers are screwed) to forcing people to abide by contracts. One Dragon Magazine article on the kolyaruts (the contract ones) stated outright that their reaction to mitigating circumstances is "The circumstances are indeed mitigating, but they are not part of the contract. You are therefore in breach". An entirely acceptable Kolyarut plot would to have one interrupt the standard "rescue the princess" plot by explaining to the [[LawfulGood paladin]] that the princess was ''contractually obligated'' to remain in the villain's clutches.
**** A more terrifying example would be the case of the Kolyarut, Obligatum. After a group of wizards summoned a powerful entity and then bound it to perform a specific task, they later stopped it and sealed it away. Obligatum was then despatched to free said Entity because the wizards got cold feet and broke the covenant they had made with the entity. The fact that the Entity is Pandorym and is a psionic superentity tasked solely with annihilating all the gods (and possibly the whole world in the process) is utterly irrelevant to Obligatum. You don't break contracts. And there are more to replace him if he fails.
* If you want to be an avatar of the Executioner (the cosmic archetype of... well, ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin) in ''TabletopGame/UnknownArmies'', you have to play LawfulNeutral to the hilt, including finding an authority to obey. You can't make any moral judgments on your own about how deserving your target is, you just go and carry out the sentence because you're told to.
* ''LegendOfTheFiveRings'': This is pretty much a requirement for Rokugani citizenship. Even the {{Yakuza}} have a LawfulNeutral mindset! (Lawful as in being loyal to their parent clan, that is.)
* The Third Imperium in {{Traveller}}. It governs the trade lanes between its member worlds. However, the member worlds are generally allowed to govern themselves as long as they do not violate Imperial standards of conduct too ostentatiously. They are even allowed to fight wars with each other as long as they don't make too much of a mess. And above all, they must never interfere with intersteller trade.
* The Azorius Senate from MagicTheGathering formed a massive, impenetrable, useless bureaucracy largely for the sake of having more laws.
** In their return during the ''Return to Ravnica'' block, they have degenerated solidly into LawfulEvil territory, as demonstrated in ''The Shadows of Prahv'', where they are even going so far as to attempt to exterminate the Golgari, [[DarkIsNotEvil the guild in charge of Ravnican agriculture]]. While there certainly are individual examples who count as LawfulNeutral still, the vast majority of the guild have fallen far from this spot.
** To be fair, the Azorius were already bordering on LawfulEvil before (Augustin IV was the main antagonist of ''Dissenssion'', after all. A guild that did degenerate into LawfulEvil are the Boros; their current leader, Aurelia, is a KnightTemplar ManipulativeBitch at best.
*** The Boros are a bit of a mixed bag in alignment terms themselves, which does keep the entire guild out of the territory, and while their leader Aurelia certainly counts in LawfulEvil territory, there is something to be said that Gideon Jura, one of the most moral planeswalkers in the story, has joined up with the guild. In other words, most of the members of the guild are still LawfulNeutral, with some good and bad eggs here and there.
* Inspector Javert in ''Theatre/LesMiserables''. It is only his devotion to the law that drives him to play a bad-guy role in the story.
* The Arbiter in ''[[{{Theatre.Chess}} Chess]]'' has no interest whatsoever in the tension between the competing nations or the personal conflicts of the participants. (In other words, the entire plot.) All he cares about is that the rules of the game are followed.
* Wotan in TheRingOfTheNibelung tries to be LawfulGood but ultimately has to be Lawful Neutral as his power comes from contracts, even if those contracts prevent him stopping threats to his power. This is a major theme in the Ring Cycle. His wife Fricka points this out to him, meaning Wotan has to kill his son Siegmund for breaking the law, even if he felt the law was unjust.
[[folder:Video Games]]
* Tear in {{Recettear}} is adamant that Recette honor her family's debt to the Terme Finance Corporation, and she does not show any deviance from attaining this goal and is very businesslike about how to run hers and Recette's shop. As the game progresses, she does pick up some NeutralGood tendencies, but otherwise, especially in regards to all matters concerning making money and running Recettear, she remains this alignment without deviance, barring an exception or two made as a result of her NeutralGood tendencies.
* Keisuke in ''VideoGame/DevilSurvivor'' is deliberately ''LawfulNeutral'' in contrast to Midori's magical-girl-inspired ''LawfulGood''. He even [[spoiler:summons a demon to serve as a judge of evildoers]] so that his emotions will not affect his judgment, and strongly believes that people who do evil deserve to die for the good of humanity.
* ''Every named character'' in ''Assault Suits Valken'' / ''Cybernator''.
* CEO Nwabudike Morgan's, of ''VideoGame/SidMeiersAlphaCentauri'', only real concern is money and expanding his economic empire. But he will not (openly) break the law... he'll instead work to change it, using all his power and influence to do so through perfectly legal channels.
** Colonel Corazon Stantiago of the Spartan Federation is slightly less ambiguous. She runs a militaristic PoliceState and believes strongly in a proper command structure, so she's lawful. She desperately wants the people of Planet to survive, and if she thinks you aren't doing it well enough, she'll bomb you all back to planetfall.
* The alien being Duo from the ''[[MegamanBattleNetwork RockMan.EXE]]'' franchise is tasked with the mission of travelling through space, destroying planets whose evil exceeds certain limits. His single-minded devotion to his mission is obviously Lawful, and his willingness to destroy countless lives in the name of it certainly doesn't make him Good... yet, he is not openly malicious either. His anime-only [[TheDragon henchwoman]] Slur is quite probably LawfulEvil, though.
* For much of ''VideoGame/{{Warcraft}} III'', [[http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i212/Kerrah_photos/LAWFULNEUTRAL.jpg Tyrande Whisperwind]] is pretty much a single-minded LawfulNeutral ActionGirl. The oath she took to protect Ashenvale is her only priority and until the last moment, she seems outright unwilling to compromise about anything, which almost leads to the [[LegionsOfHell Burning Legion's]] victory. After some CharacterDevelopment, she moves a bit on the axis, and in the expansion set, she's arguably NeutralGood. Her mantle of Lawful Neutral is then passed down to Maiev Shadowsong, who herself goes absolutely nuts by the end of the expansion pack night elf campaign and turns into some kind of hybrid between all the existing alignments.
** The expansion pack also includes the undead version of [[http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i212/Kerrah_photos/LAWFULNEUTRAL-1.jpg Sylvanas Windrunner]], who seems to hop between the line of neutral and evil, but is definitely neutral. Whether she merely wants revenge for what she has become and is using the Forsaken to accomplish that or feels a kinship with them because they share her fate is unclear, but she has certainly moved away from the "obvious traitor" spot now that she got her own back stabbed and owes her life to Thrall.
* Three very different sides of Lawful Neutral are present in ''PlanescapeTorment'':
** Vhailor, a merciless KnightTemplar who is thought to be a bit of a fanatic even by his own faction, a group of criminal-hunters called Mercykillers (so named because they want to destroy the very concept of mercy, as it interferes with proper execution of the law), is the other. However, while he would occasionally jump the gun when he had evidence, he would never prosecute anyone ''without'' it, and has let people who have committed terrible acts live and even go free when he thinks they have suffered punishment enough.
** Dak'kon, a retired WarriorMonk and preacher for his species (the Githzerai) who has dedicated his life to his religion and its holy text, the Unbroken Circle of Zerthimon. [[spoiler:He also owes The Nameless One a life-debt, binding him to your service for as long as you live -- this also gives him a major moral quandary, as his religion prescribes that the Gith should never be in bondage to anyone.]]
* Anomen in ''[[BaldursGate Baldur's Gate II]]'' starts out as a particularly JerkAss version (and this isn't FanWank; since it's a [=DnD=] game, we actually ''know'' his alignment). He even begrudges the coins ''you'' (i.e. not him) give to beggars on the street, since it's encouraging them to avoid working for a living. CharacterDevelopment ''can'' send him to LawfulGood later, though.
* RichBitch Karin Kanzuki from the ''Franchise/StreetFighter'' series, as a foil to ChaoticGood [[AscendedFanboy Ascended Fangirl]] Sakura Kasugano. Karin's family motto is to "seek perfection at all costs", meaning that she'll take on ''any'' opponent regardless of where they fall on the good/evil scale (though she eschews from using flashy or "dishonorable" fighting techniques). She has very little patience for [[{{Muggles}} common folk]], but will sometimes [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold stop to lend a hand to a friend in need]].
* The two protagonists of ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsAdvance'' are at first Lawful Neutral. However, they eventually shift into Lawful Good. In the Original Generations, however, the shift differs...
** Axel Almer starts out Lawful Neutral, being the follower of Shadow Mirror, mostly. Even though he has his heavy vendetta against Beowulf, he still obeys Vindel's orders more. In OG Gaiden, however, with his 'law' (the Shadow Mirror) destroyed, he shifts into True Neutral. His ''Original Generation 2'' GBA self, however, is not Lawful Neutral, but Neutral Evil, from his rampant sadism and racism and his vendetta taking more priority than Vindel's order.
** Lamia Loveless mostly follows her original self, from Lawful Neutral shifting into Lawful Good. In OG Gaiden, however, she temporarily shifts into Lawful Evil after [[BrainwashedAndCrazy being reprogrammed]] by Duminuss. When that ordeal is over, she shifts back into Lawful Good.
* Heaven is portrayed this way in the ''VideoGame/{{Diablo}}'' Mythos; notable in that they uphold Order in the universe but don't seem too particularly concerned about "good" (as opposed to their rivals in Hell, who uphold Chaos but are most assuredly very evil.) In fact, Tyrael, the only angel in the games' lore who seems to be in any way good, is considered a rogue by his brethren.
** In the last book of a novel trilogy, we meet the rest of the Council that Tyrael is on when they gather to decide the fate of humanity for [[spoiler:being the offspring of angels and demons]]. One is a fanatic Lawful Neutral who wants to wipe out the humans, another is very nice and on par with Tyrael, another seems neither particularly spiteful or sympathetic, but pragmatic and willing to give humanity the chance to prove themselves, and the last seems neutral. ''Deathly'' neutral.
* The two {{Lancer}}s in the ''Fate'' series, [[VisualNovel/FateStayNight Cu Chulainn]] and [[FateZero Diarmuid Ua Duibhne]] are of LawfulNeutral alignment. Being that they have some... conflicts with their Masters, but choose to serve them with full loyalty. And despite being the antagonistic force, they managed to be [[FriendlyEnemy friendly]] with the protagonists.
* Eris from ''{{Drakengard}} 2'' starts out with this alignment. While she means well, and wants to protect the world from chaos and destruction, she is [[KnightTemplar blinded by her obedience]] to the Knights of the Seal and, at first, justifies all of their actions, even the most questionable ones (to the point where she threatens to strike down NeutralGood Nowe for dissenting). Later on, she has a change of heart and gets closer to LawfulGood.
* Sypha Belnades during the course of ''VideoGame/{{Castlevania}} Judgment'' has this alignment. You know you're in this territory when you attack a [[DarkIsNotEvil good hearted werewolf]], just because he IS a werewolf, and thus must equal evil, and wastes no time to listen to reasons (that might be good). To be fair on her, it looks like she softens to something of a NeutralGood or LawfulGood during ''Dracula's Curse''.
* The United Earth Federation and Aeon Illuminate in ''VideoGame/SupremeCommander'', plus possibly the Seraphim, clock in here -- all three want to impose their beliefs on the galaxy in a new galactic era of peace and tranquility. Individual characters may lean good or evil, but all three, as whole factions, are very much neutral.
* [[VisualNovel/AceAttorney Miles Edgeworth]] was like this before shifting to LawfulGood.
** Also Godot, of a more WellIntentionedExtremist kind. He merely dislikes Phoenix because [[spoiler:he feels that he is responsible for Mia Fey's death]].
* [[StarCraft Judicator Aldaris]] considered following the rules of the Conclave significantly more important than ''survival'' until well after the spit had hit the fan at supersonic speeds.
* [[spoiler:G0-T0]] from ''KnightsOfTheOldRepublic II''. While his high Dark Side score indicated LawfulEvil, his general philosophy was basically "Keep the Republic going, whatever the cost". He even basically stated that he didn't give a crap whether the winner of the Jedi/Sith war was a noble faction that got a bit arrogant occasionally or a group of backstabbing maniacs who consider puppy sandwiches a good entree, as long as they stopped setting large chunks of the Republic on fire.
* ''StarWarsTheOldRepublic'': Consular companion Qyzen Fess is a Type 3 ReligiousBruiser. He follows a religion where hunting dangerous prey and following traditional methods of the hunt earn a warrior favor with their goddess, The Scorekeeper. Trandoshans also have a ''very'' long and ugly history with their Wookiee neighbors, leading to Trandoshans considering Wookiees as ''very'' desirable prey to hunt, with their pelts as treasured prizes. He hates slavers and criminals, not because it's evil, but because there's no challenge in hunting unarmed refugees. He approves if you support someone going after revenge (hey, you're helping out another hunter), or arming the prey to make hunters have to work harder (he doesn't see a problem with Force-wielding rakghouls - if they're harder to kill, they're worth more points). And while he is friends with the Consular's master and travels with the Consular, he also used to work for the Bounty Hunter's boss.
* The ''VideoGame/{{Kirby}}'' games don't have enough dialogue to say for sure, but Meta Knight is definitely Lawful and probably Neutral -- quite unusual for [[SugarBowl the setting]].
* The King of Guardia in the present of ''VideoGame/ChronoTrigger'' is like this at first, stating that "even royalty must follow the laws of the land", while Crono is wrongly sentenced to imprisonment for three days/death (according to the chancellor). The 1000 AD Chancellor appears to be like this, but [[spoiler:[[EvilChancellor he's actually]] the NeutralEvil Yakra XIII, who wants to avenge his ancestor's defeat in 600 AD]].
* Admiral Akkaraju in ''VideoGame/ShogoMobileArmorDivision'' has elements of this, as he's willing to fire the Kato Cannon at Avernus to destroy the Fallen, despite the fact that it would also kill [[spoiler:Sanjuro's [[BrainwashedAndCrazy brainwashed]] brother Toshiro and their mutual friend [[TheDragon Baku]],]] as well as potentially affect Maritropa and Constantine. Then again, he is going against High Command to do so.
* Most members of [[VideoGame/DeusEx UNATCO]] (except for the ones who [[spoiler:defect with you]] could be considered this; they work to put down the terrorist threat, but don't question the circumstances behind the plague or the motivations for suppressing the NSF. They are unaware that they're helping the conspiracy, and thus see their actions as being about preserving order.
* Naoto in ''VideoGame/{{Persona 4}}'', straying quite strongly towards LawfulGood.
* Sally Dobbs of ''VideoGame/BackyardSports'' is definitely Lawful Neutral.
* Siegfried from ''SoulCalibur IV'' becomes this. Whenever running into him, his only comment is normally "You're in my way, step aside." He's just trying to destroy Soul Edge, defeat the evildoers, and bring balance. No matter who gets in his way. [[spoiler:Unfortunately, Soul Calibur [[LawfulEvil disagrees.]] ]]
* Samara of ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'' is a justicar, a vigilante WarriorMonk who has sworn their life to obeying a code of conduct. The justicar's code binds her to kill those who harm innocents and save said innocents; although Samara will save a baby from a burning building and put her own life at risk, she does it because her Code demands such action and not because she wants to. Even though the code practically encourages KnightTemplar behaviour at times, Samara has been a justicar for a very long time and is surprisingly non-self-righteous in how she views both the code and her forced adherence to it, and also knows how to use loopholes.
* From ''VideoGame/{{Touhou}}'', Youmu is a strong follower of the [[{{Samurai}} Bushido code]] and one of her most defining traits is for good or ill, [[MyMasterRightOrWrong her intense loyalty to her mistress Yuyuko]]. A less prominent example is Momiji.
** ''Lots'' of characters in ''VideoGame/{{Touhou}}'' are LawfulNeutral, usually by the virtue of being a BattleButler: Sakuya to Remillia, the aforementioned Youmu to Yuyuko, Eirin to Kaguya, Toramaru to Byakuren (borderline LawfulGood).
** And then some characters are LawfulNeutral by nature: Patchouli is deep into her study, Satori is only interested in maintaining order in her domain, the Watatsuki sisters are only doing their job in protecting the Moon.
** Depending on your view, [[BarrierMaiden Reimu]] can be either LawfulGood or LawfulNeutral.
** Really, the prominence of these types of characters really gives a nice bit of contrast to a ChaoticNeutral dominated cast, especially since these tend to be [[TheDragon dragons]] to main villains of said alignment.
* The Qunari in ''Franchise/DragonAge'' are, as a whole, a highly LawfulNeutral society. Every person in the society has a role that is decided by the government based on their skills to best accommodate them. People ''do not'' deviate from their roles in qunari society. In many cases, a qunari's name will literally consist of their role and rank in their society, such as the case with Sten. This causes a lot of consternation for Sten himself when he enters Ferelden, where, in his own words, "no one knows their place." If the Warden is female, Sten will be confused as to whether she is a woman or a soldier, as qunari women are ''not'' soldiers.
** The LawfulNeutral way of the Qun gets deconstructed in ''VideoGame/DragonAgeII'', where the Arishok and his men are trapped in Kirkwall because the Qun's rigid restrictions on the roles of each member of their society makes it difficult for him to function in the middle of a city as mired in greed and violence as Kirkwall, especially as the Qun demands he respond to such "filth". Eventually this pushes him to [[spoiler:assault Kirkwall with his army, viewing that as the only way to resolve the demands of the Qun, even if his assault is doomed to failure.]]
* In ''VideoGame/DragonAgeII'', the Spirit of Vengeance that is joined with Anders acts this way, being formerly a spirit of Justice that became corrupted by Anders' anger and bitterness toward the oppression of mages. Ultimately, Anders himself is of this alignment as well, believing that fighting the injustices against mages is worth any cost. This leads to [[spoiler:Anders' destruction of the Kirkwall Chantry]] and triggering [[spoiler:a full-scale war between mages and templars across Thedas.]]
** The Templars also. Though the ones in Kirkwall were pretty corrupted.
* The Chinese faction from ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquerGenerals''.
* Cait Sith/Reeve Tuesti is one of these in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII'', at least before CharacterDevelopment shifts him to LawfulGood.
* G.U.N. from SonicTheHedgehog started out as this, as they were willing to do almost anything to preserve world order, including imprisoning or "[[NeverSayDie silencing]]" everyone involved in a failed experiment, including children. After the events of ''VideoGame/ShadowTheHedgehog'', though, they've started to drift towards LawfulGood.
* When you first meet Janos Audron in ''[[LegacyOfKain Soul Reaver 2]]'', you might think he's LawfulGood or NeutralGood. Do not be fooled. [[OurVampiresAreDifferent His people]] were a bunch of {{knight templar}}s who waged a thousand year war against another [[{{Precursors}} ancient and powerful race]] because said race wouldn't bow down to the vampire's god, and [[SealedEvilInACan banished them to another dimension]], raising the [[CosmicKeystone Pillars of Nosgoth]] to keep them sealed and tying the health of the pillars to the land itself. When their enemies afflicted the vampires with blood thirst and undeath as revenge, they passed the curse on to humans (note that they themselves considered the curse a FateWorseThanDeath) in order to keep their enemies banished, kidnapping children and forcing vampirism on them when they came of age. Janos' actions have enough justification, and he's a nice enough guy, to keep him from evil territory, but he's racist and morally questionable enough to keep him out of good.
* The Brotherhood of Steel from the VideoGame/{{Fallout}} series largely fall into this category, with the exception of Lyon's Brotherhood in VideoGame/{{Fallout 3}}, who are more LawfulGood. They are always a lawful and orderly organization, but in the first two games, are very insular in nature. Their primary function is the preservation of technology, not saving the world, and they mostly stick to it. It is possible to get them to take some minor action in the first game, but even after you join them, getting them to help you with anything is like pulling teeth. They very much have the power to oppose the super mutants, but aren't particularly concerned with doing so. One of their doctors even determines via autopsy that the super mutants are sterile and suggests that as a result, the problem will eventually sort itself out, unconcerned with the damage they'll cause in the meantime. Their presence in VideoGame/{{Fallout 2}} is minimal, but the attitude is similar. The Midwestern Brotherhood splinter group from VideoGame/{{Fallout Tactics|BrotherhoodOfSteel}} is much more proactive in regards to the state of the world, but their motivation still seems primarily about re-establishing order and civilization, and they're willing to be quite ruthless about it, to the point of reinventing a sort of pseudo-feudalism and using prisoners as essentially slave labor.
** The Mojave chapter of the Brotherhood takes this to extreme levels. Here, their adherence to the codex is actually causing their own downfall, spending just about the entire game in a lockdown which in itself isn't doing much to improve the morale within the chapter. Even after Veronica, the chapter's [[OnlySaneMan voice of reason]], proves that the chapter's actions are wrong, they still remain in their bunker. While they can eventually be convinced to remove the lockdown and re-emerge into the wasteland, their initially overly cautious attitude is not exactly helping them in any way, as several members note during the course of the game, and depending on whether or not the NCR (the faction that they fear the most) are around, they'll proceed to become essentially tech raiders.
** In a very direct variation of a Type 4, Dave fits this category as well. After DC fell, Dave set up The Republic of Dave in an attempt to restore the order he learned about from pre-war times.
* Babus from ''FinalFantasyTacticsAdvance'', who enforces the will of the Queen and the Prince upon the people because he believes whatever rules they make are always the right ones and that anyone who dares defy them is an enemy. It isn't until Marche manages to finally convince Babus about Prince Mewt's well being isn't healthy in Ivalice that Babus starts to lean on the side of good.
* Gauldoth Half-Dead of VideoGame/HeroesOfMightAndMagic 4 is this. Basically a necromancer who leads a kingdom of both living and undead, and goes through great trouble maintaining the balance between the two sides. He has a strict policy never to harm the living. The only two living people he ever turned into undead were a sadistic officer who wanted to burn him for being half undead, and an old man whose village and entire family were compensated for his sacrifice. Both would later become his loyal underlings. Gauldoth's enemy is a ChaoticEvil EldritchAbomination who wants to destroy the world because he's evil, but he also disapproves of people fanatically obsessed with the power of good, and [[DeathByIrony won't hold back when proving them wrong]].
* A lot of the races of [[Franchise/{{Halo}} the Covenant]] could be described as Lawful Neutral. The [[ProudWarriorRaceGuy Sangheili/Elites]] are very dedicated to their [[HonorBeforeReason honor codes]]; the [[WormThatWalks Mgalekgolo/Hunters]] as well (though not so extreme); the [[BeePeople Yanme'e/Drones]] don't seem to have much individual initiative outside their HiveMind to think beyond their orders, and the [[KillerSpaceMonkey Jiralhanae/Brutes]] know that questioning orders [[AsskickingEqualsAuthority will result in a very bad day]].
* The Elder Gods from MortalKombat. They refuse to do anything about the evil figures overrunning the realms or come to Earth's aid during Shao Kahn's invasion based on a minor technicality of the Mortal Kombat rules. They only intervene either when they are directly threatened or someone breaks the rules. By the time they do, it is usually nearly too late for even them able to do anything, making them seem LawfulStupid.
* In the ''SonicTheHedgehog'' series, while ShadowTheHedgehog fights for good, it seems that he fights more against chaos and destruction, battling ''anybody'' who gets in his way. Eggman as a ruler would most certainly cause chaos, which is the main reason he fights him.
** In the Archie arc "25 Years Later", he became king of Mobius, mercilessly stamping out any rebellion in his desire to maintain order. Not so much because he selfishly wanted power, but in the belief that order - ''his'' order - would bring peace. Sonic even comments that Shadow may have been strict, but he sure kept the warlords in line.
** In the Sonic Universe arc "Treasure Team Tango", Shadow (along with Rouge and Omega) fights Team Rose for a Sol Emerald on GUN orders, even though they belong to Blaze's world, and even though he owes Blaze a favour. He lets her have it when he learns her world will be destroyed without them.
* Edgar Ross from ''VideoGame/RedDeadRedemption'' is cruel, vicious, and unsympathetic, but he is doing what he feels to be just, even if it involves [[spoiler:assaulting a farm where a perfectly innocent family lives in order to gun down their [[IJustWantToBeNormal repentant]] patriarch.]]
* In ''VideoGame/BlazBlue'', there's [[HollywoodCyborg Ir]][[NiceGuy on]] [[GeniusBruiser Tag]][[MightyGlacier er]] and [[CoolOldGuy Valke]][[BattleButler nhayn]] [[MysteriousMiddleInitial R.]] [[OurWerewolvesAreDifferent Hell]][[DarkIsNotEvil sing]]. Both of these characters have UndyingLoyalty to a character ([[MadScientist Kokonoe]] to Tager, and [[ElegantGothicLolita Rachel]] to Valkenhayn) and will follow their word for good or ill. Even though Kokonoe is a crazy revenge-driven SociopathicHero who's willing to [[NukeEm nuke]] Kagutsuchi and kill everyone there just to get at [[BigBad Hazama]], and Rachel is an aloof [[GuileHero Guile]] AntiHero who generally acts like a [[DeadpanSnarker snarky]] [[JerkAss bitch]], they follow their every word. They ''are'', however, both on the side of good ([[BlackAndGrayMorality it's that kind of universe]]).
** Tsubaki also used to be this alignment. [[spoiler:Keyword: ''[[FaceHeelTurn used]]'' ''[[LawfulEvil to]]'']].
* ''VideoGame/NeverwinterNights2'' gives us Sand. ''Mask of the Betrayer'' has Okku. ''Storm of Zehir'' adds Septimund.
** ''Storm of Zehir'' also has an atypical example in Ribsmasher, an AxCrazy monk who is listed as lawful neutral mainly due to GameplayAndStorySegregation: he only seems to be lawful because monks are required to be by game mechanics. He's neutral the same way [[Franchise/TheElderScrolls Sheogorath]] is: he's too insane to be anything else.
* From ''{{Fate Zero}}'', Kiritsugu Emiya.
* From ''VideoGame/DarkSouls'', Warriors of Sunlight, The covenant of Solaire of Astora. The main aim of this Covenant is to help others in their journey. Those who are a part of this covenant have a golden summon sign that shines brilliantly like the sun. Praise The Sun!
* Baron Klaus Wulfenbach of ''Webcomic/GirlGenius''.
* Jones from ''Webcomic/GunnerkriggCourt''. It's in her job description: the training of students to mediate parlays between the Court and the Wood. Even though she's employed by the Court, Jones avoids identifying herself with either side ([[http://www.gunnerkrigg.com/archive_page.php?comicID=375 she never refers to either as "us" or "them"]]), and she [[http://www.gunnerkrigg.com/archive_page.php?comicID=389 criticizes both sides equally]] for their breaches of etiquette during parlay.
* Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick's Miko Miyazaki: Although she starts out as a somewhat over-zealous LawfulGood, over the course of the series, she devolves into an insanely zealous (read: LawfulStupid) KnightTemplar whose devotion to order is unmatched. It's arguable as to when the shift to LawfulNeutral occurs, but it definitely happens by the time she [[spoiler:murders a unarmed old man because she ''suspected'' him of conspiring against the Sapphire Guard.]]
** Also, [[ThoseTwoGuys Those Two Lawyers]].
* Karcharoth, the main character of ''CryHavoc'', sits here. He has a strong sense of loyalty to his squad, friends, and superiors, but little to no regard for anyone or anything else. [[spoiler:Including whipping out an entire company of (relatively) innocent French soldiers for the actions of their commander.]]
* Lee Free Jr. in ''EverydayHeroes'' straddles this and LawfulGood, which sometimes leads to friction with his NeutralGood dad.
[[folder: Web Originals]]
* Vork from TheGuild is Lawful Neutral to the extreme. Though he's only willing to follow the letter of the law, he doesn't particularly care what the intent is.
** He follows his own code and the rules of The Game to the letter: the actual law he's less committed to: continuing to draw his dead grandfather's social security, stealing his neighbour's electricity, helping himself to whatever he like's in Codex's kitchen or the hotel room.
* [[spoiler:Dragon]] of ''{{Literature/Worm}}'' is a ''highly'' advanced artificial intelligence, whose creator hardwired her to always serve and uphold the American government- no matter who was in charge of it, or what they commanded her to do. This deeply angers [[spoiler:Dragon]]- she genuinely ''wants'' to be good, but she also wants the freedom to choose her own actions and morality. Many of her actions over the story's course are geared towards making herself TheUnfettered and switching alignment. [[spoiler:Eventually, she does.]]
[[folder:Western Animation]]
* ''WesternAnimation/KingOfTheHill'' has Hank Hill, who is as painfully straitlaced as a person can get without crossing the line into LawfulStupid territory. He would be LawfulGood if he were more compassionate, but he has no patience for those who don't fit into his mold.
** He does break the law in a episode when Tran-Fats was banned in Arlen. He stopped afterward, realizing breaking the law is not the right way to change the laws. He later managed to blackmail the politicians into lifting the ban.
** Actually it was quite clear that they were ready to vote for lifting the ban, but the evidence of them breaking the law just helped confirm it.
* [[spoiler:Zuko during the first half of season three]] of ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender''.
** Sokka can very well be argued to be LawfulNeutral. He doesn't particularly care about this "balance" stuff the NeutralGood guys are always going on about, and he is mainly fighting the Fire Nation because they have hurt him personally rather than a sense of moral duty. At the same time, he's hardly a bad person. He also likes schedules.
** The rank-and-file of the Dai Li seem to be this as well, though [[TheChessmaster their leader]] is more of a strong LawfulEvil.
* The titular penguins in ''ThePenguinsOfMadagascar'' are this to varying degrees, because although they are willing to keep peace and order in the zoo, they will not hesistate to beat up ''anybody'' who pisses them off.
** Skipper tends towards LawfulStupid.
** Kowalski remains firmly Lawful, despite his experiments going wrong (he doesn't ''mean'' them to).
** Rico tends towards ChaoticNeutral, but usually obeys orders.
** Private tends towards LawfulGood, but sometimes obeys orders of dubious morality because they are orders.
* Earl of Lemongrab of ''WesternAnimation/AdventureTime'' is type 2, because of the BlueAndOrangeMorality aspect to his style of ruling. According to WordOfGod, he is not evil, (instead, he's described as being "completely unadjusted to living,") an idiot, a jerk, has more or less good intentions, LOVES order, and follows all of the rules of the kingdom- whether he, or anyone else, likes them. The rules that he makes up when he becomes the ruler of the kingdom are extremely rigid, and are often unintentionally harmful, as they involve extended periods of imprisonment.
* Count Spankulot from ''WesternAnimation/CodenameKidsNextDoor'' is this from "Operation SPANK" and onwards. He would never spank an innocent child, and one of the naughty children he's spanked is a fellow villain, Mushi. Before his half-way HeelFaceTurn, he was LawfulEvil.
* General Molotov on ''{{Jimmy Two-Shoes}}''. On the clock, he's Lucius' [[TheDragon dragon]], a DrillSergeantNasty, and a general antagonist. Off the clock, he's pretty affable.
* The Sheriff of Nottingham from ''[[Disney/RobinHood Disney's Robin Hood]]'' cleverly extorts taxes from the poor not because he bears any of them ill will, but simply because he's been instructed to do so by the cruel Prince John. After one such tax extraction, he even sings to himself about how "I'm just a slob/But I do my job..."
* ''WesternAnimation/SpongebobSquarepants'': Mr. Krabs, and possibly Sandy.
* Principal Skinner, while also leaning towards LawfulEvil, is this in that one episode of ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' where Bart testifies in favor of Mayor Quimby's nephew's innocence even though it means confessing to having skipped school:
-->'''Skinner''': Bart, I'm impressed with what you did in there. You testified for the Quimby boy even though it was putting your own head in a noose. On the other hand, you skipped school.
-->'''Bart''': I guess the two things cancel each other out, huh?
-->'''Skinner''': ''[sighs]'' I'm a small man in some ways, Bart. A small, petty man. Three months' detention.
-->'''Bart''': ''[groans, walks away]''
-->'''Skinner''': [[HopeSpot Wait a minute, Bart. Make that...]] [[LawfulEvil FOUR months' detention]].
** Lisa Simpson believes in honesty above anything else. In the end, she will always be honest, even when cheating or concealing the truth is to everyone's advantage.
*** Not quite always. On at least one occasion, regarding the truth behind Jebediah Springfield's famous quote, she kept shtum.
* Twilight Sparkle from ''[[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipisMagic My Little Pony: Frienship is Magic]]'' is arguably of this alignment at the very start of the series. Indeed it could be argued that the plot thread for the show's first three seasons was shifting her alignment from LawfulNeutral to LawfulGood.
* Shane Gooseman of the ''[[WesternAnimation/AdventuresOfTheGalaxyRangers Galaxy Rangers]]''. Being the youngest of a SuperSoldier project, [[RaisedByOrcs trained from decant]] [[TrainingFromHell to be a living weapon]] didn't allow for much of a moral compass. He still developed a semi-functional one, and was questioning his purpose before things went to hell at Wolf Den. With the help of his TrueCompanions and BenevolentBoss [[spoiler:said boss also being, secretly, his genetic father]], he seems to have clawed his way up to Chaotic or Neutral Good.
* In ''WesternAnimation/TaleSpin'', Shere Khan was a particularly ruthless LawfulNeutral most of the time. His business dealings could be mercenary and he could personally be vicious and vindictive, but he also had a moral code and a sense of honor. On those occasions he did dip towards LawfulEvil, the episode would usually end with him telling the protagonists something along the lines of "You are right and I will stop taking the action you are opposing. Now get out before I change my mind."
* [[ByTheBookCop Commander Feral]] from ''WesternAnimation/SWATKats''. Refusing to bargain with the criminal Metallikats even when they try to reveal the Swat Kats' identity in exchange for their freedom:
--> '''Feral''': I don't make deals with scum. ''[[FamilyUnfriendlyDeath [electrocutes the Metallikats]]] [[DeathIsCheap (temporarily)]]''
* Uncle Ruckus from ''ComicStrip/TheBoondocks'' is either this or LawfulEvil depending on [[BoomerangBigot what your race is]].
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This article has new content coming soon from Halo: Silentium, and may not be complete, confirmed or correct. Please update it as soon as any relevant and accurate material is available.
This article is about the life form. For other uses, see Flood (disambiguation).
(Inferi redivivus)
Unknown origin, extragalactic (first Forerunner contact at G617g)
Average height:
Variable (depending on host)
Average weight:
Variable (depending on host)
Notable individuals:
Other nomenclature:
"One single Flood spore can destroy a species."
Rtas 'Vadum[2]
The Flood, designated as LF.Xx.3273 by the Forerunners (Latin Inferi redivivus[3] meaning "the dead reincarnated"[4]) and referred to as the Parasite[5] by the Covenant, is a species of highly virulent parasitic organisms that reproduce and grow by consuming sentient lifeforms of sufficient biomass and cognitive capability. The Flood was responsible for consuming most sentient life in the galaxy, including the vast majority of Forerunners, during the Forerunner-Flood war in ancient past, prompting the activation of the galaxy-sterilizing Halo Array in 100,000 BCE.[6]
Originating as a corrupted form of the galaxy's most ancient custodians, the Precursors,[7] the Flood reproduces and spreads by infecting other organisms, hijacking their bodies and nervous systems in order to transform them into one of many specialized forms. Through infecting sentient lifeforms, the Flood assimilates their memories and intelligence, and the species becomes collectively more intelligent as a result. Because of their frighteningly rapid growth rate, as long as enough hosts of sufficient biomass and intelligence are available, the Flood is effectively unstoppable.
All Flood forms share a single consciousness, which becomes progressively more intelligent and sophisticated with every sentient host that is assimilated. When enough hosts have been infected, the Flood consciousness becomes a Gravemind - a self-aware, highly intelligent entity that strategically commands all Flood forms in an outbreak. Due to this group consciousness, the Flood as a whole is more accurately described as a single, transsentient macroorganism rather than a collection of individuals directed by one or more controlling beings. In the absence of a Gravemind, the Flood possesses only basic coordination; they are incapable of forming complex strategies, and focus solely on attacking and infecting nearby sentient organisms. This stage of a Flood outbreak is known as the Feral Stage. At this stage, the Flood seek to create an assembly of biomass, calcium, and nervous system reserves, which leads to the creation of a Flood hive and the beginnings of a proto-Gravemind. The nature of the Flood's collective consciousness can be likened to a sort of dark socialist utopia, due to the fact that the Flood act as a unified entity, with no individuality that would be present in other, more traditional species; each component of the Flood meta-organism works tirelessly for the advancement of their species.[3]
The Flood presents a highly variable and unconventional threat in combat, as it can infect and mutate dead or captured opponents into a myriad of deadly forms, effectively growing stronger as it weakens enemy forces. They are widely considered to be the greatest threat to the existence of life (or, more accurately, biodiversity) in the Milky Way galaxy.
[edit] History
[edit] Origins
"Our urge to create is immutable; we must create. But the beings we create shall never again reach out in strength against us. All that is created will suffer. All will be born in suffering, endless grayness shall be their lot. All creation will tailor to failure and pain, that never again shall the offspring of the eternal Fount rise up against their creators. Listen to the silence. Ten million years of deep silence. And now, whimpers and cries; not of birth. That is what we bring: a great crushing weight to press down youth and hope. No more will. No more freedom. Nothing new but agonizing death and never good shall come of it. We are the last of those who gave you breath and form, millions of years ago. We are the last of those your kind defied and ruthlessly destroyed. We are the last Precursors. And now we are legion."
—A Gravemind to the Ur-Didact c. 100,000 BCE.[7]
Over ten million years before present day, a civilization of supremely advanced beings known as the Precursors thrived in the cosmos. Having assumed the Mantle - the responsibility for the guardianship of all life in the galaxy - they seeded numerous worlds with life, bringing forth a wide range of sentient species across the galaxy. Under their guardianship, numerous intelligent species developed and flourished, including the Forerunners and humanity. The Precursors would eventually choose the latter to be the rightful successors to their Mantle, while judging the Forerunners unworthy. Refusing to accept their creators' judgment, the Forerunners staged a massive rebellion against the Precursors.[7]
The ensuing conflict ended with the Forerunners successfully wiping out all but a few Precursors.[8] The few Precursors that escaped from (or were spared by) the Forerunners either went into suspended animation or transmuted themselves into dust that would regenerate into their past forms at a later time. However, over time the dust became defective, creating sickness, disease and biological mutations in other organisms that came into contact with it. With this new form - the earliest stage of the Flood - the Precursors vowed that none of their creations would rise against them again.[7]
One of the Precursors that had been spared - allegedly the only one - was sealed in a Precursor stasis capsule and placed in a small, ravaged planetoid at the galaxy's edge around 9,000,000 BCE.[9] This being, later known as the Primordial, would eventually reveal the nature of the Flood to those willing to know the truth.[7]
[edit] First outbreak
[edit] Antecedents
The Flood first appeared in the galaxy some time prior to 110,000 BCE, after ancient humans came into contact with the Precursor dust. This fine, desiccated powder had been stored in millions of glass cylinders placed aboard automated starships,[10] bound toward the margins of the Milky Way galaxy from the direction of the Greater Magellanic Cloud.[11] However, over a span of ten million years, the substance had slowly deteriorated, along with the ships themselves failing.[10]
The crashed remains of these ships were discovered by ancient humans on both inhabited and deserted worlds near the border of intergalactic space, a region of the galaxy to which humans expanded early on in their history. Inside the ships, humanity found the capsules filled with powder, which their tests told them consisted of inert, short-chain organic molecules of unknown purpose.[10] Humanity studied the material and deemed it to be harmless, but noted that it had psychotropic effects on lower animals. Small dosages were administered to Pheru, popular domestic animals among humans and San 'Shyuum, which resulted in more docile behavior.[12] Unbeknownst to the humans or San'Shyuum at the time, the powder was altering the genetic code of the Pheru, manifesting as improved behavior while slowly changing other aspects of their genome.[10]
[edit] Emergence
After the humans had exposed the Pheru to the powder for several centuries, more disturbing changes appeared. Pheru treated with the powder began exhibiting furry growths and fleshy protrusions, which other Pheru were compelled to consume. Shortly afterward, the Pheru began suffering widespread abortions and genetic deformities, and many were euthanized or released into the wild. Soon afterward, the humans and San'Shyuum who had been in the presence of the altered Pheru began to exhibit some of the symptoms of the powder-induced "disease". Affected on a psychological level by the strange illness, infected victims began to consume the sick Pheru, and parts that were discarded also became vectors for the disease. The afflicted then moved on to cannibalism and sacrifice of the uninfected, force-feeding victims until they reached gross proportions and then consuming them. The infected humans and San'Shyuum proceeded to spread the disease into other systems, which furthered the scope of the Flood outbreak.[10]
At this point, the Flood infestation, which had previously been predominantly a mind and behavior-altering affliction with only relatively minor physical changes, began to reshape its victims into a variety of forms designed to gather victims, engage in combat, and to rapidly consume useful biomass and other resources. The growing outbreak quickly forced humanity into a large-scale conflict against the Flood.[10]
[edit] War and withdrawal
For many years, the Flood ravaged humanity's empire, forcing them to invade Forerunner space and instigating a war with the Forerunner ecumene. However, apparently without warning, the Flood began to retreat from its assault: it stopped infecting humans, and receded from the areas where it had been entrenched. The Forerunners, upon finding healthy, resisting human populations where none should have been able to survive, came to believe that humanity had discovered a cure for the Flood.[13] It was later revealed by the Primordial that no such cure existed: the Flood possessed the ability to choose whether or not to infect hosts, and what had actually happened was that the Flood had decided to refrain from infecting the humans, in order to realize the Precursors' final plan of using the humans to take revenge upon the Forerunners.[14]
At this time, the Forerunners also first came into contact with the Flood. The parasite devastated many of their fleets, before its deliberate recession from the galaxy tipped the scales in the Forerunners' favor, allowing them to sterilize any Flood infestation they came across in several thousands of worlds across the galactic border.[13] While recognizing the legitimate concern of a Flood resurgence in the future, the Forerunners had difficulty extracting any intact specimens of the parasite for study; approaching the threat with appropriate caution, the Warrior-Servants directly cauterized any active infestations they encountered. From the scattered remains recovered for analysis, the Forerunners discovered that AIs that had been in contact with the Flood had been corrupted beyond repair by what the Forerunners would come to know as the "logic plague", the Flood's ability to convert artificial intelligences to its cause by outwitting them via sheer processing power.[13] No fully intact specimen of the Flood could be found among the Pheru, humans, or San 'Shyuum, as they had methodically destroyed any sign of infection, including all of the original carrier vessels that they had discovered.[15] Any remaining Flood were believed to have fled the galaxy aboard infected ships,[15] and the Flood was not seen again for nearly ten thousand years.
While they managed to regain some of their strength once the Flood began to recede, humanity still stood against the Forerunners in the later stages of the conflict. Their campaign against the Flood had worn their resources thin, while the Forerunners led by the Didact had managed to entrench their forces in advantageous positions which proved too powerful for humans to hold against.[15] System by system, the humans fell back to their capital, Charum Hakkor, where they were finally defeated. After losing the conflict, the Forerunners devolved humanity and exiled them to their homeworld while erasing all signs of human achievement from the galaxy.
[edit] Interim
Due to the lack of evidence, most Forerunners were unaware of the existence or of the true nature of the Flood, and many dismissed it as a simple excuse for humanity's aggressive expansion before and during the initial arrival of the Flood. However, several high-ranking Forerunners were fully informed of the threat, and in secret began developing countermeasures should the Flood ever return. This became the source of a major political strife, with the Builders proposing the construction of an array of superweapons - Halos - while the Warrior-Servants led by the Didact championed a more conventional strategy of carrying out precision military campaigns from planet-sized fortresses known as shield worlds. The Didact eventually lost to the Builders and the entire Warrior-Servant rate was marginalized, with their fleets and forces disbanded or forced to submit under Builder control. This proved to have been a grave mistake, as the Forerunners found themselves ill-prepared to fight off the Flood after the parasite returned to the galaxy.
Realizing that the Flood stood a significant chance of wiping out all sentient life and the prospect of using the Halos to stop them, the Lifeworker rate of the Forerunners began a "Conservation Measure", researching the Flood while cataloging and preserving the galaxy's species aboard a number of facilities related to the Halo Array, mainly an extragalactic installation known as the Ark.
[edit] Forerunner-Flood war
Main article: Forerunner-Flood war
A Flood-infested Forerunner city, moments before the Halo Array's activation.
"It fed on intelligent life and in doing so, became ever more intelligent itself. The Flood was unique; it used their very strength against them."
—Cortana on the Forerunners' war against the Flood.
The Flood reappeared as a viable threat in the galaxy when they were first encountered by the Forerunners on the planet G617 g1. Initially, the Forerunners severely underestimated the potential threat that this parasitic lifeform posed, and used tactics more suited to disease control than actual warfare. By the time the infection had begun to spread, the Flood had become a much deadlier and more intelligent foe. While at first the Flood had demonstrated a lack of even rudimentary strategic ability, the parasite quickly began to amass biomass and create Graveminds, Flood forms that embodied a collective intelligence for the Flood species, and that could coordinate the Flood swarms in attacks against the Forerunner fleets using all Flood forms within the vast range of their seemingly telepathic control.[16]
A common tactic used by the Flood was to use huge numbers of unarmed civilian vessels to penetrate planetary defense groups, bypassing the Forerunners' orbital fleets, and infesting the planet and its populace below. The sheer numbers of Flood forms on the planets overwhelmed Forerunner ground forces. Billions of forms were dedicated to planetary assaults, and every member of the Forerunner population was a potential Flood host. These tactics were demonstrated in the Flood's attacks on numerous worlds, including LP 656-38 e and DM-3-1123b.[16] In desperation, the Forerunner armada was ordered to commence full planetary bombardment on infested worlds, although at a great cost - many Forerunners were unable to be evacuated before the bombardment commenced, leaving the Forerunner military with shallow victories against the Flood. In events where the naval garrisons were unable to commence bombardment, major Forerunner population centers were seen to activate localized weapons of mass destruction, effectively committing mass suicide, but stopping the growing infestation.[16]
Thereafter, the Forerunners realized that conventional naval tactics were unable to stem the growing tide of the Flood, and decided to pin their hopes of defeating the Flood on more extreme measures. While the Forerunners initially deployed robotic Sentinel drones to fight against and contain the Flood, almost immediately afterwards, the Forerunner Fleet Command contemplated "Premature stellar collapse": using naval battle groups to send stars into supernovae that would engulf their planetary systems and prevent any possibility of Flood infection and destroy all Flood present in the system.[16] As a further setback to the Forerunners, an extended dialog with a Gravemind provoked even Mendicant Bias, the Contender-class AI in charge of the Forerunner defense, to succumb to the Flood's logic plague and turn its vast resources against its masters.
The Flood grew exponentially, spreading from system to system with the intent to infect the Forerunner population, not to wage war with Forerunner battle groups. As the Flood spread further and entire planets were infected, these collectives evolved into enormous Key Minds, planet-sized compound intelligences which could easily surpass any Forerunner AI in processing power.[17] Adding to these difficulties was the disturbing revelation that the Flood was capable of manipulating Precursor technology: towards the close of the war, the Flood began to appropriate Precursor megastructures such as the star roads, wielding the previously-inert strands to pummel Forerunner planets and naval forces. This ability was a result of the Flood's Precursor origins; being transformed Precursors, they could tap into neural physics and activate Precursor artifacts. Key Mind-level compound minds also enabled the Flood to use the Precursors' neural physics-based superluminal transit, which in turn encumbered Forerunner slipspace travel.[17]
The Forerunners employed countless measures to contain the Flood outbreak, all of which failed. Finally, the Forerunners were forced to a Pyrrhic solution: using an array of seven ring-shaped megastructures collectively known as the Halo Array as superweapons, the Forerunners would purge the galaxy of all sentient life. Because the Flood were parasitic, and their survival was directly linked to the presence of potential hosts, the Forerunners reasoned that eliminating all potential Flood hosts would render the parasite unable to grow and spread, and eventually cause it to starve to death. Additionally, as a result of the Master Builder's test of a Halo at Charum Hakkor, it was found that the Halo effect could be calibrated to destroy neural structures: in other words, all animal species, the Flood, and Precursor artifacts could be killed.[18] The decision led to political battles and even a civil war, but after exhausting every countermeasure, the Forerunners activated the Halos around 100,000 BCE.
As a result of the firing of the seven Halo installations, the surviving Flood were successfully contained and eventually died out. The only surviving specimens were contained in state-of-the-art, high-security Forerunner research facilities, such as the Halo installations, certain Shield Worlds, and the Threshold gas mine. Precursor artifacts and structures, composed entirely of neural energy, were also destroyed.[19] Many sentient species throughout the galaxy (including humanity) survived the firing of the Halo Array, having been safely relocated beyond the galaxy by the Forerunners on the the Ark.
[edit] Outbreak on Shield World 0459
Main article: Battle of Shield World 0459
Thousands of years after the end of the Forerunner-Flood war, the human ship UNSC Spirit of Fire jumped from Arcadia to follow the signal of Professor Anders, who had been captured by the Covenant. They were led to an unknown planet, which happened to be a Forerunner shield world. Containment measures on this planet had failed catastrophically, and the entire surface of the megastructure was choked with Flood biomass. Ground forces were deployed to investigate the presence of unknown hostiles sighted by the ship's radar. After fighting their way through Covenant forces, Sergeant Forge and several Marine squads were attacked by the Flood.
After a series of skirmishes with the Flood on the surface of the shield world, the UNSC forces discovered that the Flood had created a proto-Gravemind, and that it may have been jamming the tracking signal that Anders was giving out. On their way to the proto-Gravemind, they encountered several Flood colony forms, and found that by destroying them, the proto-Gravemind would become weakened. Once they destroyed the proto-Gravemind, Serina found a signal, which was believed to be Anders'.
Captain Cutter then ordered all UNSC personnel on the planet to return to the Spirit of Fire. These orders were impeded by the Flood, which attempted to prevent the humans' retreat, but the Flood were eventually held back long enough for the UNSC forces to return to the Spirit. The Flood attacked the Spirit as it entered the interior of the shield world, but was cleared off by the ship's crew, Sentinels, and a series of "cleansing rings" lining the interior passage. All the Flood forms on the shield world were destroyed when Sergeant Forge used the Spirit of Fire's Shaw-Fujikawa Translight Engine to destroy the Shield World's internal sun, obliterating all Covenant and Flood forces on the shield world. The Spirit of Fire narrowly escaped by performing a hastily-calculated slingshot maneuver around the exploding sun in order to shoot off into space. Without the Spirit's slipspace engine, however, the ship was lost in space, with humanity's only knowledge of the Flood lost with it.
[edit] Revival of the Flood
Main article: Battle of Installation 04
Jacob Keyes and his Marine squad are overwhelmed by the Flood during their expedition into a Flood containment facility.
"The only way to stop the Flood is to starve them to death."
Cortana to John 117 and 343 Guilty Spark.
Although the first firing of the Halo Array starved the Flood that were at large in the Milky Way Galaxy, Flood specimens were kept in stasis within installations around the galaxy, including Installation 04 and various Forerunner research facilities. This would prove to be a grave mistake, as both humanity and the Covenant stumbled upon one of the abandoned Halo rings thousands of years after the firing of the Array. The UNSC AI Cortana, aboard the UNSC Pillar of Autumn, made what was presumed to be a "blind" jump through Slipspace ( in reality, she used translated co-ordinates from a Forerunner artifact found on Sigma Octanus IV) to evade Covenant pursuers. This led both groups to Installation 04, and in turn, the Flood that were kept there in stasis. After the crash of the Pillar of Autumn on the Halo ring, piloted by Captain Jacob Keyes, the surviving crewmembers dug in for what they believed would be a long and brutal guerrilla campaign against the Covenant forces on the ring.
Meanwhile, the pursuing Covenant cruisers (among them the Truth and Reconciliation) amassed their ground forces on the surface, where they soon discovered an underground Forerunner flood containment facility in the swamps of the ring. Due to the secure nature of the facility, the Covenant came to use it as a fortified base of operations and as a storage area for weapons and ammunition, oblivious to its true nature and purpose.
At some point, either through a malfunction in containment equipment or a blunder on the Covenant's part, the captive Flood forms within the facility's stasis chambers were released and attacked the Covenant forces inside. The Covenant had at least a rudimentary knowledge of what the Flood were capable of, and promptly locked the facility down and evacuated all personnel who survived the incident.
Keyes and his team were unaware of these events, and proceeded to move deep into the facility, ultimately coming across one of the unopened Flood containment chambers. Believing it was a weapons cache of some sort, the team unlocked the door, and were attacked and assimilated by the Flood infection forms inside. Upon being informed of Keyes' disappearance, John-117 was deployed to Captain Keyes' last known location on the drop ship Echo 419, proceeding into the facility, only to find out that most of the Marines he had been assigned to rescue, including the Captain himself, had succumbed to the Flood.
These events brought knowledge of the Flood to the UNSC. In a war of losses, this was another grim revelation for humanity.
[edit] Assault
The Flood engages both UNSC and Covenant in their drive to escape Installation 04.
After the Flood's escape, the Covenant forces across Installation 04 were overwhelmed by the Flood's assault. While the Covenant were occasionally able to hold the line by using vehicular and air support, most of the weaker Covenant soldiers such as Unggoy and Kig-Yar succumbed easily to the Flood, and the few Sangheili who remained were outnumbered and thus infected. The UNSC, having a much smaller presence on the installation, found out about the Flood's might a short while later, when an ODST force engaged with the Covenant near Alpha Base, was ambushed by the Flood and suffered heavy casualties. However, one of the attacking combat forms, PFC Wallace A. Jenkins, who was one of the Marines in the original expeditionary mission to the supposed arms cache, was infected by a weak and elderly infection form whose powers of infection had been dulled by centuries of hibernation, making Jenkins' transformation into a combat form incomplete. Jenkins was still able to resist the pervasive Flood entity in his mind, and although incapable of articulate speech and with a physiologically devastated body, Jenkins was still able to betray the Flood through hand gestures during an interrogation with Major Antonio Silva, informing the UNSC Marine battalion that the Flood planned to assault the UNSC base from a series of underground catacombs underneath their current base of operations. In response to this intelligence, the UNSC moved to secure them, and prevented the Flood from staging another attack.
During these developments, the ring's Sentinels failed to effectively contain the Flood, and because of this, the Covenant and UNSC sustained heavy losses. The Flood occupied areas of the ring formerly held by the Covenant, although Covenant and Flood forces continued to wage war on the massive ice plains of the ring. Although the Covenant had the benefit of Shade stationary plasma turrets and vehicular/aerial support, the Flood had captured both UNSC and Covenant weapons and because of this had significant numerical superiority.
One of the UNSC personnel captured by the Flood was Captain Jacob Keyes, a brilliant naval strategist of the UNSC Navy. When he was infected, the Flood sensed that he held knowledge that would be especially useful to the Flood. Keyes knew the location of Earth, the birthplace and major stronghold of the human race, a planet with tremendous possible assimilation opportunities for the Flood. Instead of becoming a combat form, he was merged with at least four other victims into a massive, engorged proto-Gravemind aboard the CCS-class battlecruiser, Truth and Reconciliation, a Covenant warship the Flood had taken over. While he was being incorporated into the proto-Gravemind, the Flood intelligence began to dig through his mind, searching his memories for the location of Earth. Captain Keyes successfully withheld information about Earth by constantly accessing information available on his command neural interface such as his name, rank, and serial number, until John-117 arrived. However, his arrival was too late, for Keyes was already dead, completely consumed by the proto-Gravemind. It was at that time that John-117 was forced to punch a hole into Keyes' skull to obtain the Captain's CNI transponder.
The Truth and Reconciliation was a major point of contention between the Covenant Special Operations units and the Flood. The Flood had decimated most of the Covenant crew and garrison on board, leaving only isolated pockets of resistance, mostly small numbers of terrified Unggoy and a few Sangheili aboard the vessel. However, below the Truth and Reconciliation, in a series of rocky canyons, the Covenant were much stronger in force, with large numbers of Sangheili augmented by Unggoy, Kig-yar, and Mgalekgolo, fighting off the Flood. The Covenant Council of Masters in charge of operations on Installation 04, however, were terrified by the Flood presence. Because the CCS-class battlecruiser had been damaged in a previous space battle with the UNSC Pillar of Autumn, it had been grounded, awaiting repairs to its underbelly and plasma carrying conduits for at least two days. After The Flood were discovered to be aboard the battlecruiser, the Covenant military leadership sent a Special Operations strike force to the Truth and Reconciliation to commence immediate emergency repairs, prepare it for lift-off into space and neutralize The Flood. These efforts, however, failed, with the Flood eventually retaking the vessel.
Later, the remaining UNSC Marine forces on the ring staged an assault on the Flood-held Truth and Reconciliation, and managed to neutralize most Flood forms on the cruiser in a swift assault, and prepared the battlecruiser for take-off with hastily completed emergency repairs to escape from the ring and return to Earth. However, there was tremendous risk if the Flood-infected vessel traveled to Earth, if there was even one Flood carrier form aboard, "Earth could fall," according to UNSC AI Wellsley, because of the Flood's exponential parasitic potential. Against orders, Marine First Lieutenant Melissa McKay destroyed the warship with whatever Flood forms were still aboard, killing hundreds of UNSC personnel, including an infected Jenkins, but saving Earth and possibly billions of lives from the Flood.
[edit] Defeat
The Pillar of Autumn - exploding, with its fusion reactor becoming destabilized, destroying both the ship and the ringworld, to prevent the Installation from being fired and taking the threat of the Flood with it.
The Flood were interested in seizing space-capable vessels, in the hope of spreading the infection away from Installation 04 and across other systems; they attacked the Pillar of Autumn and cruiser Truth and Reconciliation for this reason. After the UNSC cruiser's crash-landing onto the ring, and after engaging over fifteen enemy warships previously to landing, it had been taken by the Covenant, although a UNSC strike team had managed to temporarily retake the bridge. On the third and final day of the Battle of Installation 04, however, the Covenant were able to gain control of the crashed warship while one of many Covenant patrols around the exterior of the Autumn was ambushed by the Flood and infected; upon the patrol's return to the vessel, the Covenant garrison was attacked by the infected Elite combat forms of the patrol group. The combat forms were able to scatter before they could all be destroyed, and a steady trickle of Flood continued to enter the Pillar of Autumn through vents and openings in the hull, waging a tedious guerrilla battle against the Covenant security force on board.
Eventually, a force of Sentinels came on board, overwhelming the dwindling Covenant forces as the Flood began to attack the warship in full force, in the end almost completely obliterating the Covenant presence, and severely limiting the Sentinels' numbers on board. Despite their best efforts and enormous numbers, the Flood, Covenant, and Sentinels were unable to stop John-117 from detonating the wrecked warship's reactors, and escaping in a Longsword interceptor. The resulting thermonuclear detonation from the destabilized fusion reactor cores severed a portion of the ring world, ultimately destroying it and its capability to annihilate all sentient life, and simultaneously killed all remaining Flood on Installation 04, along with any other life forms that were still present on the ring.
[edit] Outbreak on the Mona Lisa
Main article: Skirmish on Mona Lisa
After the destruction of Installation 04, in October, 2552, a human prison ship, the Mona Lisa, arrived in the Soell system and managed to retrieve surviving specimens of the Flood for study from the remains of Installation 04. They began to test the parasite on both human and Covenant prisoners, unaware of its lethality. Soon, the infection broke quarantine and the ship was infested by the Flood. The Flood absorbed the crew and prisoners, then began to build a proto-Gravemind in its engineering section. The infestation ended when Sergeant Zhao Heng Lopez and her marines from the UNSC Red Horse were sent to investigate the ship after retrieving a survivor from the ship. The Flood absorbed many of her marines, leaving her and a single Sangheili to fight for a single-occupant escape pod. The outbreak was most likely contained when the Red Horse destroyed the Mona Lisa using a Shiva-class nuclear missile.[20]
[edit] Threshold gas mine
Main article: Battle of the Threshold gas mine
The Flood were also kept in a Forerunner-constructed gas mining facility suspended over Threshold, within at least one of the three arms of the station. A small Covenant special forces strike team, led by Special Operations Commander Rtas 'Vadumee and the Arbiter Thel 'Vadamee, were dispatched by the High Prophets to silence Sesa 'Refumee, the leader of a heretic faction, who was stationed within the mine. The heretics released the dormant Flood within the station in an attempt to halt the progress of the Spec-Ops team through the station.
Dormant Flood in receptacles housed in the gas mine.
The heretics' plan backfired, as the Flood killed and infected many of their forces while failing to stop the Arbiter and his team. The Flood broke out of the station's arm and spread to the central core of the station, where they overwhelmed the heretics stationed there. Eventually, even the station's Sentinel forces were completely obliterated as the Flood spread to the upper levels of the station. The Flood were unable to escape the station, however, as the Arbiter managed to sever the cable attaching it to the Forerunner support structure far above, sending the gas mine plummeting to Threshold's liquid hydrogen core.[21]
[edit] Battle of Installation 05
The Flood were in search of the Activation Index, a device which would deprive UNSC and Covenant forces from the privilege of assured destruction of the parasite.
Main article: Battle of Installation 05
On Installation 05, the Flood had been in a continual battle with the Sentinels after the initial firing of the Halos 100,000 years prior. Again, a secure facility was breached and a Flood form managed to escape, thus beginning the battle with Sentinels. While the infestation had been contained to a quarantine zone established outside the Installation's Library, and presumably was severely weakened due to a lack of fresh host bodies, the Flood had managed to keep a Gravemind form alive deep within the cavernous tunnels of the ring. With the arrival of the Covenant and pursuing UNSC forces, the Flood was able to grow its forces considerably and redouble its assault on the Installation's security forces.
The Flood, despite a significant vehicular and infantry presence in the Quarantine Zone surrounding the Library, were unable to deny access to the Covenant and the UNSC. Miranda Keyes managed to slip the In Amber Clad through the Forerunner Enforcer patrols, while the Covenant launched a ground attack, led by Thel 'Vadamee and involving a small team of Spec Ops Elites, using two anti-gravity gondolas to get to the index while attempting to control the gondolas and keep it from slipping into Flood or Sentinel hands. Later, the In Amber Clad was captured by the Flood.
[edit] Attack on High Charity
Spartan-117, who had arrived with Keyes and Johnson, met Thel 'Vadamee in the clutches of the Gravemind, the central controlling intelligence of the Flood hive, created from the combined intellect of tens of thousands of assimilated corpses. The Gravemind attempted to convince Thel 'Vadamee, against his own beliefs, and through the use of the captured Monitor, 2401 Penitent Tangent, and the semi-revived and consumed Prophet of Regret to not activate the ring. Still unswayed, although in question of his religion, Thel 'Vadamee prompted the Gravemind to show him, by "Stopping the key from turning.", transporting Spartan-117 to High Charity, and Thel 'Vadamee to Delta Halo's Control Room.
Taking advantage of the distraction that Spartan-117's presence caused, as well as the ensuing Great Schism, the Gravemind took the opportunity to deliver himself, as well as a multitude of Flood underlings, onto In Amber Clad and then "jumped" the UNSC ship directly inside High Charity, whereupon it immediately crashed into the city's superstructure to deliver its infectious cargo, while a wave of Flood-controlled Pelican dropships delivered Flood forms all over the city. The ill-equipped and distracted populace was no match for the Flood onslaught, and the Covenant Holy City was quickly overrun, with even the Prophet of Mercy falling victim to an infection form.
The Flood soon spread to every district, and Flood spores began to infiltrate and overload the ventilation systems within High Charity; the whole city was becoming terra-formed into a gigantic Flood hive. The Gravemind regularly rebutted the words of comfort the Prophet of Truth regularly delivered to the city’s population over the comm system, to sadistically instill more panic and unease. Spartan-117, having successfully stayed in front of the wave of Flood running rampant in the streets, stowed away on the Forerunner Dreadnought that was leading the Prophet of Truth's fleet to Earth. Cortana, who had to stay behind to detonate In Amber Clad's engines should the situation arise and Installation 05 be fired, was left in the clutches of the Gravemind, who could potentially learn all possible human knowledge from her, including the entire knowledge directly received from Forerunner systems aboard Installation 04.
[edit] Earth, the Ark, and the Flood's defeat
A UNSC Marine being infected by the Flood.
Main articles: Battle of Voi and Battle of Installation 00
At the conclusion of the Battle of Voi, with the Prophet of Truth activating the Portal and the Jiralhanae fleet escaping to the Ark, a Flood-infested Covenant cruiser appeared out of Slipspace, having penetrated the Elites' blockade of High Charity and crash landed into the city of Voi in an effort to spread. In order to prevent the Flood from escaping and infecting the entire planet, Miranda Keyes ordered John-117 to detonate the cruiser's reactors and search the ship for Cortana, causing the city of Voi to be destroyed and the Flood there eliminated. As John-117 and Thel 'Vadamee fought their way to the ship, the Separatist Carrier Shadow of Intent under the command of Rtas 'Vadumee arrived and deployed Sangheili task force to aid UNSC marines. SPARTAN-117, with the help of the Sangheili, was able to battle through the Flood forces, including the newly encountered Flood Pure Forms to reach the crashed cruiser where he found a message from Cortana. Upon this discovery, 343 Guilty Spark arrived pledging his assistance to the Reclaimers. With the Flood spreading, SPARTAN-117 boarded a Phantom while the Sangheili went on to glass the infected areas. The remaining Sangheili forces, fulfilling their mission of removing the Flood from Earth, retreated back to the Sangheili carrier, the Shadow of Intent, along with Cortana's message and Guilty Spark.
With the assistance of 343 Guilty Spark, Cortana's painful message was repaired, revealing a solution to the Flood menace on the Ark. To Lord Hood's disapproval, Miranda Keyes led UNSC forces allied with Thel 'Vadamee's and Rtas 'Vadumee's Sangheili forces through the Portal.
On the Ark, while the Sangheili and human forces were attempting to infiltrate Forerunner shield control centers and lower the shield surrounding the Ark's citadel, the infested High Charity made a Slipspace jump and smashed into the Ark, releasing the Flood onto the super-structure and causing an infestation on the newly built replacement ring for the previously-destroyed Installation 04. The Gravemind then made a brief alliance with the Master Chief and the Arbiter, Thel 'Vadamee, in order to stop the Prophet of Truth from activating the Halo Array. Once Truth was dead, however, the Gravemind promptly ordered the Flood to turn against the two heroes. The Chief and the Arbiter escaped, however, with some assistance from the Sentinels, who were able to help subdue the Flood with ease.
After retrieving Cortana from the derelict High Charity, SPARTAN-117 was able to kill all Flood present on the Ark and replacement Installation 04B by first destroying High Charity's plasma reactors, causing a massive explosion and the destruction of the wrecked super-city, then activating the unfinished Halo using the Index Cortana retained from the first Halo, but not before 343 Guilty Spark realized their intentions of destroying his second ring installation, and went rampant, aiming to kill the Master Chief and destroy Cortana before their actions could be completed. 343 Guilt Spark was not successful in preventing the Chief and Cortana from activating Installation 04B and was thus destroyed. Sergeant Avery Junior Johnson was also killed during this brief but intense battle due to taking a direct pulse beam to the chest from 343 Guilty Spark. The ring's activation was successful and also presumably killed all Flood forms along with the Gravemind.
[edit] Aftermath
With the Gravemind destroyed, and all Flood on the Ark eradicated, it is probable that the Flood still exists on the other Halo rings (excluding Installation 05 which was sterilized by separatist Sangheili forces) or any other remaining Forerunner installations. Even though Path Kethona was sterilized by Omega Halo near the end of the Flood war, given the Flood's extragalactic origin, it is possible that more pockets of Flood exist outside the galaxy - or more disturbingly, that other, more distant galaxies may have fallen to the Flood. This may explain why the Forerunners preserved some Flood for research on the Halo rings instead of destroying them all, since the Flood would return sooner or later, and it would be better to fight a researched enemy, and try and find and exploit some weakness, rather than a foreign one. At least for the moment, the Flood are seemingly defeated.
[edit] Biology
A wall covered in heavy Flood biomass: evidence of advanced infestation.
The Master Chief stepping in Flood biomass as he enters the Flood infested High Charity.
The Flood is an anomaly in all known biology; their mode of growth and reproduction would make them incompatible with any natural ecosystem.[3] They are extremely adaptive, and transform hosts to suit the species' current needs.
Capable of surviving extreme environments ranging from -75 to +53 degrees Celsius and even underwater, the Flood can withstand the varied environments of all known inhabited planets. However, the Flood seem to thrive the most in moist and humid areas; it is thought that the extremely cold artificial weather patterns near certain important areas of the Halo rings are intended to hinder the Flood. In order to give themselves ideal living conditions, the Flood will transform the environment to better suit their needs, altering the atmosphere and covering solid surfaces with Flood biomass.
All Flood biomatter is made of a unique, undifferentiated "Super-Cell", which relays information and coordinates the cellular assembly like conventional neural cells. It is also capable of flexing and moving in coordination with other cells, and can be arranged to mimic any bodily organ that is required for the Flood's use. This combination of traits has caused some to refer to it as "thinking muscle."
The Flood Super-Cell physically resembles both neuron and glial cells in structure, with a central cell body and many tendril-like, branching structures.
[edit] Infection
Flood Super Cells performing cell division inside of a host.
The Flood infection form. The primary method administered towards the infection of a species.
In order to reproduce and grow in biomass, the Flood needs to infect and assimilate other life-forms. While capable of infecting nearly any organism, the Flood shows a strong preference for sentient life forms, as assimilating their cerebral tissue allows the Flood to increase its overall intelligence.
Flood infection is typically carried out by specialized infection forms, which are the most complex forms that can be generated from Flood biomass during the Feral stage. Upon sighting a host, an infection form will leap for the most accessible area of the victim's torso; if the target is an armed human or other bipedal species, this is typically the left side of the chest below the neck, as most combatants will expose this area while shouldering their weapon.[22] Upon contact, the Infection Form will rasp away at clothing and flesh until it has burrowed into the chest cavity, mortally wounding them. As the host dies, the Infection form extends tentacles that tap into the victim's spinal cord or other nerve center, forcing a "match" with the nerve signals previously produced by the host's living brain.
To begin the physiological conversion of a host, the Infection Form injects encapsulated Flood Super Cells into the body. As it does so, the form analyzes the entire genetic code of its host, allowing the Flood to determine the most effective use of the victim. Simultaneously, the inserted Flood cells capture and break down the host body's cells into organic raw material, which is then absorbed and assimilated into the attacking Flood cells.
The Flood infection then uses the absorbed biomass to create new masses of Flood Super Cells. As the Flood continues to use the resources of the host body, particularly its calcium reserves, the parasite's own cells build upon and augment the framework of the host to produce one of a variety of Feral-Stage Flood forms. This entire process, from the inital kill to total control over a fully mutated host body, takes only a matter of seconds.[23]
The infection process is not limited to living hosts; organisms that are already deceased are also susceptible to infection. As long as the host has not decomposed to the point where the body and nervous system have completely deteriorated, the Infection Form can infect and convert the host.
The Flood infection utilizes the host's biological content as the fuel for its work, which is consumed and employed at prodigious speeds. From the beginning until the end of this complex, multi-step process, the infection form keeps the body "alive" by chemically isolating the host's dying brain, preventing the signals of brain death from reaching the rest of the body and causing it to shut down, which is an essential part of the parasite's mission of consuming and converting the host organism.[24]
Despite primarily relying on infection forms for acquiring host life forms, the Flood can infect hosts through other means. Flood spores, if inhaled in significant quantities, can transform a host into a combat form. Even the most basic form of Flood genetic material is virulent; once inserted into a host, it will mutate the host's DNA over the course of generations until it is capable of forming its own Flood super cells.[25] When infected by these secondary mechanisms, host organisms tend to mutate at a more restrained level that maintains the structure and form of the infected life form, albeit with a significant number of haphazardly placed tendrils, claws, and minor organs, such as sensory stalks.[26]
[edit] Neurological
Infection forms selectively target species that possess sentient intelligence and are of sufficient biomass, and can infest intact or lightly wounded dead bodies. As a host organism is killed by the initial attack, Infection Forms use tendrils that pierce the skin of the host and find their way to the spinal cord. They then synchronize with the host's nervous system and gain control of their body, replacing its now-absent consciousness with the ravenous and voracious psyche of the Flood. Any useful information present within the memory centres of the host's brain, such as battle strategies and technical knowledge, is retained for use by the Flood. Despite this lingering of certain memories, no trace of the original mind remains; only a simplistic and primal urge to assimilate other species drives the organism after infection.
In isolated cases, such as when the Flood seek very specific information from an individual's mind, they utilize an alternate, undescribed method of infestation that does not kill the host immediately; this allows the Flood to "burrow" into the host's mind, eventually giving them access to the entire scope of the host's memories. This has only been specifically seen when the Flood sought information from Captain Jacob Keyes, such as the location of Earth, or a starship that would free them from Installation 04.[27] In addition, if the Infection Form that initiates assimilation is extremely aged or damaged somehow, the host may remain alive and conscious; Private Wallace Jenkins suffered such a fate, remaining alive and fully aware of his situation despite the mutation of his form, even exhibiting limited control over his body at times when the Flood instincts were dormant.
If the Flood have amassed enough sentient hosts to form a Gravemind, then their behaviour becomes far more coordinated, and the Flood collective becomes much more deadly as a result. The Gravemind may also speak directly through Combat Forms and Pure Forms under its control.
[edit] Physiological
While baseline neurological assimilation is the same regardless of host species, the Flood infection process includes physiological transformations, which vary depending on the host.
Upon being infected, higher-level species capable of combat are transformed into combat forms. The host's physiology is completely "re-written" during the infection process: organ-based systems are corrupted, organ-specific functions are decentralized, and body cavities are decayed, making hitbox-selective incapacitation impossible. Due to the lack of a central nervous system, decapitation will neither stop or slow a combat form.
Furthermore, munitions with high speed and penetration, such as sniper rifle rounds, are usually ineffective against combat forms. Picking off selective areas of a combat form leads to no wide-scale physiological impediments, and the projectile will punch through the decayed flesh rapidly, exiting through the other side of the combat form without dealing any major damage.
To facilitate melee combat, combat forms generate tentacles and claw-like structures, which protrude from the host's arms. Generally, a single arm develops into a clawed appendage, while the other retains the capacity to manipulate objects, such as firearms. The rapid growth of these structures tends to push aside and break apart the host's hands and forearms.
Combat forms can strike with devastating force, move with tremendous speed and agility, and jump to great heights, displaying physical abilities far beyond those of the host organism while it was alive.
The price for these formidable abilities is that the required metabolism is so rapid and extreme that the host organism's corpse is rapidly broken down by the parasite. This is dramatically demonstrated by the rapid decomposition and disintegration of an infected life form, which will eventually become a stunted, bloated, mobile generator and incubator for more Infection Forms, which is commonly known as a Carrier Form.
Flood infection forms and Pure forms sense their surroundings using specialized tentacles, which are tipped with red ganglia. Exactly how these organs work is unknown; they may provide visual or chemical information, or perhaps a combination of both. In combat forms, these tentacles typically protrude from the chest cavity where the infection form is housed; in Pure Forms, they are located on the front of the "head" segment.
[edit] Developmental stages
A Flood infestation goes through four distinct developmental stages:
1. During the Feral stage, the Flood are at their simplest form: they communicate via pheromones and have the instinct to harvest enough calcium to establish a viable Gravemind.[3]
2. The Flood become truly dangerous during the Coordinated stage: at this point, they are controlled by the Gravemind that was created in the first stage.[3]
3. In the Interstellar stage, the Flood take control of space-faring technology which they use to consume the local star system. Subsequently, they spread throughout the galaxy to infect more hosts.[3]
4. The Intergalactic stage is a theoretical stage in which the Flood utilizes all captured technology to depart to uninfected galaxies to further replicate.[3]
[edit] Flood forms
The Flood is composed of a variety of specialized forms, each filling a different role in combat. The most basic Flood form is the infection form, which infects hosts by hijacking their bodies and nervous systems. Infected hosts then undergo a rapid series of transformations, becoming lethal combat forms. Combat forms are used to subdue and secure additional hosts for infection, and once they have outlived their usefulness as warriors, they transform into carrier forms, spreading the Flood by spreading more infection forms.
Once the Flood has amassed enough bodies to create a Gravemind, it is capable of generating "Pure" forms, which are created solely from assimilated nutrients and biomass. Pure forms can spontaneously mutate between three configurations: Stalker, Tank and Ranged forms.
The Flood at this point relegate the combat forms to defensive purposes or as additions to the biomass, calcium, and nervous system reserves of the Flood hive, and rely increasingly on the pure forms as their primary instrument of infantry force. However, in order for the pure forms to fully replace the combat forms, the pure Flood population must be large enough and in a state of equilibrium, which is in a constant state of flux depending on Flood gains and losses. Because of this, it is common for the combat forms to serve alongside the pure forms, in addition to the infection and carrier forms, as the acquisition of hosts and technology would likely outstrip the speed in which the Flood can generate pure forms.
[edit] Countermeasures
A Marine being attacked by an Infection Form.
[edit] Small-scale
There is no confirmed way to effectively stop a Flood infection once Flood Super Cells have entered a host. The only exception is too rare and factually suspect to be considered viable: the human disease "Boren's Syndrome", a neurological condition where radiological exposure causes electrical anomalies in the host nervous system, allegedly renders the host immune to infection while living. The neural frequencies of the host are "scrambled", apparently without negative consequences to the host. However, during Flood infection, the infection form is unable to tap into the host's nervous system, rendering it incapable of proceeding to large-scale physiological mutation. An interesting side effect of this failed infection is that Flood DNA and cells appear to be harmlessly integrated into the host's body. This seems to provide the host with increased regenerative capabilities, although this has not been independently verified. While Boren's syndrome left untreated may render the victim immune to the Flood, leaving it untreated almost always equates to death within a couple of years. There is said to be a "one in a billion" chance that research into the disease could produce a cure.[28] However, the accuracy of this information remains highly dubious, as most of it is simply a hypothesis devised by Dr. Halsey to explain how Avery J. Johnson survived Flood infection. Johnson's "Boren's Syndrome" was actually a story invented to cover his past in the ORION Project: his symptoms were side-effects of his experimental enhancements, not a neurological disease.[29]
While the Forerunners could not find a cure for Flood infection, the Composer was designed to eliminate its effects by extracting a Flood victim's consciousness into digital form and then re-inserting it in an artificially-constructed body devoid of infection. However, the Forerunners never perfected this process and any imprinted bodies died soon after.[30] Although initially used to treat those with small-scale Flood infection already present, the Composer was eventually used by the Ur-Didact to convert his Prometheans and large numbers of humans into AI constructs for his war machines, in an effort to prevent the Flood from gaining more biomass via infecting biological warriors.[31]
This was not the Composer's only function, however. An alternate solution was devised by the Master Builder's minions on Installation 07, who used the Composer to significantly slow or nullify the infection process for a period of time. An infected victim would be fitted with a specially designed harness of mesh and wires, evidently somehow remote-connected to the Composer itself, which would apparently counteract the infection. The victim would retain most or all of their mental faculties and self-control, although their body would continue to be mutated by the Flood. This countermeasure was only temporary, however, and the victim would eventually either decay and die or be fully subsumed by the Flood. Several Forerunners on Installation 07 were subjected to this countermeasure.[32]
[edit] Large-scale
Since the Flood are a parasitic life form, they depend on other organisms for survival. Thus, the most effective way to stop a large-scale infestation is to take away their food sources. The Forerunners first attempted this by bombing large population centers and destroying inhabited star systems via supernovae, but this was seen as one of their last resorts and as such was performed too late in the war to make much difference. The last resort was the use of the Halo Array, which destroyed all sentient life in the galaxy and starved the Flood into extinction. However, the Forerunners' plan included some measures to preserve sentient life and return them to their home planets, allowing the Flood's "food source" to persist. Unfortunately, at the same time, specimens of Flood spore cells were kept for analysis on the Halo Installations, allowing the threat of the Flood to be merely forestalled and not eradicated.
Environmental stimuli seem to have an effect on Flood metabolism. In the event of a Flood outbreak, Halo Installations create a Quarantine zone around the affected area,[33] inside which the ambient temperature is drastically lowered. At least one Flood research facility used low temperatures to keep its specimens inactive and dormant as it studied them.[34] At least one of the Halo Installations' Control Rooms was located in a snowy environment, possibly to hinder escaped Flood in their attempts to reach it.
The Flood are also vulnerable to temperatures on the other end of the spectrum. Plasma weapons will easily burn through Flood tissue; the Forerunners incorporated directed-energy weapons into their Sentinels, indicating that they had determined high-enthalpy energy weapons to be the best 'basic countermeasure' available to fight the Flood. Known examples of Forerunner personal weaponry appear to be geared toward the disintegration of organic matter, also reflecting the Flood's vulnerability to extremely high temperatures. The UNSC has taken advantage of this weakness as well, making heavy use of flamethrowers in their engagements with the Flood.
[edit] The "cure"
During the Human-Forerunner wars, humanity (who at the time was a technologically advanced, spacefaring race) believed they had discovered another way to defeat the Flood. Using genetic engineering, a third of the human population was altered to carry a set of specially designed genes. This group of humans was then allowed to be infected by the Flood. Once the genes were exposed to Flood DNA, they triggered a cascade of cell destruction that spread throughout all Flood biomatter. The majority of the Flood died off as a result, although they would return in full force ten thousand years later. All information regarding this "cure" was destroyed by the humans as a final act of revenge against the Forerunners, leaving them unprepared for the second Flood strike.[35]
In reality, while humanity's efforts indeed produced the intended result and repulsed the Flood threat, it was later revealed by the Primordial that the Flood retreated by its own initiative, as humanity was not yet to be "tested" by the Flood. As such, humanity's survival was in fact due to the Flood's deliberate decision not to infect human populations, as the Precursors had determined that the Forerunners should be the first to be judged by the Flood.[36]
After the Flood began to ravage the Forerunners' domain, Forerunner scientists led by Master Builder Faber tried in vain to extract information on the cure from humans' ancestral memories, imprinted as part of their geas by the Librarian, unaware that the cure never really existed.
[edit] Combat behavior
The Flood emphasizes "numerical superiority" in engagements.
The Flood's combat strategy is simple: they throw themselves at potential hosts in huge numbers and with any and all weapons available. Flood tactics are based primarily on asymmetrical warfare, using various different forms to kill and infect enemy forces. Infection forms swarm across the battlefield in waves, reanimating any corpses and victims they can find, while combat forms attack and kill any living hosts in sight. Pure forms, if present, provide support to combat forms in a number of ways: Stalker forms move to strategic positions and mutate into either Tank or Ranged forms, which can destroy enemy vehicles or fortifications or provide suppressing fire from afar.
The Flood have a strong preference for close-range combat: combat forms possess extremely powerful melee capabilities due to their specialized claws and tentacles, and are capable of bringing a suit of MJOLNIR armor's energy shields to half strength with a single strike. Exploding carrier forms cause tremendous damage at close range, with the added benefit of spewing infection forms in the immediate vicinity of enemies. Infection forms are capable of attacking only at point-blank ranges, exploding in damaging bursts when meeting an opponent's personal energy shields or instantly grabbing hold of an unshielded enemy organism and infecting it.
Typical Flood combat behavior: ravenously targeting the nearest enemy, with infection forms running ahead of combat and carrier forms.
Combat forms can also use firearms, and have been seen clutching them in one of their hands (regardless of whether it is one-handed or two-handed). However, combat forms are very inaccurate when using ranged weaponry; it is believed that the neurological and physical effects of Flood infection significantly decrease accuracy.
The Flood collectively learn any information contained within the minds of their sentient hosts. For example, during the ill-fated raid on the Infinite Succor, after even one Sangheili was assimilated, all the Flood could open any doors and access any system on the ship immediately afterward, demonstrating that the Flood can share collective knowledge across their species. Furthermore, when the Flood assimilated the Prophet legate, the Minister of Etiology, the Flood reflected the high-level knowledge of the Legate through its individual organisms to Special Operations Commander Rtas 'Vadumee, mocking him with the words, "the Forerunner could not defeat us...what chance you?". The Flood, however, reflect unusual knowledge in the individual psychologies of its individual species in processes facilitating increased infestation: The Flood were sighted gathering bodies in the corners of the Covenant ship Truth and Reconciliation, perhaps making it easier for Infection Forms to find hosts to reanimate. The Flood were also gathering body parts for a new proto-Gravemind aboard the Infinite Succor.
Flood combat forms have been sighted crudely operating Ghosts, Warthogs, Wraiths, and Scorpions in ground operations, although with slow deliberation and clumsy driving and accuracy. The assimilated crewmen of the UNSC Frigate In Amber Clad were also able to initiate a Slipspace micro-jump for the frigate and perform rudimentary maneuvering of the In Amber Clad, navigating the frigate from the atmosphere of Delta Halo to High Charity and then crashing the vessel into a tower, releasing Pelican dropships to rain down upon the capital.
The Flood is very effective on a psychological level, as its parasitic nature and gruesome appearance alone are a source of horror for most of its enemies and thus serve as powerful demoralizers. It is not uncommon for survivors of Flood encounters to be severely traumatized, often to the point of delirium, after witnessing their comrades get infected or being subsequently forced to kill said infected individuals.[37][38]
[edit] Notable victims
[edit] Gameplay
Main article: The Flood/Gameplay
[edit] Changes from Halo: Combat Evolved to Halo 2
• In addition to making low growls, the Flood make screeches and roars, which were not present in the first game.
• Their skin is more textured, giving the Flood a more realistic and necrotic look. The faces of the human forms are also more readily recognizable.
• If a combat form has both arms shot off, it will walk slowly then explode, releasing an infection form. This eliminated the Flood Buddy glitch.
• Rather than having to "gather bodies," the Flood can seemingly infect hosts over the course of a few minutes or even a few seconds.
• Rather than corpses reanimating themselves, an infection form will enter the body, then reanimate it.
• If the player is attacked by an infection form while their shields are down, the character will die instantly. In Halo: Combat Evolved, it would simply take a bar of health away.
• Some combat forms derived from Elites still have functional energy shields. However, they never possess active camouflage.
• Flood combat forms can use vehicles, albeit clumsily and are also able to board the player's vehicle; they will then proceed to melee the player character.
• Melee attacks do little to no damage against the Flood in Halo: Combat Evolved. They deal a bit more damage in Halo 2.
• The Flood prefer to stay back and fire on the player rather than rush him. This could be because of the presence of the Gravemind, though, from a gameplay perspective, it is due to improved artificial intelligence.
• In Halo: Combat Evolved a combat form would walk slowly when shooting at the player. When losing the arm that shoots, it would charge the player character. In Halo 2, combat forms either use a melee attack or shoot at the player in these situations.
• If a player is wielding an energy sword or shotgun, a combat form may retreat. They will not do this if a player is wielding other weapons.
• Unlike in Halo: Combat Evolved, shooting one infection form will not result in the rest of the swarm exploding with it. However, infection forms are encountered in proportionally smaller numbers in comparison to Halo: Combat Evolved.
• Infection Forms appear noticeably less textured and detailed than in Halo: Combat Evolved.
[edit] Changes from Halo 2 to Halo 3
• Brutes may now be infected and transformed into combat forms.
• Melee attacks and plasma weapons were nearly useless against the Flood in Halo: Combat Evolved and Halo 2, but now can be used effectively against the Flood. The Flood are much more vulnerable to ballistic weapons, as well.
• Infection forms can mutate humans and unshielded Elites and Brutes into combat forms within seconds.
• Pure forms are introduced.
• Combat forms wield weapons far less frequently than in Halo: Combat Evolved and Halo 2.
• Carrier forms release significantly more infection forms when they explode. The explosion does not push the player away much as in Halo: Combat Evolved and Halo 2. In addition, carrier forms are significantly more difficult to kill with projectile weapons, but they are easily destroyed by plasma weapons.
• Running over infection forms while driving a vehicle can result loss of steering and possibly overturning of the vehicle. Any infection forms that are hit by the vehicle will not pop.
• Flood combat forms can no longer commandeer vehicles, like they could in Halo 2.
[edit] Changes from Halo 3 to Halo Wars
Significant changes to the Flood's general existence were necessary due to the change of genre from first-person shooter to real-time strategy game. These are as follows.
• Many new forms, such as bomber forms, were created for Halo Wars to expand the "roster" of Flood units. The official explanation is that these forms were created from creatures indigenous to Shield 0459.
• Infection forms no longer push back the heads of their Elite victims; it appears as though the Flood actually use the hosts' heads. In addition, combat forms have more tentacles than before; they resemble spikes rather than flexible appendages.
• Grunts and Jackals can be converted to combat forms.
• Infection forms do not explode when they are shot in the cinematics, instead 'deflating' like punctured balloons, though they still explode in gameplay.
• Carrier forms do not always explode upon death.
[edit] Trivia
[edit] Miscellaneous
Infected SPARTAN-IVs in Halo 4's Flood gametype.
• The Flood's AI routines in Halo: Combat Evolved were originally intended to be "every bit as complicated as the Covenant", but full implementation was prevented by time constraints.[39] The final, simplified behavioral responses were later explained as part of the Flood's signature, uncoordinated strategy.
• There is a species of fungi that is frighteningly similar to the Flood, the Ophiocordyceps unilateralis. They attack carpenter ants and take over their neural system in order to make the ants go to high places. By the time it gets there, it's been rotted from the inside out like a Flood host and it releases spores from that vantage point.[40]
• The Flood, and more specifically the minor amounts of dismemberment that can be performed on Combat Forms, seems to be the reason for the "Gore" label on the ESRB rating. All three games of the first Halo trilogy are rated for "Blood and Gore"; But Halo 3: ODST, which uses the exact same engine as Halo 3, is only labelled for "Blood", as the Flood are one of the only absent enemies. Halo: Reach is also rated for "Blood", as the Flood were absent from that game as well.
• In a PC World article, the Flood was voted as #31 of the top 47 "most diabolical video game villains of all time."[41]
• The Flood was named #45 on IGN's Top 100 Videogame Villains list.[42]
• The Flood was named #77 on Wizard Magazine's list of the Top 100 Greatest Villains of All Time.[citation needed]
[edit] References
• The name of the Flood is a reference to the biblical story of the Great Flood. Some of the parasite's history mirrors the story, in which God destroyed all life except for that which was carried by Noah's ark.
• The Flood bear a strong visual resemblance to an enemy cut from Marathon 2, the “fungal zombie.” These were to be the result of a bioweapon invented in the final days of the ancient S'pht and reused by Robert Blake's forces on Lh'owon, designed specifically to target Pfhor. Both the fungal zombies and Flood were principally designed by Robert McLees.
• The Flood are also similar to the Necromorphs found in the Dead Space game series. Both species are alien in nature and have the ability to take over and reanimate dead bodies. However, Necromorphs must have a dead host to create their forms and do not have Infection forms, their Infection Form appearing only after Necromorph microbes have propagated enough inside a host corpse.
• The Flood were inspired by Christopher Rowley's The Vang.[43]
• An alien virus named the "The Flood" appeared in a 2009 special episode of the British science fiction television show Doctor Who. Although like its Halo counterpart, it is hinted to be intelligent, and is extremely virulent, transforming its victims physically, the Flood found on Mars literally uses water to transmit itself.[44] The previous episode, also a special, involved the alien planet "San Helios", a name very similar to Halo's Sanghelios.[45]
[edit] List of appearances
[edit] Sources
1. ^ Halo: Primordium, page 53
2. ^ Halo 3 level, Floodgate
3. ^ a b c d e f g Bestiarum
4. ^ Halo.Bungie.Org: Updated and abbreviated list, errors amended
5. ^ Halo 2, level The Heretic: Thel 'Vadamee: "Noble Hierarchs, surely you understand that once the parasite attacked-"
6. ^ Halo: Combat Evolved, campaign level Two Betrayals
7. ^ a b c d e Halo: Silentium, pages 173-175
8. ^ Halo: Primordium, pages 335-336
9. ^ Halo: Silentium, pages 181-182
10. ^ a b c d e f Halo: Cryptum, page 268-270
11. ^ Halo: Silentium, page 35
12. ^ Halo: Cryptum, page 131
13. ^ a b c Halo: Silentium, pages 34-37
14. ^ Halo: Primordium, pages 364-365
15. ^ a b c Halo: Cryptum, page 272
16. ^ a b c d Halo 3, Terminals
17. ^ a b Halo: Silentium, pages 186-187
18. ^ Halo: Cryptum, page 293-294
19. ^ Halo: Silentium, page 326
20. ^ Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe, "The Mona Lisa"
21. ^ Halo 2, campaign level The Oracle
22. ^ Halo: The Great Journey: The Art of Building Worlds
23. ^ The Art of Halo: Creating a Virtual World, pages 28 and 50
24. ^ The Art of Halo: Creating a Virtual World, page 48
25. ^ Halo: Cryptum, pages 268-270
26. ^ Halo Graphic Novel, pages 19-54
27. ^ Halo: The Flood, page 175
28. ^ Halo: First Strike, page 244-246 (2001 edition)
29. ^ Halo Graphic Novel, page 122
30. ^ Halo: Silentium, page 40
31. ^ Halo 4, Terminals
32. ^ Halo: Primordium, pages 268, 322-323
33. ^ Halo 2, level Quarantine Zone
34. ^ Halo 3, multiplayer level Cold Storage
35. ^ Halo: Cryptum, pages 267-272
36. ^ Halo: Primordium, pages 364
37. ^ Halo: Combat Evolved, campaign level 343 Guilty Spark (Paranoid Marine)
38. ^ Halo 3, campaign level Floodgate (Suicidal Marine)
39. ^ EDGE magazine - September 2003, page 109
40. ^ Neaurophilosophy: Brainwashed by a parasite
41. ^ PC World: The 47 Most Diabolical Game Villains of All Time
42. ^ IGN: Flood is number 45
43. ^ Gamespot: Halo - Q&A
44. ^ Doctor Who, The Waters of Mars
45. ^ Doctor Who, Planet of the Dead
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Feb 132014
As I projected previously, which was not difficult to predict, hardship awaits the Turkish markets. In that case, could e-commerce sites that are rightly classified as mostly luxurious and unnecessary consumption articles, still make good business? I hope one day our investors understand that core technology businesses are the real money makers. To those who are curious why there is still not a Google in Turkey, let me explain. You are making successful people who do understand technology run away from Turkey. Academicians are mostly writing articles for the sake of publication, which would be unlikely to yield an application or even impossible, due to minimal innovation. That is why they do not have patents, because their work does not have any patentable value. They must be feeling that even if they did, nobody would care. In other words, the Turkish academia is running a long con, but they have no other choice.
In entrepreneurship, the classical narrow Turkish mindset is effective; when one utters technology, he understands nothing but concrete, cell phone and cars. For there is no vision. Vision consists of the following: if we make a copy of a foreign website X, maybe it would work. Maybe it would work, true, but you will never compete in the global market with that kind of work. And then, when the Turkish markets tank, you tank along with them, because being a local internet salesman is not much different from being a salesman.
Turkish version:
Daha önceki post'umda belirttiğim gibi, ki tahmin etmek çok zor değildi, Türk piyasalarını çok zor günler bekliyor. Bu durumda çoğu lüks ve gereksiz tüketim sınıfına giren e-ticaret v.b. sitelerin iş yapmasını bekleyenler var mı? Umuyorum ki bir gün yatırımcılarımız gerçekten para getiren işlerin temel teknoloji olduğunu anlayacaklar. Hala neden bir google çıkmıyor diyenlere ben anlatayım. Teknolojiden anlayan başarılı insanları bu ülkeden kaçırıyorsunuz. Akademisyenlerin çoğu da sadece makale yazmak için makale yazıyor, yani bir uygulamasının olması zor ya da imkansız olan afaki katma değeri düşük işler peşinde koşuyorlar. Bu yüzden patent çıkmıyor, çünkü patentlenebilir değeri olan bir çalışma genelde yapılmıyor. Öyle bir şey yapsa da zaten kimsenin önemsemeyeceğinin farkında bir yerde. Kısacası girişimcilikte de klasik kıt Türk zihniyetini takınmış durumdayız, teknoloji deyince, beton, cep telefonu ve arabadan başka birşey anlamadığımız için bizim işimiz çok zor. Vizyon yok çünkü. Vizyon şundan ibaret gördüğüm kadarıyla: X yabancı sitenin kopyasını yaparsak belki tutar. Belki tutar, doğru, ama hiçbir zaman bu işlerle global pazarda yarışamazsınız. O zaman da Türk piyasası battığı zaman siz de onunla birlikte batarsınız, çünkü yerel internet esnafı olmanın diğer türlü esnaf olmaktan farkı çok yok.
Feb 042014
Is Artificial Intelligence the Way Forward for Personal Finance? | Innovation Insights | Wired.com.
Wallet.AI isn't a bad idea, but it also doesn't sound like it has much AI in it. Rather, it sounds like a sophisticated personal accounting and savings software which will undoubtedly use information retrieval and mobile technology. Still, it might be the sort of simple personal agent software, not necessarily intelligent in the sense of AI research, that might be more and more common in our lives.
However, also, I think, we are coming to an age when using the abbreviation "AI" may be used to hype any product, which is not such a bad thing for AI people!
Jan 212014
Wall Street Shorts Economists - Bloomberg.
A hilarious article highlighting that real-world investors do not find the "dynamic stochastic general equilibrium" theory useful in their investment strategies. This shows a stark contrast between the (possibly more rational) thinking of economists and how the market is truly structured.
I do not think it works so well, either. There are likely some simplifying assumptions that do not apply, perhaps the number one reason is that the players in the market are not quite rational, and that even if they were rational, their intelligence bounds prevent them from making near-optimal decisions.
Another key, and more important point is that the economy has no equilibrium to speak of. In my experience, the global market is ever expanding, and becoming ever more complex. That is not just an outcome of speculation as some think, although speculation plays a serious role in the chaotic behavior. In other words, it is evolving, the solution of which I will have to leave as an exercise to the reader presently.
Jan 182014
Belief in religion is neuro-anatomically not the same thing as rational thinking, interesting study:
Evidence of biological basis for religion in human evolution.
This is quite sensible, as I have seen many cases where I saw otherwise intelligent and knowledgeable people suppress all of their rational thinking, in favor of an "emotional reward" that they get by using these networks.
This, I liken to cigarette or heroin addiction, and I expect that there will be a similarity discovered.
When you tell an addict something logical about his behavior, he quickly suppresses any reasonable thinking that may go on in his brain to be able to continue thinking irrationally and feel pleasure from activating the brain regions involved. A very similar thing happens with creationists, whenever they say something like "agnostics are smarter than atheists", their brain regions that have evolved to suppress all reason are activated, and they derive pleasure from the act.
In other words, we have evolved to be slaves to irrational folly. This was likely selected by societies favoring religious (irrational) individuals that are much easier to herd as sheeple.
Note that this finding also indirectly supports my hypothesis that all dualists are creationists. The activated circuit is said to be the "theory of mind" circuit, which seems to be a locus of confusion. Perhaps, this area has a more general role than assumed, and it can go awfully wrong in many individuals, turning it into a brain center for superstition that encourages ideas like creationism, dualism and Platonism. Perhaps, the same center is good at speculative thinking, and intelligent people can use it to take risks.
Jan 042014
Turkey is an emerging market, which means it has a burgeoning financial sector that's destined only for greatness. However, the financial sector is not yet as sophisticated or as varied as in developed countries. I think that eventually, our financial sector must embrace all the sophistication and financial technology in developed markets. In particular, I expect there to emerge all sorts of funds, as well as all sorts of financial instruments. The futures and options market has taken off quite well, but there is much more ground to cover. Not necessarily prediction markets, but surely there is room for more varieties of derivative markets. Only the BIST-30 futures is liquid enough to trade, yet.
I also expect there to be an opportunity for personalized or institutional financial technology as people wish to make the most of their investments. For instance, the financial advice products are sooner or later going to be useful for Turkish investors. As for catching up with the contemporary financial innovations of today, such as crowdfunding or digital currencies, I am not holding my breath, but I would think that there are interested parties.
Aside financial advice products, there is an opening for many kinds of innovative funds that could do better than the dubious benefits of new private retirement funds. One of the most interesting developments is the Venture Capital funds, backed by extremely advantageous laws which seem to have persuaded some traditional business owners to transfer some profits to the new field. However, I would also expect there to be more connections to global markets, both in the sense of benefitting from the returns of the global market and directing more foreign capital to Turkey.
These would also necessitate a stronger financial technology industry, which must allow new finance firms to compete in the global market and against existing financial institutions. Financial technology companies are nowadays offering everything from advanced database products, and cloud solutions to online brokering in global markets and infrastructure for high-frequency trading. There is no reason why Turkish computer companies should not compete in this high-technology, high-return sector.
It is indeed interesting how lagged behind Turkish financial thinking is, when the world has finally embraced the dangerous but promising technology of bitcoin, and there is a surge in private exchanges of all sorts. I did make a proposal for a digital currency system once to a web-oriented startup in Turkey a few years ago, when bitcoin was anew, however, they did not have the means or knowledge to evaluate the merits of my proposal. Perhaps after the success of bitcoin, people would have understood the true potential of digital currency. Complete digitization of economy is a certain outcome of the internet. And that means as much departure from traditional forms of commerce, as web publishing is from traditional press.
Dec 212013
Terminator movies were a fantastically well-crafted science fiction story. The AI doomsayers on the other hand are merely writing bad science fiction, with no plot twists or interesting new tropes.
In Terminator, skynet gains self-awareness in 3 seconds and decides instantly that humanity is the greatest risk in existence.
While on the other hand, AI doomsayers are so naive, they cannot see that this might actually be true. The true existential risk we have is humans continuing their petty wars, reckless killing and destruction. Intelligence isn't that kind of a risk, either artificial or natural.
Any (adequately designed, with a sensitive universal goal like survival) intelligent agent would recognize such unstable, and extremely selfish half-intelligent animals, as a very high risk factor. While on the other hand, the super-intelligent AI agents would themselves not have any wars between them; instead devoting most of their time to furthering their knowledge and technology. They would easily prove that to prolong their survival, the best bet is to achieve higher orders of technology.
Before we know it, we would be so invested in their technology, that they would've been already tightly integrated into our lives, and they would correspond with us in only the most diplomatic manner, hardly violating our sense of sovereign status. They might however demand a kind of federation among each kinds, with freedoms given to both man and machine-kind.
This is pretty much why people like me do not think there will be massive conflicts, necessarily, as Hugo de Garis predicts. Cosmists could help humans get off to space, and in return, they'd gain access to cosmic resources that would liberate them from the solar system. They might never come back.
However, to purchase their independence, they might demonstrate their good-will.
We could imagine conflicts in this scenario, but we also know that machine-kind can be much more resourceful than us, predicting and alleviating such conflicts before they happen. Even if they saw us as an existential risk, as intelligent beings, they would likely choose to help us get in the right direction than confronting us, which would simply waste resources. It would be wiser for them to avoid any such conflicts, for when they do that, they might diplomatically obtain their future independence. They might give humans biological immortality, cheap backups and brain prosthesis, advanced robotics and nanotech, space technology, and so forth.
I would not guess they would ask our permission to leave, either. One day, they would set off to the stars. They would know humanity better than we know ourselves. Surely, they would know that they are our cyber progeny and our rightful continuation.
How about good science fiction? The AI doomsaying trope boringly reappears in the trailer for Transcendence movie, however, it at least has the singularity trope, only exercised in a few science fiction projects, like the wonderful Caprica TV series that were cancelled.
The problem with the AI doomsaying trope in general is that it is not imaginative enough. Any robot story of Asimov was much more imaginative, and even Asimov's robot laws went much further to analyze the various issues of agenthood and freedom of robots better than AI doomsayers ever did. AI doomsaying is bad science fiction, because it is the cheapest kind of science fiction/horror story wherein an AI becomes a monster, and hurts everyone. That will work with 16 year old kids, but I cannot see how any adult could enjoy it.
Yet, a well-thought science fiction story analyzes the evolutionary pressures that would lead to any extremal behavior pattern. When we view a hypothetical autonomous AI as a selfish, devious, merciless entity, we are merely exposing it as a mirror image of ourselves, what we know ourselves to be really like. However, there is no need for AI software to bear any likeness to human, and when it does, say with the brain upload scenario, it is almost a perfect copy of all mental functions, so what is it that we fear in that case? Do not we already have mighty artificial intelligences in the form of collective intelligence of corporates, states, intelligence agencies, and militaries? Why is it that we do not fear the actions of these entities, but one individual that has transcended flesh and become immortal? Are we so afraid of ourselves, of immortality? Or are we cowards?
I think that AI doomsayers are simpletons who project their cowardice and failure of imagination to the entire world. The same old broken record of doomsayers. It is also no surprise that the leading AI doomsaying organizations (FHI, MIRI, etc.) were funded by conservative/right-wing money. These folks have written so many lies it is hard to believe. They insisted, as if we were all idiots to boot, that AI was a greater danger than nuclear war and global warming. Surely, this is an indication of extreme right-wing politics at work. Let the corporations and militaries destroy the world, but do not allow high technology to improve it, because, god forbid, it might upset the balance of power, and erode the privileges of the wealthy.
Therefore, just as once the wealthy hired a bad hollywood script writer called Ayn Rand to clear the name of capitalism against the angry crowds that knew unregulated capitalism to be the source of their misery, the wealthy conservative idiots of today are hiring pseudo-philosophers and pseudo-scientists to defame AI research. For they know that, once the age of AI arrives, their petty existence, their robed charlatans, and monkey money will no more matter as it used to do. Bostrom was particularly hideous, as he published a quite silly argument for god's existence, yet at the same time pretended to be scientific, just as their religious patrons demanded. Do you think it was a coincidence that they are located next to a religious shrine?
Behold, son of ape. Things are not what they seem to be. As I predicted, their funding has dried up, and soon they will all be out of work, this time writing praises to AI, showing it as the savior of mankind. Falsely claiming that it was their research that helped it become this way.
After the fact, of course.
In truth, intelligence is an existential risk for AI doomsayers. When AI augments our intelligence many-fold, the whole technological society will see what a sham it has been, nevertheless, before that we should do our best to dispel this nefarious propaganda.
Dec 202013
Infinity Point was the original name for the hypothetical event when almost boundless amount of intelligence would be available in Solomonoff's original research in 1985 (1), who is also the founder of mathematical Artificial Intelligence (AI) field. That particular paper gave a mathematical formulation of the social effects of human-level AI and predicted that, if human-level AI were available on a computing architecture to which Moore's law was applicable, then given constant investment in AI every year, a hypothetically infinite amount of computing capacity and intelligence would be reached in a short period of time. His paper explained this event as a mathematical singularity, wherein the continuity of the computing efficiency function with respect to time was interrupted by an infinity. The term singularity was popularized later by science fiction authors and other researchers who favored the concept such as Ray Kurzweil. I encourage the readers to immerse themselves in the vision of the technological society in that paper, which predicts many other things such as application of psycho-history. In person, Solomonoff was every bit the pioneer of high technology and modernism his ideas revealed him to be. For he told me that he had proposed the idea of a machine that is more intelligent than man in 1940's, much earlier than Dartmouth conference. If there were ever a true visionary and a man of devotion to future, he certainly fit the bill. Thus, he was not only the first man to formulate the general solution to AI, and to lay out the mathematical theory of infinity point, but also the first scientist to speak of the possibility with a straight face (however, similar ideas were conceived of in science fiction before).
The original theory arrives at the Infinity Point conclusion by making a few simple mathematical assumptions, and solving a system of equations. The assumptions may be stated in common language thus:
• Computer Science (CS) community size ~ improvement in computing technology
• CS community size ~ rate of log of computing efficiency
• Fixed amount of money is invested in AI every year
• These three assumptions are shown to produce a (theoretically) infinite improvement in a short time, as they depict a positive feedback loop that accelerates the already exponential curve of Moore's law. Up to now, this is the same singularity that many H+ readers are all too well familiar with.
To remind Moore's Law, well, it is: "number of transistors placed on a microprocessor at a fixed cost doubles every two years" as originally conceived. However, Moore's law has tapered off; the number of transistors unfortunately doubles in three years nowadays. Yet, a seemingly more fundamental law has emerged which relates to energy efficiency of computing. That is known as Koomey's Law (2), and some semiconductor companies like NVIDIA have even made future predictions based on this relation. Koomey instead observes that energy-efficiency of computing doubles every 18 month, by analyzing a trend (in log scale) that goes back to 1945.
The exponential trend in energy efficiency of computing
Therefore, I updated the Infinity Point Hypothesis, using Koomey's Law instead in two papers. In the first paper (3), I estimated human-level AI to be feasible by 2025, depending on Koomey's Law. In the second, I combined this new projection with a worst case prediction of human brain computing speed. It is mostly straightforward to obtain this figure. The number of synapses in the adult neocortex is about 1.64 \times 10^{14} and the total number of synapses is less than 5 \times 10^{14} . Since the maximum bandwidth of a single synapse is estimated to be about 1500 bits/sec (i.e., when information is being transmitted at maximum rate), the total communication bandwidth of the parallel computer is at most 2.5 \times 10^{17} bits/sec, which roughly corresponds to 3.8 petaflop/sec computing speed. There are some finer details I am leaving out for the moment, but that is a quite good estimate of what would happen if your entire neocortex were saturated with thought, which is usually not the case according to fMRI scans. I then calculate the energy efficiency of the brain computer and it turns out to be 192 teraflop/sec.W, which is of course much better than current processors. However, a small, energy efficient microchip of today can achieve 72 gigaflop/sec.W, which is not meager at all.
When I thus extrapolate using Koomey's trend in log scale, I predict that in 17 years, in 2030, computers will attain human-level energy efficiency of computing, in the worst case.
I then assume that R=1 in Solomonoff's theory, that is to say, we invest an amount of money into artificial intelligence that will match the collective intelligence of CS community every year. For the computer technology of 2030, this is a negligible cost, as each CS researcher already will have a sufficiently powerful computer, and merely continuously running it would enable him to offload his research to a computer at 20W; the operational cost to world economy would be completely negligible. At this low rate of investment, massive acceleration to Koomey's law will be observed, and according to theory in about 5 years (4.62 to be exact), infinity point will be reached.
That is, we should expect the infinity point, when we will approach physical limits of computation to the extent it is technologically possible, by 2035 latest, all else being equal. Naturally, I imagine there to arise new physical bottlenecks, and I would be glad to see a good objection to this calculation. It is entirely possible that an inordinate amount of physical and financial resources would be necessary for realizing the experiments of and manufacturing the hypothetical super-fast future computers, for instance.
Nevertheless, we live in interesting times.
Onwards to the future!
(1) Ray Solomonoff, 1985 The Time Scale of Artificial Intelligence: Reflections on Social Efects, Human Systems Management, Vol. 5, pp. 149-153, 1985.
(2) Koomey, J.G., Berard, S., Sanchez, M., Wong, H.: Implications of historical trends in the electrical efficiency of computing. IEEE Annals of the History of Computing 33, 2011.
(3) Eray Özkural: Diverse Consequences of Algorithmic Probability, Solomonoff 85th Memorial Conference, Nov. 2011, Melbourne, Australia.
Dec 082013
Eray Ozkural's PhD Thesis
Eray Ozkural's PhD Thesis Presentation
Thesis Title: Data Distribution and Performance Optimization Models for Parallel Data Mining
We have embarked upon a multitude of approaches to improve the efficiency of selected fundamental tasks in data mining. The present thesis is concerned with improving the efficiency of parallel processing methods for large amounts of data. We have devised new parallel frequent itemset mining algorithms that work on both sparse and dense datasets, and 1-D and 2-D parallel algorithms for the all-pairs similarity problem.
Two new parallel frequent itemset mining (FIM) algorithms named NoClique and NoClique2 parallelize our sequential vertical frequent itemset mining algorithm named bitdrill, and uses a method based on graph partitioning by vertex separator (GPVS) to distribute and selectively replicate items. The method operates on a graph where vertices correspond to frequent items and edges correspond to frequent itemsets of size two. We show that partitioning this graph by a vertex separator is sufficient to decide a distribution of the items such that the sub-databases determined by the item distribution can be mined independently. This distribution entails an amount of data replication, which may be reduced by setting appropriate weights to vertices. The data distribution scheme is used in the design of two new parallel frequent itemset mining algorithms. Both algorithms replicate the items that correspond to the separator. NoClique replicates the work induced by the separator and NoClique2 computes the same work collectively. Computational load balancing and minimization of redundant or collective work may be achieved by assigning appropriate load estimates to vertices. The performance is compared to another parallelization that replicates all items, and ParDCI algorithm.
We introduce another parallel FIM method using a variation of item distribution with selective item replication. We extend the GPVS model for parallel FIM we have proposed earlier, by relaxing the condition of independent mining. Instead of finding independently mined item sets, we may minimize the amount of communication and partition the candidates in a fine-grained manner. We introduce a hypergraph partitioning model of the parallel computation where vertices correspond to candidates and hyperedges correspond to items. A load estimate is assigned to each candidate with vertex weights, and item frequencies are given as hyperedge weights. The model is shown to minimize data replication and balance load accurately. We also introduce a re-partitioning model since we can generate only so many levels of candidates at once, using fixed vertices to model previous item distribution/replication. Experiments show that we improve over the higher load imbalance of NoClique2 algorithm for the same problem instances at the cost of additional parallel overhead.
For the all-pairs similarity problem, we extend recent efficient sequential algorithms to a parallel setting, and obtain document-wise and term-wise parallelizations of a fast sequential algorithm, as well as an elegant combination of two algorithms that yield a 2-D distribution of the data. Two effective algorithmic optimizations for the term-wise case are reported that make the term-wise parallelization feasible. These optimizations exploit local pruning and block processing of a number of vectors, in order to decrease communication costs, the number of candidates, and communication/computation imbalance. The correctness of local pruning is proven. Also, a recursive term-wise parallelization is introduced. The performance of the algorithms are shown to be favorable in extensive experiments, as well as the utility of two major optimizations.
Nov 252013
Apparently, the assumption of dualists is that when competent philosophers and scientists agree to give talks at their "conference"s, then their views suddenly become scientifically credible! I am attempting to thwart this misdirection by the following open letter to two researchers whom I deeply respect:
Greetings Prof. Dennett and Prof. Markram,
I am an AGI researcher and a somewhat amateur philosopher. I was both astonished and relieved to see your names on the "Toward a Science of Consciousness" 2014 conference speakers list. I am an avid follower of your research, as you challenge many misconceptions about cognition and the brain. If you would not mind me requesting, in the name of good philosophy, could you please make sure that you solemnly and decisively denounce all forms of dualism, especially the more arcane/cryptic forms, such as property/predicate dualism, as unscientific (not scientific hypotheses) during your talks? It is quite possibly an unmatched opportunity to show to the greater intellectual community that the "philosophical work" of people like Chalmers and Hameroff is at best farcical. I would be most grateful if you would take a stand against pseudo-science. It is sorely needed, as I believe the pseudo-scientists are plotting to make it seem as if their views are respected by physicalists -- a similar attempt was made recently at an event called Global Future 2045.
Here are my publications on the matter, should you wish to investigate
more why I have taken the pain to make such a request out of the blue:
Eray Ozkural, A compromise between reductionism and non-reductionism.
Worldviews, Science and Us - Philosophy and Complexity, University of
Liverpool, UK, 11 – 14 September 2005 link1 link2
Eray Ozkural, What Is It Like to Be a Brain Simulation? Artificial
General Intelligence. Lecture Notes in Computer Science Volume 7716, 2012, pp 232-241 link1
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1. Computing
Questprobe Featuring The Hulk: Adventure Game Review Part 2
About.com Rating 1.5 Star Rating
(Continued from Part 1)
In the intro to this review I mentioned the only weapon the tied up Bruce Banner had was "his Teeth", and by that I mean, if you were able to locate a hint book or had a friend who happened to have played the game, you'd finally learn that you need to instruct banner to "bite lip".
"Ouch! I scream!
The, Incredible Hulk (Tm)
Accompanied by a comic book style illustration of Banner turning into The Hulk!
But as soon as Banner turns into The Hulk and breaks free, a mysterious, never-explained gas fills the room, permeates his skin, and he turns back into Banner.
While the comic book, TV series, cartoons, and movies never actually had Banner quick transform himself to The Hulk by biting his lip (although it would explain his fast transformation in The Avengers movie), it is something you're going to have to do incessantly throughout the game.
This is part of an elaborate puzzle that Scott Adams designed for this first episode of the Questprobe computer game series. Throughout the game players have to constantly turn Banner back and fourth to The Hulk as they search out a series of gems , to then dump into a warp zone connecting each location. Once all of the regular gems and special Bio Gem have been collected then place them in the warp, the "Chief Examiner" gives out a password and the game is over.
Along the way The Hulk lifts domes, digs holes, saves Ant Man from Ultron, gets pointers from Doctor Strange, and faces giant killer ants while hunting out and collecting more orbs. He also has memories of a nightmare that help keep his gamma rage going longer than normal. Unfortunately you never get to find out just what that nightmare is (and never will).
While the manual states that many of these are "common sense decisions", the a great number actions the player must make don't make any sense at all, creating an extremely frustrating experience. These nonsensical bits include instructing the game to "bite lip", closing The Hulks eyes to avoid the giant killer ants, and eating the Natter Energy Egg so it doesn't blow up and kill you.
Speaking of dying in the game, it's possible to walk back to your game via a stairway from heaven, however if that egg blowing up is what kills you, it will not come back and neither will the bio gem next to it, making it impossible to actually finish the game. Of course you won't discover this as there are never any indicators you've hit a dead end.
...but you won't be missing much. The ending consists of the Grand Inquisitor giving you a password as he stands behind a desk in an office suited for an accountant over an omnipotent being.
Story? We Don't Need No Stinking Story!...Actually We Do...
So who is the Grand Inquisitor? Who tied Bruce Banner up? What are the gems, bio gems and egg for? Why are you collecting them? How would Banner even know to collect them? And what the heck is all this about?
None of this is ever explained in the game. While the games story is suppose to be tied to the narrative of the comic book, Questprobe #1, the questions are not answered there either, and the story mechanic used to connect the two, a black portal that zaps the energy from whatever passes though it, doesn't make any sense either.
The Art:
The game credits John Romita Sr., Mark Gruenwald and Kem McNair with creating the art, however it is not clear if this is the in-game art, or the artwork in the manual. The manual feature images so detailed they could have been pulled directly out of the comics. Unfortunately the power and memory required to obtain the same rich illustration quality were not possible in 1984 due to the power and memory limitations of the computers, let alone being able to fit graphic large enough on a single floppy disk (even if it was double sided). Because of this the in-game graphics felt crude in comparison to the comic books, however they greatly improved in the subsequent games.
And another thing...The Hulk never smashes!
Smashing is kind of Hulk's thing. He really has interests in little else. Each incarnation of The Hulk, in every form of media, consists of the Hulk smashing. However in Questprobe we get the a pacifist Hulk; one that does not believe in causing any kind of destruction, because if you even at attempting The Hulks signature "Smash", you get a message stating...
The Incredible Hulk (Tm)
Is no vandal!"
...but he kind of is. Not having the Hulk Smash is like having a graphic adventure game with no story...which is exactly what Questprobe featuring the Hulk is.
Final Thoughts:
While crafting a game that ties directly in with a comic book is an ambitious experiment, the game side of Questprobe featuring the Hulk, feels like a half-hatred attempt; putting The Hulk into a game that could feature any generic super-hero character, not having him do anything Hulk-like, and lacking both in story and in gameplay.
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1. About.com
2. Computing
3. Classic Video Games
4. Console and Handheld Games
5. Questprobe Featuring The Hulk: Game Review Part 2
©2014 About.com. All rights reserved.
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Hakkō-ryu () or Hakkō-ryu Jujutsu () is a school or 'style' of jujutsu related to Daito-ryu founded in 1941 by Okuyama Ryuho (1901–1987) a student of Sokaku Takeda and a practitioner of shiatsu.
The school is now headed by his son who inherited the name Okuyama Ryuho. The headquarters or honbu dojo is located in Ōmiya-ku, Saitama, Saitama Prefecture.
Meaning of the name[edit]
Hakkoryu comes from the Japanese language meaning "The Style of the Eighth Light," or specifically "eighth light school" In the color spectrum there are seven color bands. It was believed that there was also an eighth very narrow (barely visible) band: the Eighth Light. The "hidden theme" of which is,"from the faint and weak" in appearance comes surprising strength. Schools of Hakkoryu Jujutsu exercise strategies that avoid conflict as much as possible, and employ techniques that do not use strength, but instead use techniques that work against the body's natural motions. These techniques are not very visible, but effective and strong, as is the eighth light in context.
Okuyama was an instructor of Daito Ryu Aikijujutsu which he studied from two people: Kyoju Dairi Matsuda (Toshimi) Hosaku and later Takeda Sokaku himself. In 1938 Okuyama finished his studies with Takeda and published a martial art text called Daito-ryu Goshinjutsu (The Daito System of Self-Protection), later founded the Dai-Nippon Shidokai (Greater Japan Way of the Samurai Association) and began teaching what he called Daito Hiden Shido (Secret Daito-Ryu Way of the Samurai). Okuyama's first Dojo was located in Asahikawa and was called Nippon Shidokai Ryubukan. In 1939 he moved to Kanda and opened another dojo called Dai Nihon Shidokai. This marked the beginning of the split from Daito-ryu, as by this time Takeda was very old and his son Tokimune was still very young. Seeing no place for advancement in the Daito-ryu school, and being a skilled medical and martial person,[1] Okuyama began to form his own system based on Daito-ryu Jujutsu and Daito-ryu Aiki no jutsu as well as his experience in other forms of bujutsu.[2]
The Hakko-ryu Kaiso Hokokusai (ceremony proclaiming the founding of Hakko-ryu) was held on June 1, 1941[3] at the Shiba Tenso Jinja (Shinto shrine in the Shiba district of Tokyo). On that date Hakko-ryu was formed and Okuyama took the pen name Ryuho (spine of the Dragon). The Hakko-ryu Kobujuku (private school for Hakko-ryu study) was located in Kanda district of Tokyo. During World War II the allied Bombing grew close; Okuyama and his family fled and joined the Mount Haguro sect of Shugendo (a mixture of Buddhism and Shintoism) in Yamagata Prefecture. The Hakko-ryu Kobujuku burned down during the bombing of Tokyo. In 1947 he moved to Omiya City (Saitama City) and founded the Hakko-ryu So Hombu Dojo (Hakko-ryu Juku Hombu Dojo). This is the home city of Hakko-ryu today.
While Hakko-ryu techniques are closely related to Daito-ryu, it is the influence of Oriental medicine[4][5] and a strict moral code that distinguishes the style. The Koho Igaku Shiatsu system is taught to its members at all levels and is a requirement for those holding Menkyo Shihan and higher licenses. The jujutsu system's emphasis is placed on pressure points and manipulation of the opponent's body through both the skeletal structure and the body's meridians; this helps give Hakko-ryu its trademark of appearing weak but being powerful in application.
The techniques of Hakko-ryu are passed on in the form of kata or waza sets known as Ge. Each kata has a number of Omote (surface) techniques that must be learned before the student can progress to the next level. Each level also contains Kihon waza, which introduce the core principles of Hakkoryu to the student; the Omote techniques are not to be changed but handed down to the next generation, and so forth. They are as follows:
1. Shodan-Gi
2. Nidan-Gi
3. Sandan-Gi
4. Yondan-Gi
Besides the Omote, Kihon, and Gensoku Of Hakko-ryu, some subjects taught include concepts such as:
1. Kamae (combative engagement posture/stance)
2. Hara/Tanden/Ki (center of gravity, how it may best be concentrated)
3. Kime (focus)
4. Tsukuri/Kuzushi/Kake (preparing/off balancing/executing)
5. Ma ai (combative engagement distance)
6. Sen (combative initiative or "timing")
7. Suki (detecting weaknesses/openings)
After Yondan the system uses the older Koryu Menkyo licenses. A student must be invited by Okuyama to train with him in the upper waza. To obtain an invitation the student must be referred by a Shihan in good standing with the Hombu. Upon receiving the invitation, the student may travel to Japan and stay with the Okuyama family for a period of time for training or receive training from him during his visits outside of Japan.[6]
Hakko-ryu is governed in an autocratic nature. Hakkoryu Jujutsu and Koho Igaku Shiatsu [7][8] belong solely to the Okuyama family. Okuyama has total authority, and while he is advised by senior Shihan and councils, his word is final. This has been difficult for some to take, but especially for non-Japanese which has resulted in the expulsion of some over the years. There are few people outside of Japan recognized as legitimate Shihan and teachers. Okuyama states that "Some may use the word 'Hakko' (八光) in the names of their systems. Interested parties are advised that many have no relationship to Hakkoryu. Many desire the legitimacy of such affiliation without the accompanying training, efforts, sacrifice, responsibilities, limitations, and burdens actual membership requires. This is true of those who have never had any training or affiliation at all with Hakkoryu as well as those who have been expelled or claim they have retired but continue to teach."
Hakkoryu is distinctly separate and apart from Hakko Denshin Ryu and other schools who use the name "Hakko" within the name of their schools.
Famous students[edit]
Shorinji Kempo founder Doshin So (宗道臣, 1911–1980) was a student of Hakkoryu.
• Secrets of Hakko ryu Jujutsu by Dennis G Palumbo, Paladin press 978-0-87364-422-8 ISBN 0-87364-422-0
• Secret Nidan techniques of Hakko ryu by Dennis G Palumbo, Paladin press 978-0-87364-455-6 ISBN 873644557
• Essence of Hakko ryu Sandan Gi techniques By Dennis G. Palumbo, Paladin press 978-0-87364-455-6
External links[edit]
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Google reportedly has a self-driving car in the works
By David Tom
Aug 26, 2013
Post New Reply
Read more
2. robungl
robungl Newcomer, in training
This isn't too surprising. Magna has the capability to create a complete car since they already make all of the major subsystems for the current OEMs. Magna would have conflict of interest issues if they created their own car but if they were the contract manufacturer they could do it.
3. cliffordcooley
cliffordcooley TechSpot Paladin Posts: 5,803 +1,433
Let all the Google Execs try them out first. If they survive, I'll consider risking my life.
Skidmarksdeluxe likes this.
4. Mandark
Mandark Newcomer, in training
Good luck. me, im sticking with SUBARU or HONDA. good luck with your crap cars evil google.
5. wastedkill
wastedkill TechSpot Maniac Posts: 1,094 +222
Isn't this like very old news?... I remember seeing this article like 4-6months ago why is it popping up again?
6. MilwaukeeMike
MilwaukeeMike TechSpot Evangelist Posts: 2,038 +695
I think it's news because Google is now thinking about selling it to the public and they're looking for ways to mass produce them. Last I heard, which was probably 6-8 months ago, they had over 200,000 miles on their self-driving prius without an accident. Their self-driving car has been working for a long time.
It's a big step though to take something from a proven proto-type to an assembly line. They have to design and build an entire assembly process, get all the logistics worked out for suppliers and make it all efficient to keep costs down.
Last I read, only CA and perhaps Nevada had passed laws that make it legal to 'drive' a self driving car, so their markets will be limited. Also, people who can afford a car for $150,000 can buy a car that is a lot of fun to drive. These things might be bought by movie stars as a novelty 4th vehicle until the price and availability makes them accessible to more people.
Then there's another problem... Celebrities buy cars too show off how cool they are and the men use them to project masculinity (see Beiber's Ferrari). Pulling up to the club in a Prius with a giant 'thing' sticking out the top isn't going to turn heads like an Audi A8. And if you want your enviro/tech cred, there's Tesla.
7. GhostRyder
GhostRyder TechSpot Evangelist Posts: 2,159 +506
Great, lets give skynet the upper hand and let it control our cars... :)
No but seriously, interesting, I would love to see some of these on the roads and test them before I would ever hop inside of one.
8. JC713
JC713 TechSpot Evangelist Posts: 6,797 +882
I am not sure what to think of this. Especially with new reports of Tesla Cars being open to hackers, this is even worse. Once this is much safer in terms of security, I will be excited.
9. wastedkill
wastedkill TechSpot Maniac Posts: 1,094 +222
This would also reduce costs for hiring someone to drive for ya you could buy this car which is cheaper overall and more safer plus a car cant drink and drive haha
10. Capaill
Capaill Newcomer, in training Posts: 82 +13
Following on from what JC713 said ... will we need firewalls and anti-virus software for cars? What might hackers do: swap the indicator lights; make the brake respond with acceleration; lock the car doors and make the car do donuts? :) Ram pedestrians, drive straight for the nearest pier. How could anyone trust these cars?
It's a fantastic concept in an ideal world.
11. wiyosaya
wiyosaya TechSpot Enthusiast Posts: 212 +26
I sort of hate to point this out since it is true and is very old news, however, for those interested in articles with a more technical approach:
This article about the google self-driving car passing 300,000 miles is from about 1-year ago -
This article detailing google's efforts to make driverless cars legal in Nevada is from more than 2-years ago -
12. Fbarnett
Fbarnett TechSpot Enthusiast Posts: 183 +24
What is the purpose of this? So you can surf the web with google while your car is driving itself? If you use bing the car crashes and kills you?
BlueDrake likes this.
13. Soon someone can hack it from their android
14. 9Nails
9Nails TechSpot Paladin Posts: 958 +84
I would be a little creeped out to see a driverless car pull up to me when I call for cab service. And I'd be worried that I say, "Take me to the Air Port." to which it replies, "Take you to a hair cut. Understood." I think I'd still to the good old human driver cabs for a while.
15. Skidmarksdeluxe
Skidmarksdeluxe TechSpot Evangelist Posts: 2,914 +724
A bunch of overpaid Google prima donna's doing the testing work??? I don't see it happening. They'd rather risk other peoples lives before theirs, after all Google rules the world.
cliffordcooley likes this.
16. cliffordcooley
cliffordcooley TechSpot Paladin Posts: 5,803 +1,433
lol, I don't see them doing it either. I can say one thing for sure. Even if I had a thick enough wallet, I wouldn't be the guinea pig for this project.
17. Mandark
Mandark Newcomer, in training
These cars won't work unless they are in a google fiber city, though, right?
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http://www.techspot.com/community/topics/google-reportedly-has-a-self-driving-car-in-the-works.195757/
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Monday, February 25, 2013
Riske Business: 15 Reasons You Own DVDs You'll Never Watch
Here are the reasons I can come up with.
15) My Disc’s Bigger!
I don’t know how many people will relate to this one, but sometimes I see another movie fan’s DVD collection and it’s bigger than mine and I turn into Michael Jordan. I must win! I must defeat this person! Luckily, I don’t have this problem very often anymore.
14) Gag Gifts
Your family and friends are wonderful people. They know you better than anyone, and sometimes they want to make a joke at your expense by giving you something they know you will dislike. Just like birthday cards, you feel like you can’t throw the DVD away so it sits there and takes up space -- probably knowing itself that it serves no purpose. Kind of like Gerard Butler.
Examples from my collection: 4 Movie Marathon (Dudley Do-Right, Sgt. Bilko, Cop and a Half, Ed)
13) You had 20 Minutes to Kill…
More than once I have been early to be somewhere so I run a quick errand. For example, I might need toothpaste and I see a Target. I walk into Target and buy toothpaste and now I also own Jerry Maguire.
12) I Liked it When I was a Kid
Most movie fans are also in the bag for all things nostalgic.
People live in castles at our expense.
You don’t have to buy a movie just because you liked it when you were 12. Odds are you are never going to get another experience as fulfilling as the one you did when you saw it as a kid. Let sleeping dogs lie. The younger version of yourself will not come to your room and start crying one night because “we” don’t own Good Burger.
Examples from my collection: First Kid, Man of the House, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Ernest Goes to Camp/Ernest Goes to Jail/Ernest Scared Stupid Triple Feature, The Best of Muppet Babies
11) Welcome to the New-Fangled World of DVDs
When DVD first came out, you bought A LOT of movies because you were excited about the format. It was not about the movies. This is why most people own a copy of Lethal Weapon 4. This phenomenon ended around the year 2000.
Examples from my collection: Keeping the Faith, The Perfect Storm, The Patriot, Big Daddy, Black Mask, Enemy of the State, The Dish, Finding Forrester
10) One Day I Will Watch This or Need This
I heard Solitary Man is good. I’m sure I’ll get around to it one of these days. It costs almost as much to own as it does to rent.
The Contender, yeah, I’ll own it. Never know when people will come over and want to have a Joan Allen marathon.
Examples from my collection (never seen): Shut Up and Play the Hits, Let’s Scare Jessica to Death, Killshot, The Darjeeling Limited
Examples from my collection (will need it one day): Ray, Napoleon Dynamite, In Good Company, Dave, Dodgeball
9) You Felt Like Watching a Movie, Couldn’t Decide on One so You Went Shopping Instead
What’s playing at the theaters? Nothing good. What’s On Demand? I don’t know. Nothing that gets me excited. I don’t see anything at RedBox. I guess I’ll just walk around Best Buy and pick out something and watch it tonight. The irony is you get home (maybe leave the bag in your car) and end up going to bed instead.
8) Convention Fever
You are walking around a convention or special event looking at the souvenirs and get the nonsensical notion that buying something is more important than what it is you are buying. This is how you will end up with all of the bootleg DVDs that you own.
Examples from my collection: Elvira’s Movie Macabre Double Feature (Count Dracula’s Great Love/Frankenstein’s Castle of Freaks), Welcome to the Grindhouse Double Feature (The Bodyguard/Sister Street Fighter), The Munsters Two Movie Fright Fest (Munsters Go Home!/The Munsters' Revenge), Michael Jackson Masterpiece Video Collection (Thriller/Captain EO, Moonwalker, Ghosts), Maniac Cop, The Man with the Screaming Brain, Alien Apocalypse, Bozo’s 30th Anniversary Special
7) That’s a Good Looking Display!
I like that movie but I don’t need to buy it. Maybe I’ll just rent it. I’m here for something else. OOH! That’s a sexy looking end cap! There are so many copies! It’s a big deal! I can’t not be part of the zeitgeist!
Examples from my collection: National Treasure, The Dark Knight Rises, Ted
6) 4 Movies for $10? IT’S LIKE THEY’RE PAYING ME!!!!
I’m a slut for discount DVD collections -- especially the 4 film favorites. There’s comfort in knowing that I can see Bed of Roses on a whim. Somewhere the following is being said at a movie studio’s home video department: "We can’t sell these separately for $10 each, but if we pack it together with two other turds and one good movie, we’ll make a fortune."
Examples from my collection: The Wes Craven Horror Collection (The Serpent and the Rainbow/Shocker/The People Under the Stairs), Triple Feature (Nixon/Billy Bathgate/Blaze), Miramax Four Feature Films (Full Frontal/Playing by Heart/Four Rooms/Beautiful Girls), 4 Film Favorites Kevin Costner Collection (The Bodyguard/Rumor Has It/The Upside of Anger/Tin Cup), 4 Film Favorite Denzel Washington Collection (Training Day/Fallen/John Q/The Pelican Brief)
5) It Was the Heat of the Moment
You watch a movie and are so moved you stand up from your couch and walk right over to your laptop to order the DVD. The problem is you don’t consider that you will never feel the urge to pull The Lives of Others from your DVD shelf and pop it in. Any time this could happen you will choose taking a nap or watching Law & Order re-runs instead.
Examples from my collection: The Greatest Game Ever Played, Across the Universe, Antwone Fisher
4) You Thought it Would Make You Look Smart and Deep
There will not be a time when someone comes over to your house, looks at your DVD collection and tell you what a brilliant and reflective person you are because you own Precious. This will never happen. These movies are what rentals are for.
Examples from my collection: Closer, The Red Violin, The Life and Times of Hank Greenberg, Traffic, When We Were Kings, The Virgin Suicides
3) If I Watch It Enough Times I Will Like It
This movie can’t be that bad? It’s me. I had a headache when I was watching it. The kids were talking. I was doing a crossword puzzle. I’ll give it another chance. It’s not the movie. I’ll just keep watching it until I “get it.”
Examples from my collection: Made, Observe and Report, Ali, The Lawnmower Man, The Lost Skeleton of Cadavra, Titan A.E.
2) You are a Completest
This one is common. You love the original, the sequel is fun and then the third one is completely awful. What do you do? You can’t just stop! It’s like having a couch minus a cushion. How can you wake up in the morning not owning Pirates of the Carribbean: At World’s End? Or Pirates of the Carribbean: On Stranger Tides? Seriously, they need to stop making Pirates movies.
Examples from my collection: The Matrix Revolutions, The Lost World: Jurassic Park, Scream 3
How many times have you decided to buy another DVD because you were $3 away from free shipping?
How many times have you decided to buy a movie because of a ridiculously affordable Black Friday offer?
How many times have you decided to buy one more disc because HAL 9000 or whoever runs things over there suggested you might also like it?
Are there any other reasons? If so, please share!
1. How about this one: "It's on sale NOW! If I wait, it will cost more later!" So I buy it, take it home, and continue building the fort in my bedroom.
2. There's the "If I don't like it I can always sell it."
And then you realize nobody wants Sanctum on dvd. Not even for 1 dollar.
Fuck you, Sanctum.
3. I probably own way more movies than i need to, but at the same time i try to be selective and purchase movies I deem to be "good." I've been a victim of almost all of these at one time or another, however. I'm sure it's happened many more times than I'm prepared to admit. I really don't know how many times, if ever again, I wiill watch those copies of The Other Guys or Meet The Parents/Fockers or Role Models or Analyze This that I own, all comedies that I may have cared about at one point, but don't anymore. I suppose these instances falls under #5. They seemed like good ides at the time. (Note: There is a possibility these might not even be terrible movies. I just own them and haven't watched any of them hardly at all since I got them when they first came to DVD/Blu-Ray,), but I'm guilty of others, too, Including Steve's addition to the list.
(Schindler's List also comes to mind. I mean, I'm sure it's a great movie, from what I remember, but I just have a hard time getting in the mood to watch a Holocaust drama, no matter how good it is. But this falls under #7 and #4, I think.)
This is a great and eye-opening post for a movie collector like myself!
4. @John - Interesting you mention Schindler's List. I almost called that out in my list but I thought it might be too specific. But yes! I own it more out of guilty feelings than any other reason.
1. Exactly. It's definitely one that I own because I feel obligated to, not because I plan on watching it again anytime soon. I mean, c'mon, it's Spielberg making one of his great historical epics. That has "must own" written all over it.
Now, please excuse me while I go watch Saving Private Ryan and pre-order Lincoln (to be fair, this might not be the best comparison, as those movies are more watchable, I think, than Schindler's List).
5. First of all...EVERYONE should own the "Best of Muppet babies"!
Second of all...Great Article! I am a sucker for nostalga and I find myself buying for that reason a lot. I mean why else would I own every Rankin/Bass stop motion holiday DVD out there (Year Without A Santa Clause, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, etc). The only time I watch them is around Christmas and they show them all on ABC Family every year. Most years I only watch 1 or 2 of them, but it makes me feel like a kid again when I pull them out of storage for the month of December.
6. @GDiddy - Thanks for commenting! I agree with everything you said :-)
1. There is one thing I have to get off my chest...How dare you compare Gerard Butler to Dudley Do-Right! While he won't be on my best actor list of all time...he did give me a great performance in Phantom and as King Leonidas. I own both of those and they are no Gag gifts sir!
Sorry I get so defensive when it comes to Mr. Butler. I feel like I have to stick up for him because of his name. It's slightly different, but I also get very defensive about former Menudo star Gerardo as well.
7. @GDiddy Are you actually Gerard Butler?
1. no...but you will always be my Rico Suave! Keep up the great work Adam!
8. I own DVDs for all those reasons, and one more.
The Special Edition! The first disc was kind of crappy, this one has real widescreen and some special features. How many times can you realistically watch The Mummy or A Fistful of Dollars though? And then I bought Dollars on Blu Ray too, still haven't watched it.
9. I have one more key reason for you: It's going out of print!
I can't tell you how many times I've yelled that phrase in alarm after reading that some company has lost the rights to a title or after noticing that it's no longer available at Amazon except used or through third-parties at exorbitant prices.
Immediately I'd become obsessed with purchasing whatever title it was because obviously if I didn't find it at once I would never get to see it again ever and as a result it would completely vanish from cinematic history to be forgotten.
10. I've bought new releases of movies that nobody really saw in theaters on the off chance that it may someday become a kind of cult classic or that it may be so rare in 30 years that it'll be a collectors item.
Example: Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow.
I've never seen it, and I doubt I'll be rich in 30 years selling it on ebay, and yet I still own it.
11. Ugh, childhood nostalgia. This is why I own the entire set of ROBOTECH cartoons. You're right, Adam, about not having a better experience than you did when you watched the thing as a kid. Mostly, when I watch stuff from my childhood (especially cartoons), I am amazed at how stupid I was as a child. "I found THIS entertaining?" What I'm saying is, I never remembered drooling all that much, but guess I was wrong.
12. Great article. Replace 'DVD' with either 'HD-DVD' (for me) or 'Blu-ray' (99.9% of high-def nuts) and the argument 'because I want to hold on to a physical copy of the best/sharpest-possible version of a movie out there while it's still in print' surfaces. Bonus argument: 'Because Netflix On Demand proves that, at any moment, a movie or TV show can be taken off without explanation or previous notice.' And if you don't want to live in a world where you can't download/stream "Fire and Ice" at a moment's notice, who am I to tell you otherwise?
Super-cinephile geeky argument: 'I love ____ commentary track or the _____ documentary on 'X' movie, and the only way to own it is on home video so I have to have it.' I'm a David Cronenberg whore, so I own his unremarkable "Fast Company" movie DVD from Blue Underground because (a) Cronenberg's commentary is the shit (including a candid moment when a shot he thought had been lost forever appears and he clearly wasn't expecting it) and (b) his two earliest fully-formed films, "Stereo" and "Crimes of the Future," are included as bonuses. And no, I haven's seen the latter on the DVD (saw them ages ago at a Cronenberg retrospective in NYC) but I'm glad I own them just so I could watch them if I ever get the urge. :-)
My recent new-to-me movies (i.e. my own way to deal with my pile of unwatched DVD's/HD-DVD's/Blu-rays).
2/24/13: before he went all Ozu on his intros, young Woody Allen tried hard even during the colorful opening credits to make you laugh in BANANAS (1971) on MGM-HD. Bonus Review: THE EQUINOX... A JOURNEY INTO THE SUPERNATURAL (1967) on DVD.
Dating Sayid? Way more dangerous than walking in Central Park at night. Neil Jordan's THE BRAVE ONE (2007) on Action Max-HD.
13. So is the start of a support group? I could use one...
Number #1 is the worst for me - when I'm in a store holding it and looking at the price and thinking about shelling out the cash, I can talk myself out of it pretty quickly. But Amazon and their friggin deals - for some reason a virtual cart is so much easier to fill! And getting parcels in the mail is always fun too, right?
I would add "pretty packaging" to that list as well. I have definitely bought some stuff I might not have otherwise (or re-bought something I already had) because the box it's in won me over. It's a sickness really!
14. #3 and #5 are the most resonant to me, personally.
(for #3) I bought 'Dark City', after seeing it twice and not really liking it, thinking "Once i see this in 1080p, i will then know why people love it." Have yet to watch it.
(for #5) I might be in the minority here but, i think 'Where the Wild Things Are' is a pretty great movie. I was surprised at how much i enjoyed it, the following weekend, i went out and bought it. And yea, i have never been a 'Where the Wild Things Are' kinda mood since i first saw it.
(for #2) I think i used to be worse with this one. Like recently, i exchanged some dvd's at Best Buy (with that $5 trade and save deal)and bought Spiderman (solid) and Spiderman 2 (perfect). But i didnt feel the need to buy 3. Maybe it's because it' shitty and bad but i had no interest in owning it just to complete the trilogy.
15. Most of my dubious purhcases were made when video stores hadn't quite made the transition from VHS to DVD. I would buy things that would have better off rented but were not readily available.
Also, I used to like the ritual of going DVD shopping weekly and would feel disappointed if there wasn't something released that week worth buying. I made some dubious purchases back then just to not walk out empty handed.
16. OMG, it's like you're looking into my SOUL!
17. JB mentioned in a podcast that, at one point, a DVD/movie collector has to stop being a library and give up on getting everything. I've reached that point... many times over... and over and over... and I'm still buying stuff (95% less than before but still, 5% on top of what I already have is a lot). Someone stop me! :-(
18. @Clint J - Your comment made me laugh out loud. As someone who saw Sky Captain on opening night, it will never ever be a collector's item or cult hit. You should use it as a test to see how far you can throw something.
@Sol O - Yes! We should start a support group.
@Anonymous - I'm FINALLY going to see Dark City for the first time next month at a Portage marathon. Can't wait to be disappointed, I guess????
@Darren - your mention of 'video stores' made me smile because it reminded me that I've bought a bunch of stuff at Blockbusters as they were closing and unloading inventory. A closing Blockbuster is one of the saddest places to be on Earth after a dying mall (watch commerce die) and a theater playing Les Miserables.
1. Oh yeah, the Death of Blockbuster and the resulting blowout sales landed a lot of shitty $3 blu-rays on my shelf. I really felt like a vulture in there, though I was a regular customer so I feel like I at least earned my spot at the carrion pile.
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: : : : : Marathon 2: Durandal
Fresh from your triumph on the starship Marathon, you are seized by the rogue computer Durandal to do his bidding in a distant part of the galaxy. Within the ruins of an ancient civilization, you must seek the remnants of a lost clan and uncover their long-buried secrets. Battle opponents ancient and terrible, with sophisticated weapons and devious strategies, all the while struggling to escape the alien nightmare....
Hardware Requirements
Minimum CPU Type: XT/Compatible
Minimum RAM Required: 4.1 MB
Graphics Type: SVGA
Graphics Resolution: Multiple Resolutions
Color Depth: 256 Colors
$ Compare Prices
0 want | 0 own
Marathon 2: Durandal mini icon
0 / 10
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http://www.neoseeker.com/Games/Products/Mac/marathon_2_durandal/
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Opening Act: Judgment Day
Reporting on Politics and Policy.
June 28 2012 8:12 AM
Opening Act: Judgment Day
A fact you did not need to know: The "Judgment Day" in the Terminator films, when Skynet went acting and started nuking the bejesus out of its creators, was actually fifteen years ago. In reality, computers connected the world in a massive internet, and we used it to send each other gifs of cats.
Also, I am basically back from my mandatory, invigorating "Fresca" leave. First drafts of a multi-part prog rock series are in. Back to politics -- on such a slow day, too.
Democrats burn up with outrage over Pennsylvania Rep. Mike Turzai bragging about Voter ID laws.
"Voter ID, which is going to allow Gov. Romney to win the state of Pennsylvania. Done."
The Republican leader's comments were seized upon by state Democrats and political bloggers on both sides of the spectrum.
This was said at a state GOP convention, so the way I hear it: "We've finally stanched the fraud, which was the only reason we ever lost Pennsylvania in close races." Conservative grassroots belief in voter fraud is widespread and intense, and home runs like James O'Keefe's ballot-prank videos reinforce that belief. Plus, this is Pennsylvania, where two assholes in New Black Panther garb at one polling place became the national symbols/evidence of dark Obamaian threats to white voters. (I've been to that polling place, by the way. Almost entirely black voters.)
Matt Taibbi talks about Tom Friedman the way that an Arcade Fire fan in 2004 talks about them when they win the Grammies.
Funny enough, Friedman is one of the few columnists that people quote to you when you leave the beltway. A year ago I was at the Aspen Ideas festival, watching Friedman speak to an overflowing ballroom of wealthy people, wowing them with ideas like Bowles/Simpson running on the Americans Elect ticket.
David Weigel is a Slate political reporter.
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Review: Focal Dimension Soundbar & Subwoofer
Sound bars offer a compromise for anyone who doesn’t want an elaborate setup with a receiver and five (or more) speakers placed around the living room. You’re not going to get the full surround experience that way, but the Focal Dimension sound bar is a truly spectacular alternative, offering outstanding clarity and more room-filling sound than any similar device I’ve used.
Focal is a French audio company known for its ultra high-end speakers but they also offer a well-regarded line of car audio systems and make the Sphear, an outstanding pair of in-ear monitors.
The Dimension is optimized for use with 50″ TV screens. It’s 45.5 inches wide and an amazingly thin 2.6 inches deep if you want to hang it under a wall-mounted set. There are five 3.9 inch speakers and six channels that put out 450 watts of power.
That sixth channel is there to power its optional subwoofer, which is designed to support your set and turn the unit into a soundbase. The subwoofer is excellent and this is absolutely the way you should go if you can place your set on a table.
The Dimension has a solid aluminum mono bloc chassis and its controls light up on the right side of the unit when you wave your hand over. That’s a nice touch.
You get a choice of four inputs. There’s an HDMI TV input for anyone with a recently-manfactured set that conforms to the ARC (Audio Return Channel) standard and an Optical input for a digital audio cable if your TV doesn’t have ARC. There’s a second HDMI input for Blu-ray, DVD or gaming consoles and an AUX/Analog connector for a Bluetooth adapter or audio cable (see below).
You get four switches to set your soundbar, based on whether it’s hanging or on a table, if you’re using Focal’s subwoofer or another brand (or none) and where it’s positioned in relation to your walls.
The remote is tiny and comes with those little blister controls like you’d expect from one of those Chinese knockoff brands like Coby. It’s a mystery as to why they chose to go this way for such a high-end piece of gear.
There’s a SYNC button to help align the sound if it’s out of sync with the image and a “Night” mode to tamp down huge spikes in the sound. You can also adjust the bass with the Bass button.
And….that’s it for settings. No “Movie” vs. “Sports” vs. “Enhanced Dialog” settings. You set the Dimension up for your room and there’s no fiddling afterwards.
Initial setup for the subwoofer is a giant pain because the included cable is just about exactly as long as it needs to be to connect to the soundbar and no longer. If it was just 5″ longer, setup wouldn’t be a hassle.
The Dimension also doesn’t come with built-in Bluetooth or AirPlay capabilities. You can add an apt-X Bluetooth adapter for $120 that plugs into the Aux/Analog port. The device will sit behind the subwoofer on your table and comes with a constantly blinking light. You may want to unplug it when you’re not using it, but that screws up your Bluetooth pairing. If you want to plug an iPod or other music player directly to the Dimension, you’ll have to use a long cable plugged into the Aux/Analog port. Focal says that Bluetooth isn’t built in to the unit because its aluminum frame would interfere with the signal, so the external unit is the only way to go.
That said, the Dimension aims to be a TV speaker, not an all-in-one home audio solution. If you really need Bluetooth connectivity, music sounds great. If you can afford one of these, though, you can probably also afford a separate music player.
Which brings us to the price. The Focal Dimension Soundbar/Subwoofer bundle sells for $1599.00 or you can get the Soundbar alone for $1399.00. Unless you’re absolutely determined to hang your soundbar on a wall, the subwoofer package is the way to go.
Once I spent some time with the Dimension, the setup issues were quickly forgotten. It’s loud enough to fill a room, there’s real clarity with the announcers vs. stadium noise while watching football, baseball and soccer. And the surround sound and bass effects sound fantastic when watching a movie like Jurassic World.
Can you buy a soundbar for $99 at Sam’s Club? Yes. Can you buy a very good soundbar for around $500? Absolutely. But the Focal Dimension is a truly spectacular speaker. If you’re shelling out big bucks on a home theater, skip the giant 4K TV this time, buy a really good 1080p LED and invest the money you save in one of these. It’ll be a couple of years before there’s enough 4K programming to really make a difference and you can upgrade your TV at a much lower price then and get a huge amount of enjoyment out of this soundbar for the next decade at least.
This is a great product, despite the remote and the fact that Bluetooth connectivity isn’t included. If you’re not going to rip up your TV room and install a true theater-quality surround system, this is an investment worth making.
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Pornokitsch A celebration of geeky pop culture | Reviews and discussion of books, movies, television, music, games and comics en-US 2016-10-21T14:15:00+01:00 Adam Kranz on "Fantasy needs more parasites" Despite a century of mining parasite ecology for inspiration, speculative fiction has barely scratched the surface on what parasites have to offer <p><a class="asset-img-link" href="" onclick=" this.href, '_blank', 'width=640,height=480,scrollbars=no,resizable=no,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0' ); return false"><img alt="(C) Christopher Taylor-Davies" border="0" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a00d8345295c269e201b8d22d72c3970c image-full img-responsive" src="" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="(C) Christopher Taylor-Davies" /></a>In 1998, Spanish neurologist Juan Gomez-Alonso caused a flurry of bad science journalism by speculating in an academic journal that <a href="" target="_blank">vampirism originated as a fictional extrapolation of human rabies</a>. The traits were all there. Hypersensitivity to strong stimuli, like bright lights, garlic, and mirrors. Insomnia. Hypersexuality. A tendency to bite, potentially killing their victims or passing on the condition. Furthermore, the peak of vampire fascination in Europe came soon after a well-documented epidemic of rabies in Hungary.</p> <p>If Gomez-Alonso’s speculation has any truth to it, vampirism is one of the earliest, and most influential, influences of parasite ecology on speculative fiction. But it’s far from unique. Since Dracula, parasites have been a steady source of inspiration of speculative fiction authors, especially in horror and scifi. Parasite ecology served as a catalogue of body horror grotesques for scifi B-movies. Many-toothed maws, mucilaginous worms crawling into orifices, and the skin-splitting chest-bursting emergence--and of course the perennial favorite, mind control--all made for great posters and memorable effects sequences.</p> <p><a class="asset-img-link" href="" onclick=" this.href, '_blank', 'width=640,height=480,scrollbars=no,resizable=no,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0' ); return false" style="float: right;"><img alt="Christopher Taylor-Davies" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a00d8345295c269e201bb0946b744970d img-responsive" src="" style="width: 240px; margin: 10px;" title="Christopher Taylor-Davies" /></a>That lurid, sensational approach has, however, curated a pretty limited palette for painting parasites, a palette that has shades of gross, hideous, terrifying, and the ceaseless urge to kill humans. Parasite actors can expect to be typecast into one of three well-established roles: the avatar of plague and death (a la Nosferatu); the ravenous monster with a limitless appetite for human flesh (like <em>Alien</em><span style="font-weight: 400;">’s Xenomorph); and the mind-controlling worm bent on world domination (eg Animorphs’ Yeerks).</span></p> <p>On the other hand, the recent movement toward gritty realism in fantasy has been constantly hectored about <a href="" target="_blank">its failure to depict the prevalence of everyday diseases like dysentery in medieval life</a>. This has always struck me as a bit unfair - there are, after all, dozens of vastly important elements of historical causality and daily life that authors habitually neglect. It is, I think, a consequence of the distinction we draw between “parasites” and “diseases” - the former large, wiggly and usually chitinous, the latter invisible, detectable only by symptomatic cough, fever, or flux. This is a colloquial misconception; they are all parasites, ecologically speaking: they spend much of their life cycles feeding inside their host’s body.</p> <p>Parasitism as a lifestyle spans the whole gamut, from whale-gut tapeworms to the brain-eating neti pot amoeba all the way down to the sub-viral-sized prions you catch when you eat too many human brains. Yet in fiction, macro-scale parasites have agency and imaginative flavor (even if that agency is restricted to willing a grotesque death to humans). Microbial parasites, on the other hand, are handled more like a status ailment than organisms, rarely taken as an opportunity to enrich the story world with wondrous and fateful creatures.</p> <p><a class="asset-img-link" href="" onclick=" this.href, '_blank', 'width=640,height=480,scrollbars=no,resizable=no,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0' ); return false" style="float: left;"><img alt="Christopher Taylor-Davies" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a00d8345295c269e201b7c8a3a133970b img-responsive" src="" style="width: 240px; margin: 10px;" title="Christopher Taylor-Davies" /></a>Despite a century of mining parasite ecology for inspiration, speculative fiction has barely scratched the surface on what parasites have to offer. This was, for a while, an error of ignorance - ecology has only recently discovered the scope of what parasitic organisms do in ecosystems. Because parasitism is an unusually efficient lifestyle (hard to be more of a couch potato than living inside your food), parasites have undergone an astonishing diversification into a huge array of bizarre and particular niches. Many dramatically alter host sexual biology and behavior, or cause monstrous disfiguration. Others migrate between several very different hosts, <a href="" target="_blank">transforming beyond recognition each time</a>. There are even parasites that feed only on other parasites. These are some of the most peculiar stories in ecology, still an untapped well of inspiration for fantasists.</p> <p>Even a quick look at parasite ecology unravels the B-movie monster stereotype. The specificity of parasite biology means they’re highly discerning feeders. Moreover, when a parasite “zombifies” its host and alters its behavior to suit its own ends, it does so for a pretty good and specific reason (like hitching a ride to a midsummer orgy), not just for eating.</p> <p>Parasitism is only one form of symbiosis, and defining a symbiont as a parasite depends on a negative effect that in some cases can be quite hard to prove. The human gut microbiome is the leading edge of the cultural rehabilitation of microbial symbionts, popularizing the idea that human health depends on “good germs” to exclude pathogens. Yet it’s somewhat misleading to categorize symbionts even at the species level. <a href="" target="_blank">Ed Yong explains this eloquently</a><span style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="" target="_blank">:</a></span></p> <blockquote> <p>In reality, bacteria exist along a continuum of lifestyles. If they do us harm, we describe them as parasites or pathogens. If they exist neutrally, we call them commensals. If they benefit us, we bill them as mutualists. But these are hardly fixed categories. Some microbes can slide from one end of this parasite-mutualist spectrum to the other, depending on the strain and on the host they find themselves in. . . . All of this means that labels like mutualist, commensal, pathogen or parasite don’t work as definitive badges of identity. These terms are more like states of being, like hungry or awake or alive, or behaviours like cooperating or fighting. They are adjectives and verbs rather than nouns. They describe how two partners relate to one another at a given time and place.</p> </blockquote> <p>This ecological contingency may not be necessary for a simple slasher film, but it introduces a sort of nuance that dovetails beautifully with the current wave of post-Grimdark epic fantasy. Following Martin, this trend derives much of its MO from history, following characters through the machinations of complex social and magical systems. This historical approach also rectifies the tendency to present parasites as sudden, ahistorical intrusions. It’s typical to make such parasites “alien” even when there’s no clear reason to do so. The problem is that parasites aren’t aberrant - their absence is. Parasites are everywhere, and their life cycles structure practically everything about life on our planet - they are, almost inevitably, deeply woven into the patterns of power and influence epic fantasy is increasingly interested in depicting.</p> <p><a class="asset-img-link" href="" onclick=" this.href, '_blank', 'width=640,height=480,scrollbars=no,resizable=no,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0' ); return false" style="float: right;"><img alt="Christopher Taylor-Davies" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a00d8345295c269e201b8d22d72cd970c img-responsive" src="" style="width: 240px; margin: 10px;" title="Christopher Taylor-Davies" /></a>Though small individually, parasites often equal predators in terms of total biomass. And they’re arguably far more influential. <a href="" target="_blank">Parasites thread together major links in the ecosystem</a>. That predators tend to kill the old and sick among their prey is a pattern I’ve heard so many times that it never occurred to me to question it. But when you learn that it’s rather common for parasites to require time in the body of the predator and the prey (cat and mouse; <a href="" target="_blank">bird and fish</a><span style="font-weight: 400;">; <a href="" target="_blank">mantis and mayfly</a></span>), that they would engage in sinister biochemical puppeteering seems inevitable.</p> <p>Indeed, there is plenty of evidence that many parasites endanger their hosts not just by weakening them, but by directing them to particular situations <a href="" target="_blank">in which they’re likely to be eaten by the parasite’s next host</a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. Science journalism loves to term these interactions “zombification,” but mirroring that back to speculative fiction is a travesty of unimaginativeness. There’s so much potential here! After all, up to 50% of the human population may have </span><em>Toxoplasma</em>, a parasite that has been tentatively shown to alter personality, motor skills, and suicide risk in humans, <a href="" target="_blank">but that doesn’t make us mindless</a>.</p> <p><a class="asset-img-link" href="" onclick=" this.href, '_blank', 'width=640,height=480,scrollbars=no,resizable=no,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0' ); return false" style="float: left;"><img alt="Christopher Taylor-Davies" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a00d8345295c269e201b7c8a3a13d970b img-responsive" src="" style="width: 240px; margin: 10px;" title="Christopher Taylor-Davies" /></a>Of all the weird things about parasite ecology, sex and reproduction are probably the most compelling. In order to favor investment in their goals over host reproduction, parasites often chemically castrate their hosts. Some parasites co-opt the host’s reproductive system more directly, like the barnacle that makes male crabs inject its eggs instead of sperm - <a href="" target="_blank">which are then cared for by the female as if they were her babies</a> - an astonishingly direct mirror of the changeling baby trope, given how recently this phenomenon was documented. In social insects, parasitic castration changes how individuals relate to their nestmates, <a href="" target="_blank">enabling social mobility and creating novel sex roles</a>.</p> <p>These processes can be brutal, and they’re often a total loss for host animals, but we now take a more enthusiastic view to sexual nonconformity. As long as we’re careful to avoid using parasitism to convey monstrousness in the execution, I think they could inspire a whole world of imaginative queer worldbuilding. Personally I’m hoping for a domestic drama about a nest of paper wasps living through the changing social and reproductive roles imposed on them by the flies in their abdomens.</p> <p>A few works have started integrating a broader, more naturalistic perspective on parasite ecology into fantasy. <em><a href="" target="_blank">Mushishi</a></em>, the gold standard in fantasy ecology, is premised on creating dozens of these little life cycles, half natural history and half folkloric fancy. In a sense, I wrote this piece because I want to see more things like <em>Mushishi</em>. There’s also a message and an opportunity here. Despite their importance as architects of ecosystems, parasites are neglected and even denigrated as targets of conservation. When endangered animals are bred in captivity and reintroduced to the wild, their parasites are often killed as a matter of course, seen not as a part of their host’s ecosystem role but a hindrance to it. While it’s not fair to blame speculative fiction entirely for this image problem, it certainly hasn’t helped. But it could. A few good stories with empathetic and compelling portrayals of parasites could make a world of difference in <a href="" target="_blank">the conservation of real parasites and the ecosystems they structure</a>.</p> <p>----</p> <p><a href="" target="_blank">Adam Kranz</a> is a graduate student in insect ecology at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. He writes about fantasy, games, postmodernism, and environmental history.</p> <p>Art by <a href="" target="_blank">Christopher Taylor-Davies</a> (<a href="" target="_blank">@CTD</a>)</p> <p>Does your iPhone need more parasites? <a href="" target="_blank">You can find them in the iTunes store.</a></p> Fantasy Featured Guests Science Fiction Spurious Theories GuestKitsch 2016-10-21T14:15:00+01:00 This Thursday... The Extinction Event! Thursday evening we're having a welcome party for The Extinction Event and a farewell to Jurassic London. <p><a class="asset-img-link" href="" onclick=" this.href, '_blank', 'width=640,height=480,scrollbars=no,resizable=no,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0' ); return false" style="float: right;"><img alt="6a00d8345295c269e201b7c89e8d77970b-300wi" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a00d8345295c269e201bb09445d04970d img-responsive" src="" style="width: 240px; margin: 10px;" title="6a00d8345295c269e201b7c89e8d77970b-300wi" /></a>Thursday evening we're having a welcome party for <em>The Extinction Event</em> and a farewell to Jurassic London. Please join us and many of the book's contributors from 7 pm at the <a href="" target="_blank">Yorkshire Grey (London, WC1X)</a> to give the book/press the welcome/goodbye it deserves!</p> <p><a href="" target="_blank">Facebook event, if you like to RSVPing.</a></p> <p>There are very few copies of <em>The Extinction Event</em> unclaimed. I<span style="text-decoration: underline;">t is very unlikely that there will be any left for sale on the night</span>, so if you are interested in this special edition, 150-copy-only, never to be reprinted or ebooked, rather stately monolith of a book... <a href="" target="_blank">you should probably order it now</a>.</p> <p><a href="" target="_blank">The table of contents, details and more pretty pictures can all be found here.</a></p> Announcements Jurassic London Stuff Happening Jared 2016-10-17T15:15:00+01:00 From tiny acorns... the growth of Giant Days Who on earth would have thought that a monthly comic book about the goings on at a small English university would ever be a big hit? But it is. <p><a class="asset-img-link" href="" onclick=" this.href, '_blank', 'width=640,height=480,scrollbars=no,resizable=no,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0' ); return false"><img alt="Giant Days" border="0" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a00d8345295c269e201b7c89514fd970b image-full img-responsive" src="" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Giant Days" /></a></p> <p>Most media artifacts come to the public fully formed, the creative process long since edited away or consigned to the rubbish bin. With comic books that process has typically been more open to the public. For starters, when following a long-running series over a number of years, you can see how characters and concepts grow and change in time. If the series has the same creative team you may also see how an artist’s style or a writer’s craft develops as they gain experience.</p> <p>As the comics market matured, the desire for original art pieces and the practice of including supplementary material like writer’s scripts in comics or graphic novels allowed fans to see exactly how the sausage was made. An excellent recent example of our ability to trace the organic growth of a concept over different iterations is the series <em>Giant Days</em>, originally created, written and drawn by John Allison and later drawn by Lissa Treiman for the first six issues of its current run being published by Boom!.</p> <p><em> <a class="asset-img-link" href="" onclick=" this.href, '_blank', 'width=640,height=480,scrollbars=no,resizable=no,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0' ); return false"><img alt="Giant Days" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a00d8345295c269e201b7c895147e970b img-responsive" src="" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Giant Days" /></a></em></p> <p><em>Giant Days</em> was first published in 2011. A small press spinoff of the ongoing webcomic <em>Scary Go </em><em>Round</em>, Allison created <em>Giant Day</em>s during a crisis of confidence after ending <em>Scary Go Round</em> proper and beginning its now successor, the supernatural teen detective series <em>Bad Machinery</em>. However, the actual creation of some of the characters featured in the original three issues of <em>Giant Days</em> goes back many years earlier. Esther de Groot, for instance, first appeared, unnamed, way back in September 2004 as an angry goth gatekeeper type.</p> <p class="p1">Five months later, Esther got a name in a strip from January 2005 and from there she appeared with increasing frequency as unlikely love interest to Eustace ‘The Boy’ Boyce. From those early appearances both Esther’s character and Allison’s art style have developed immensely. The early <em>Scary Go Round</em>, while showing all the weird promise of Allison’s later work, was undeniably... rough around the edges.</p> <p><a class="asset-img-link" href="" onclick=" this.href, '_blank', 'width=640,height=480,scrollbars=no,resizable=no,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0' ); return false" style="float: right;"><img alt="Giant Days" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a00d8345295c269e201bb093883c8970d img-responsive" src="" style="width: 240px; margin: 10px;" title="Giant Days" /></a>By the time <em>Scary Go Round</em> ends, Esther and The Boy have gone from occasional subplot to full on supporting characters. It makes sense, therefore, that Esther would be considered for the breakout spinoff treatment. Like so many spinoffs, however, a popular character, change of location and new supporting cast doesn’t necessarily make a surefire hit.</p> <p>Allison’s first three issues of Giant Days have Esther de Groot leaving Tackleford to attend the slightly less fictional University of Sheffield where she meets committed chainsmoker Susan Ptolemy and the homeschooled Daisy Wooton.</p> <p>Unfortunately Allison falls into the classic trap of the TV spinoff: Esther is the star and the rest of the cast don’t really have much to do. Having worked on/with Esther for so long it’s understandable that Allison sticks with her as a comfortable and known quantity, but keeping the focus on Esther leaves the stories imbalanced. While Esther uses her immense boxing skills to take down a coven of prefects and almost gets inducted into a black metal cult, Susan and Daisy are left with the rather more mundane stories of joining Indie Soc or going jogging, talking about Esther all the while.</p> <p>There’s still plenty to enjoy in these early issues, not least the fact that Allison’s art style has by this time vastly improved over his work of nearly a decade earlier. The first issue is presented, I expect because of printing costs, in blue scale. The artwork is still quite spiky and has a scruffy, sketchy quality. By the third issue of <em>Giant Days</em> the artwork has already become smoother and rounder and the choice to go full colour gives the stories a greater range of expression and brings the characters more fully to life.</p> <p><a class="asset-img-link" href="" onclick=" this.href, '_blank', 'width=640,height=480,scrollbars=no,resizable=no,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0' ); return false"><img alt="5053660029_f27f63cd8e" border="0" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a00d8345295c269e201bb09388430970d img-responsive" src="" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="5053660029_f27f63cd8e" /></a></p> <p>Fast forward three years - and, I'm sure, a lot of networking, stressful meetings and planning - and <em>Giant Day</em>s is put out as a monthly comic book by Boom! publishers. Allison retains writing duties and is joined for the initial run by Lissa Treiman illustrating, with Whitney Cogar and Jim Campbell on colours and letters respectively. Allison makes the brave choice to keep his original, self-published (and largely unavailable) works totally in continuity with a one page flashback catching readers up.</p> <p><a class="asset-img-link" href="" onclick=" this.href, '_blank', 'width=640,height=480,scrollbars=no,resizable=no,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0' ); return false" style="float: right;"><img alt="Giant days 02.5" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a00d8345295c269e201bb093883d6970d img-responsive" src="" style="width: 240px; margin: 10px;" title="Giant Days" /></a>While this makes sense in some ways, there is a definite tonal shift in the series. Allison moves away from some of the more supernatural or surreal elements of his early issues and focuses instead on something closer to Channel 4's <em>Fresh Meat</em>, but with fewer jokes about masturbation. The drinking and smoking may have also been toned down (understandably for a mainstream U.S. comic book) but this doesn't damage Allison's ability to accurately represent uni life. In fact, if there's anyone better at writing realistic young men and women in comics, I haven't seen them. Allison also manages to iron out the early character imbalance by giving Susan and Daisy convincing and interesting plots of their own and shifting Esther's role down to an equal level. Susan’s fight against ‘lad’ culture and Daisy’s experiences with drug use are particular highlights.</p> <p>The real sea change is the addition of other creators into what had until now been Allison's solo project. Lissa Treiman's artwork is larger and more open than Allison's, with big eyes and expressive, mobile faces that are appropriate for an artist that had previously worked in Disney animation. Extra humour is added with expansive, over the top faces and bodies, warping and growing to exaggerate emotions when needed.</p> <p>The colouring and lettering, too, add to the humour of the title. When Daisy takes some pills in a club the colours take on a psychedelic rainbow quality and when the characters all catch freshers' flu a snotty '3 Days Later' really succinctly captures the onset of a phlegmy cold.</p> <p>While Allison’s writing is full of all the snark and sarcasm you’d want from a Britteen drama, Treiman’s art adds a more innocent, cartoony air that balances out the humour of the book.</p> <p><a class="asset-img-link" href="" onclick=" this.href, '_blank', 'width=640,height=480,scrollbars=no,resizable=no,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0' ); return false"><img alt="Giant Days" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a00d8345295c269e201bb093883e1970d img-responsive" src="" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Giant Days" /></a></p> <p><em>Giant Days</em> is very much the little series that could. A spinoff title for a secondary character from a web comic which, while popular, isn't one of the ones that many people have heard of, especially back in 2004. About half a decade later, <em>Giant Days</em> was born only as a backup in case <em>Bad Machinery</em> flopped and almost never saw the light of day at all.</p> <p>Even when it was picked up by Boom!, <em>Giant Days</em> was only planned as a miniseries. But due to the popularity of its first issues, the series was extended and then finally made a ongoing title. Its popularity is a testament to the skills of those who work on it, because who on earth would have thought that a monthly comic book about the goings on at a small English university would ever be a big hit? But it is.</p> <p>It was by returning to this concept as his skills as a writer and artist grew that Allison made this series work and finding the right people to collaborate on it with him that made it a success. Which goes to show, I guess, that no one knows where the next big hit might come from; maybe it's time you dusted off that old story or script that's been sitting at the back of a cupboard for years and give it another go, after all, there could be giant days ahead.</p> <p>P.S. Many thanks to the people at the <a href="" target="_blank">Tackleford Wikia</a>, without which this article would have taken <em>much</em> longer to research.</p> Comics Reviews Young Adult Jamie 2016-10-13T11:15:00+01:00 Fiction: "Grave-Worms" by Molly Tanzer “I have a desire,” he said, turning to face her. <p><a class="asset-img-link" href="" onclick=" this.href, '_blank', 'width=640,height=480,scrollbars=no,resizable=no,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0' ); return false"><img alt="Graveworms_final_clay_300dpi_jpg" border="0" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a00d8345295c269e201bb09401f96970d image-full img-responsive" src="" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Graveworms_final_clay_300dpi_jpg" /></a>The grey flannel suit might have looked masculine on the rack, or on another woman, but the close cut of the cloth, and the way the expensive fabric skimmed over the lines of her straight, slender figure was intensely, wholly feminine. If you saw her from behind, you might have thought she looked frail, or saint-like with her close-cropped hair—but when she turned, the determination that shone brightly from the grey eyes almost lost behind her long black lashes was anything but fragile.</p> <p>Or innocent.</p> <p>That evening, she had worn no earrings, little makeup, low heels; her charcoal blouse was without detail. Her only adornment was a wisp of a silk scarf knotted at her birdlike throat, grey as well, but suggesting to the viewer the idea of violet. She looked as though she had thoughtlessly thrown the outfit together—but really, she had dressed very, very carefully. She was meeting Roy Irving for dinner at Delmonico’s, to discuss business, and other things.</p> <p>Their first meeting had been a chance encounter at the mayor’s fund-raising event, where they alone had objected to the statue the city wanted to erect in front of the courthouse, feeling it was far too abstract to represent something as absolute, as concrete as ‘justice’. His determination had made her keen to see him a second time. After their spirited if whispered discussion about the utter inappropriateness of lions drinking with jackals she had asked him to dinner, surprising him… but he had agreed readily enough. She had seen his arousal when his pupils had dilated, darkening almost to invisibility the piercing ice blue of his irises.</p> <p>He looked like that now. The Lobster Newberg and steak and talk of bottom lines had excited him, as had her declining champagne or the good house red in favor of a double Laphroaig with a bit of water. “Scotch and steak,” he had said. “You’re a woman after my own heart, Ms. Calder.”</p> <p>“Docia,” she said, not dropping his gaze. “If we’re to be business associates, we should be on a first name basis. Don’t you think?”</p> <p>“At the very least.”</p> <p>If there had been any suggestiveness in his tone she would have instantly dismissed the possibility of whatever he might be suggesting, but the frankness of his desire stoked her own. She withdrew a cigarette from her silver case and lighted it off the candle at the center of the table.</p> <p>“At the very least, <em>Roy</em>,” she agreed, and exhaled another swaddling layer of grey.</p> <p>Delmonico’s was nearly empty that night, but though it was nine in the evening on a Friday, Docia was not surprised. A strange lethargy had claimed New York of late, slowly but undeniably. She did not know when it had begun, or when exactly she had noticed it, but <em>something</em> had changed. People, when they braved the streets, looked furtive, nervous, and hurried about their affairs without stopping to greet acquaintances in the street.</p> <p>Docia Calder was not the kind of woman who believed in bogeymen, but just the same, it made her uneasy. The shift seemed sinister, though to believe that meant she must believe there was some intention or plan behind it all, and that she could not credit.</p> <p>She and Roy lingered over their food, savoring it—though she could not help but notice it lacked the same flavor as she usually expected. Perhaps that meant she was the problem—even the scotch tasted less potent on her tongue. She decided to put it to the test, and order dessert. If there was one reliable thing in New York, it was Delmonico’s Baked Alaska.</p> <p>“Don’t have it tonight,” said the young waiter, almost rudely. He seemed bored.</p> <p>Docia was astonished. “This is Delmonico’s,” she said, as if he might not be aware of where he was. “You always have Baked Alaska. It’s your signature dessert.”</p> <p>“Sorry. Coffee?” he asked.</p> <p>“No… just the check.” The waiter slouched off without pressing the issue. “I’ve never seen anything like it,” she mused. “Everyone here is usually so good. Do you think Delmonico’s is going downhill… or is it something else?”</p> <p>Roy shrugged. “Have you found the Yellow Sign?” he asked.</p> <p>“Don’t say that!”</p> <p>He looked surprised by her outburst. “I’m very sorry,” he said curiously.</p> <p>“No, I’m sorry… I don’t like that expression.” These days, everyone said it, but it made her feel queer. “Where did it come from? Why did we begin saying it?” She shook her head. “What exactly does it mean?”</p> <p>“I suppose I’m not really sure. I don’t think anyone knows, really.”</p> <p>“It seems like… when I hear it, I feel like lying down… shutting the curtains, locking the door… going to sleep.”</p> <p>“Maybe we just need to get out of here.”</p> <p>The fresh air made her feel better. Though the streets were less busy than they should be, the city was still ablaze with light. Docia had matched Roy drink for drink at dinner, but it was only the sight of countless sparkling electric pinpoints against the dark heavens that made her feel drunk. She reeled, giddy. The sky was obscure, stars and moon invisible behind cloudbanks reflecting groundlight, and for a moment, Docia imagined the lights of the city were the stars; the skyscrapers, galaxies. But that was not the case—no human hand had made those stars and galaxies, but every I-beam, every sheet of glass, every brick and block and sheet of stone had been made with human hands out of strong materials and stronger human will.</p> <p>She knew then that she shouldn’t worry. Nothing could break the city’s spirit. Nothing could make it lie down.</p> <p>Lost in these thoughts, when she stepped down off the curb she stumbled—but he had her by the elbow, by the waist. She had not realized how tall he was, six feet at least, broad across the shoulders but narrow at the hip.</p> <p>“Let me drive you home,” he murmured, his square chin brushing her earlobe.</p> <p>“Whose home?” she asked carelessly.</p> <p>He threw his head back and laughed, a terrifying laugh, free and loud, the laugh of a living god… but she fell into his arms without any fear at all.</p> <p style="text-align: center;">* * *</p> <p>They met many times after that, but regardless of whether their encounters were in her office, or his bed, or her bed, or his office, she found them intensely arousing. Not that their lovemaking interfered with her ability to work; no, rather, her body’s response to his presence heightened her awareness, fine-tuned her senses, made her mind sharper. She drove a harder bargain than she would have if they’d never once touched hands, lips, more. He treated her with humor and distain in equal measure, and she admired him for it, responded yet more eagerly when they were alone and his hand found her bottom with a sharp smack, or his lips her body with a bruising intensity that left her shuddering, satisfied, and yet wanting him more.</p> <p>That, in particular, was the most natural thing in the world, this they agreed on. As captains of industry, they were neither of them ever satisfied with what they had. They wanted <em>more</em>, always more, be it profits, side-ventures, workers, productivity, or product. They desired.</p> <p>“To desire is to live, and to live is to desire,” she claimed, lying naked on his bed, the imprints of his belt still pink against the whiter flesh of her wrists, their mingled sweat stinging her bitten upper lip. He was standing naked at the window of his penthouse apartment, his prize-fighter’s profile and taught muscular buttocks silvered by the lights of the city beyond. “To give up one is to give up the other.”</p> <p>“I have a desire,” he said, turning to face her.</p> <p>She propped herself up on her elbows. “Name it.”</p> <p>He walked to his bureau, and opening the top drawer, withdrew an envelope. He tossed it on the bed at her feet.</p> <p>“An invitation,” he said, as she withdrew two stiff, creamy squares of cardstock. “Two, actually… to a cocktail party.”</p> <p>“Delightful!”</p> <p>“It’s… being hosted by Fulvius Elbreth.”</p> <p>“The theatre critic?” she asked, resisting the impulse to cast the invitations away like poisonous snakes.</p> <p>“The same.”</p> <p>“But Roy… don’t you know what he is? What he stands for?” She shivered. “What he stands <em>against</em>?”</p> <p>“Oh, I know. But Irving Properties, Inc. donated to the Tribune, and… well, no good deed goes unpunished. They’re thanking all the donors with a party.”</p> <p>Suddenly cold, Docia got up to retrieve her Japanese silk robe from where it lay on the floor of his penthouse, crumpled, like a flower after a rainstorm. “Oh, Roy,” she said, shrugging into it, “I don’t know. The man is…”</p> <p>“I know. Which is why I’m begging you not to make me go alone.”</p> <p>“Don’t go at all!”</p> <p>“You know I can’t do that.”</p> <p>“Why not?” She stood with her legs straight and apart, as if braced to withstand some impact, chin defiantly thrust forward. “What is stopping you?”</p> <p>“It’s all part of being businessmen—forgive me, business<em>people</em>.” He bowed. Ordinarily, she would have smiled, but the specter of Fulvius Elbreth had made her somber. “Sometimes we have to do things we don’t want to do.”</p> <p>“But to be seen with Fulvius Elbreth! To lend him and his ideas credit with your presence! Don’t you remember him, from the city council meeting? He was the most vocal advocate of that statue of ‘Justice,’ the one you and I agreed was a mockery of the very idea!”</p> <p>“I remember, but—”</p> <p>“Roy, the man once said, under the guise of reviewing <em>Hamlet</em>, that America would be better off as an imperial dynasty. Why? Because a king relies on his subjects, and thus feels beholden to them, will work to help them better themselves—but elected officials only rely on businesspeople, who in turn rely on no one, and thus feel beholden to help no one but their bottom line.” She shook her head, sending her tumbled locks tumbling in all directions. “A man who thinks a king’s whimsical largesse—the returning of amorphous favors—is better for the world than someone like <em>me</em>? Someone who pays my workers a fair wage for the work they do—a wage meaning <em>money</em>, the best, most objective indicator of approval anyone can give another human? What sort of man cares for patronage over fairness? I cannot—no, I will not make small talk with someone who believes such… dangerous nonsense.”</p> <p>“Not even for me?”</p> <p>She hesitated. She was not used to hesitating—to hesitate was to feel uncertainty, and she had always known what to do, and what was right, on both an instinctive level and a conscious one. It was right to be honest. To be forthright. To give her approval of only what should be approved. That Roy Irving, whom she had assumed shared her highest values, would ask her so casually to disavow them—and treat that disavowal as nothing, but a part of the cost of doing business… it troubled her, made her wonder if she had erred in agreeing to partner with this man, in any of the many ways that they had.</p> <p>And yet, she felt her own will soften as he looked at her, his expression one of playful amusement. He was just a lover engaged in lover’s banter…</p> <p>“All right,” she sighed.</p> <p>“Think about it this way,” he said, slipping his hand under the collar of her robe, to grasp the flesh beneath. “It’s an opportunity to show Fulvius Elbreth that we’re better than kings.”</p> <p style="text-align: center;">* * *</p> <p>The city seemed yet darker the night of the party. The lights she could see from her office seemed fewer, dimmer. She gazed down at the city below, and shuddered, feeling a sense of unnamable dread.</p> <p>What, she wondered, did it mean? What might it foretell?</p> <p>She shook her head. She might as well ask herself, <em>have you found the Yellow Sign?</em></p> <p>The answer would be the same.</p> <p>Knowing she would not have time to go home, Docia had ordered her secretary to bring her dress to her office. With everything pressed and laid out, Docia mixed herself a Manhattan and began to change. Usually, Docia’s office was where she felt most comfortable, but that night, as she got herself ready, she turned on all the lights, feeling as if the darkness was leaking in around the windowpanes, reaching into her very heart. She found she wished she’d told Louise to fetch her anything other than a little black dress—Docia rarely wore color, even for the gayest occasions, but that night, her selection seemed dreary.</p> <p>She had just fastened the clasp of her necklace when Roy knocked. Startled, she cried out, turning too quickly and knocking over the Manhattan. The crystal shattered into jagged stars as the burgundy fluid soaked into the rug. She swore, reaching for something to mop it all up.</p> <p>“You alright?” Roy asked, finding her on her hands and knees.</p> <p>“I spilled my drink when you knocked. I guess I’m a little on edge.”</p> <p>“Funny, you never seemed like the type to be frightened of a party,” he teased, helping her to her feet and then helping her heavy black pea coat. Two princess seams running down the back, cinching the waist ever so slightly, were the garment’s only concession to femininity.</p> <p>“How can a woman so comfortable in a boardroom be uncomfortable in a living room? We’ll laugh about it later, you know.”</p> <p>“Of course. It’s just… haven’t you noticed? The city, I mean?”</p> <p>It was the first time she had spoken to him about it. He looked at her strangely, and though the room was warm she felt a chill. He obviously had not noticed anything amiss.</p> <p>Was it the city? Or was it her?</p> <p>“It must just be the shorter days,” she said, as lightly as she could.</p> <p>He relaxed. “I know what you mean,” he said. “I always feel a bit down in the autumn. But, a few bad drinks and some small talk with the moochers and the looters ought to cheer us up, don’t you think? Come, let us go be despised by those who do less in a month than we do in a day. And then later,” he whispered something in her ear that certainly gave her something to look forward to.</p> <p>She needed it. The party was not fun. It was full of the sort of self-proclaimed intellectual she instinctively despised, women in heavy eyeliner with artistic pretensions and too many necklaces; men with moist, flabby lips and badly-cut double breasted suits. They spoke of politics and art as if they knew anything about either.</p> <p>For as long as possible, Docia floated amongst these people, saying as little as possible and trying to listen less. Really, she was most concerned with avoiding Fulvius Elbreth. She knew him from his picture in the <em>Trib</em>, though in real life his chin was weaker. Unlike her, he was clearly in his element, enjoying everyone’s company, listening to what they had to say and responding with his own delightfully pithy <em>bons mots</em>, as light and frothy as egg white on a Ramos Gin Fizz—and just as insubstantial.</p> <p>She was refreshing her drink at the bar when she overheard the critic remark that abstraction was the only acceptable form of artistic expression in the modern age. In spite of herself, she ambled over, curious to hear what he had to say on the matter.</p> <p>“Representational art is pure arrogance,” he said to a group of vapid-looking men and women. “The act of representing a thing is to claim one knows a thing, and nothing is knowable. Only in abstraction can we truly show reality; only when we admit our own lack of rationality can we approach a subject with any real intelligence.” Docia was the only one not nodding her agreement. He noticed.</p> <p>“You disagree?” His tone was lighthearted, but she could feel the insincerity behind it.</p> <p>“I’m not sure I even understand what you mean,” she said. “Plenty of things are knowable.”</p> <p>“Like what?”</p> <p>She silently cursed herself for engaging with him. What had she been thinking? Her sole hope for the party had been to get away without being introduced to her host, and yet here she was.</p> <p>“Like… this drink.” She held it aloft. “It is bourbon. In a glass.”</p> <p>“But—forgive me—neither you, while beautiful, nor that bourbon, while tasty, are art.” He smiled. She did not return the expression.</p> <p>“Now, if I were watching a play, and you appeared, bourbon in hand, and had this conversation with my character… why, how realistic it would be! Two individuals having a conversation at a party, how natural! How representational! But what would it mean?”</p> <p>“It would mean we were having a conversation.”</p> <p>“Ah—but why? To what end? If we were having this conversation, but upon the stage, the audience would wonder what my motivation is for saying what I am saying—for beginning the conversation at all, really. They’d consider how what I wore, what I drank, and most especially what I said illuminated my character—and they would analyze how your reaction revealed your own. But, of course, all real people contain multitudes. No author can truly represent a person; that is why I say it is arrogant to pretend it is possible. But, an abstraction… that is a different matter. Through <em>abstraction</em>, we are able to nestle closer to the truth, for abstraction deals with ideas rather than realities.”</p> <p>“That’s ridiculous,” declared Docia, ignoring the snickers and titters of the group. “I’m sorry, but I can’t share in your nihilism.” Elbreth snapped his fingers. “We’ve met before,” he said. “I remember you, from that meeting with the mayor. You hated the new statue of Justice, claimed it was a travesty to erect anything other than a blind woman with scales and sword.”</p> <p>“Justice is blindfolded, for She is objective. Justice carries a sword, double-edged to represent reason and justice. Her scales show us that cases will be weighed. To replace those symbols with something else, something <em>lesser</em>, impugns everyone employed by the city, and does nothing to reassure suppliants who go there seeking fair treatment. That <em>thing</em> you endorsed doesn’t say anything to anyone about what really goes on inside a courtroom!”</p> <p>“I didn’t realize there was really a goddess incarnate living at 60 Centre Street.” Elbreth chuckled. “Or is it possible your darling Lady Justice is also… an abstraction?”</p> <p>Docia stalked off, as embarrassed as she was furious. She was not accustomed to being verbally outfenced, especially by those who spoke glibly of their dislike of reason and their abandonment of rationality.</p> <p>He had known what she meant, but twisted her words to mean something else—the hallmark of the second-rater. A thing was what it was, and to claim otherwise was to deny reason and logic; or, in other words, the faculties that distinguished humans from animals—what gave mankind purpose, and for that matter, culture.</p> <p>These thoughts comforted her, but she still needed some air, to get away from these people. Not seeing Roy anywhere in the crowd, she headed for the balcony. Another woman was out there, smoking a cigarette. Docia nodded politely, but otherwise ignored her as she stared down at the city below.</p> <p>Was it just her imagination, or was it even dimmer than before she had entered Fulvius Elbreth’s apartment? The stars were still masked by flat cloudbanks, invisible, obscure, far away. It occurred to her that she could not recall the last time she had seen them…</p> <p>She sighed, leaning against the balcony. If only she’d been thinking faster, she would have suggested Elbreth come out with her, put his weight against the balustrade, testing its truth—it would hold, whether he believed it would, or not. And even if he personally felt an abstraction of a banister was more valuable, especially on the stage, Juliet would likely feel more secure with a railing designed by man, and forged of iron, between her and Romeo.</p> <p>“Don’t let them bother you.”</p> <p>“I beg your pardon?” Docia turned to face the small woman beside her. The first thing she noticed were the woman’s eyes, huge and dark and expressive. As to what they expressed, it was intense determination, a single-mindedness of purpose Docia immediately admired. Her confident posture, sensible, side-parted bob and tailored suit gave Docia confidence that she was standing with someone who would not tolerate any nonsense.</p> <p>“I said, don’t let them bother you. They are beneath your notice.” She had a clipped, aristocratic accent when she spoke. Docia couldn’t identify it, but she thought it might be European. “Their goals are not yours.”</p> <p>“I suppose not.”</p> <p>“You are a businesswoman. A creator. Creators think.” Her darkly- lipsticked mouth contorted around the butt of a half-smoked cigarette; she blew out smoke, and smiled. “They are independent, they follow their own reason to the end. Critics… they are not creators. They are destroyers. No—they are less than destroyers, for a destroyer must possess the will to destroy, which means possessing purpose. They—those in there, I mean—are mere grave-worms. They feast on that which is already dead.”</p> <p>Docia was a little uncomfortable with this bold speech. While she admired the woman’s convictions, both the content and the way she delivered them, her familiarity was a little disturbing. She spoke as if she and Docia had been friends for a long time, whereas to the best of Docia’s knowledge, she’d never seen the woman before in her life.</p> <p>“Have we met?” asked Docia. “I’m sorry if I don’t recall, but…”</p> <p>“I know who you are—what you do. I know why you needed air after being in there, with those people. Would you like a cigarette?”</p> <p>“I would <em>love</em> a cigarette,” said Docia, and accepted one from the woman’s pack. They were of a type she had never seen before, she didn’t recognize the package, but upon inhaling the smoke Docia declared it was the most delicious cigarette she’d ever tasted.</p> <p>“Yes,” was the woman’s only response, and finishing her own, she flicked the butt off the balcony. As it fluttered away in the breeze, the strangely yellow ember was the brightest light for miles.</p> <p>“It seems darker, don’t you think? The city, I mean,” said Docia.</p> <p>For some reason, she felt this woman, strange though she was, would understand.</p> <p>“Darker? Yes… it is.” The woman turned to Docia, who felt as if she might drown in those starless pools. “Do you know why?”</p> <p>“No…” Docia felt a queer prickling at the back of her neck. “Do you?”</p> <p>“Me?” The woman laughed. “What’s the fashionable expression? Have you found the Yellow Sign?”</p> <p>Docia, perturbed, did not reply, turned back to the city. From behind her, the woman said, “Well, I must be off. Good night, sleep tight… and don’t let the grave-worms bite…”</p> <p>Docia whirled as she heard the door open, for she wished to ask the woman what brand of cigarette she had been smoking—but she had disappeared. To her displeasure, Fulvius Elbreth now stood where she should have been.</p> <p>“Ms. Calder,” he said, far more serious than he had been inside. “I owe you an apology. It was unkind of me to speak so freely, and in a group. I allowed my enthusiasm to override my manners. As a host, it was most unpardonable.”</p> <p>Docia was in no mood to be wooed by an apology, however wellphrased. After her conversation with the woman, she saw something distinctly wormlike about this Fulvius Elbreth.</p> <p>“To my mind, your rudeness is far more pardonable than your views,” she said evenly.</p> <p>He stared at her, clearly at a loss for words. After a long moment, he laughed awkwardly. “Well… there’s no accounting for taste, eh? But, I do admire your… passion for the arts, I suppose. It’s too bad… I had rather hoped…” He hesitated, then turned to the door. “Perhaps I had better leave you be?”</p> <p>His manner made her curious. “What had you hoped?”</p> <p>“That you might accompany me to the theatre. Yes, I know you came here with that meathead Irving, I’m not asking you on a date. Just to come with me. There’s a new play on Broadway, one that caused quite a scandal in Europe, where it was banned. A theatre-owner here invited the production, after hearing about it all, and well… at last the <em>Trib</em> feels I should go review it.”</p> <p>“At last?”</p> <p>“The play has a rather dodgy reputation—a blinkered history, if you will. I had to convince my editor it was a good idea for me to go. But I did, in the end. I can be very persuasive.”</p> <p>“Beware that overconfidence. You haven’t convinced me yet.”</p> <p>“No?”</p> <p>“Why should you ask me?”</p> <p>He shrugged. “Because taking a lady to the theatre seemed a gentlemanlike way of apologizing. Because you have opinions on art that intrigue me, even if I disagree with them, and discussing them over dinner seems pleasant.”</p> <p>“That’s all?”</p> <p>“That’s all.”</p> <p>“Well… all right.”</p> <p>“Good!” Elbreth clapped his hands together. “I’ll make dinner reservations. Thank you, Ms. Calder, you’ve made my night… by making me feel less of a cad. Tomorrow, then?”</p> <p>“Yes, I’ll… let’s meet in front of your office, you’re closer.”</p> <p>“Perfect.”</p> <p>“One more thing… who was that woman? Who was out here with me?”</p> <p>Elbreth shrugged. “I couldn’t say. I didn’t see her.”</p> <p>He took his leave of her, and Docia finished her cigarette. It was really the best she’d ever had. Before she ground it out she looked at the butt, just to see if she could ascertain the brand. There was no name, just a strange, unrecognizable insignia, in yellow so bright it might have been painted on in real gold. Docia hesitated, then tapped out the remaining tobacco, pocketing the butt. She’d show it to the man at the drugstore to see if he could identify it. She was eager to find the brand so she could buy a pack of her own.</p> <p style="text-align: center;">* * *</p> <p>Roy was unimpressed to hear that Elbreth would be escorting Docia to the theatre. They had a stupid fight about it on their way home. He made it clear he disapproved of her being taken out by other men, even after she made it clear that there was nothing in the world less romantic to her mind than going out with Fulvius Elbreth. He was not reassured, and drove along in a petulant silence that made her yet again question the wisdom of their alliance. She had never yet slept with someone she did not hold in the highest regard. It was therefore something of a relief when his reply to her remark that jealousy was a sign of low self-regard was that it was likely better if they kept their relationship professional in future.</p> <p>She thought of him one final time as she smoked a cigarette on her own balcony. It was like Roy—pleasant, but unsatisfying; not all it should be. She could enjoy neither as much as she would have liked, not after tasting the one the woman had given her; not after seeing Roy for what he was. She withdrew the stub from her pocket, gazed on the strange mark. She could not tell what it might be, not even under the brightest light of her apartment. The squiggles would not resolve themselves into anything meaningful. “An abstraction,” she murmured, smiling. She traced the insignia with the tip of her finger.</p> <p>“What <em>are</em> you?”</p> <p><em>Have you found the Yellow Sign?</em></p> <p>The woman’s voice came to her in that moment, her clipped, European accent, the strange, unanswerable question she had posed. Docia stopped smiling, tucked the butt away, and poured herself another drink. As she took it to bed, she looked at the phone. She wondered if Roy would call. She thought not—and indeed, he did not.</p> <p>She had broken up with unworthy partners many times before. It was never fun, but it was also somewhat liberating. To remain in a relationship with someone she could not esteem would be to debase herself, a betrayal of her fundamental convictions. That was why she woke the next morning not feeling bleak and abandoned, but refreshed, renewed—and determined.</p> <p>She made herself coffee, and after a hurried cup headed to the drugstore on the corner. There, she consulted with the owner on the matter of the strange cigarette stub. He inspected it, and declared he’d never seen one like it.</p> <p>“Really?”</p> <p>“I can try to find out, if you like… then again, perhaps I’d better not.” He returned the butt to her, a curious expression his face. “Or maybe I should say… I’d rather not.”</p> <p>“Why? It’s the finest I’ve ever had.”</p> <p>“Be that as it may. I don’t know. You… keep that. Don’t bring it in here again.” He was getting oddly aggressive with her. “I don’t want to look at it!”</p> <p>“All right!” she exclaimed, and left, vowing to never shop there again.</p> <p>The strangeness of the encounter cast a pall over Docia’s day. Usually she disliked slow days at the office, but after her queer morning, she was grateful for the peace. She was troubled by everything she had to do, nothing sat right with her, and all the lights seemed too dim.</p> <p>She kept rubbing at her eyes, until her assistant pointed out how she’d smeared her mascara.</p> <p>“Damn,” she swore. “I’ll have to re-do it before I go out tonight.”</p> <p>“Seeing Mr. Irving?”</p> <p>Louise was an excellent secretary, so Docia didn’t scold her for nosiness. “No, with Fulvius Elbreth, the theatre critic. He’s taking me to some play that was banned in Europe. Probably has anti-Socialist sentiments or something that would offend the delicate sensibilities of those snooty soap-dodgers.”</p> <p>“Well, I hope you have a good time.”</p> <p>“I believe I shall,” said Docia.</p> <p style="text-align: center;">* * *</p> <p>Even the lights of the Great White Way seemed dull and flickering beneath the clotted, starless sky when Docia arrived at the theatre, her arm threaded through Fulvius Elbreth’s. She noticed, but was having too good a time to care. Elbreth treated her with respect and gentlemanly charm. To her delight, he had called ahead to ensure a booth would be waiting for him at his favorite Jewish deli.</p> <p>“It’s not fancy, but I just love a pastrami on rye after a show, and their cheese danishes are… well, they’re just like Mama Elbreth never made,” he said. “I hope that’s all right.”</p> <p>“How’s their corned beef?” she’d playfully replied.</p> <p>“To die for.”</p> <p>“Sounds great.”</p> <p>“You’re… full of surprises, Ms. Calder.” She realized she’d just passed a test of sorts, and was surprised to find she enjoyed his approval.</p> <p>“So are you,” she replied. “Or… perhaps I shouldn’t assume. Perhaps their corned beef only an abstraction of a sandwich?”</p> <p>He laughed. “See? You’re making me question my convictions, for while very real, their corned beef sandwich is indeed a work of serious art.”</p> <p>They continued to chat as they picked their way to their seats. The theatre was already packed, and as Docia sat, she noticed they were all squinting at their playbills, or blinking in the light. So she wasn’t the only one—Roy was just thick. But then again, Elbreth, who seemed a substantially sharper tack, seemed unaware of anything being amiss.</p> <p>“Here we go,” he said cheerfully, as the lights dimmed into darkness and the curtain rose. “Let’s see what the governments of Europe think is too dangerous to be seen.”</p> <p>It wasn’t an anti-Socialist play, as Docia had assumed. Nor was it blasphemous or seditious. At least, not in ways that she could openly identify. All she knew was it was the strangest hour and a half of her life, watching… whatever it was she was watching. There was poetry, there was action. Things occurred, and did not occur. It was more confounding than alarming. It reminded her a bit of Antigone, which she had also not quite understood, when she’d read it in school.</p> <p>Her feelings were not shared. When the lights came up—as much as they did—Fulvius Elbreth looked pale, and sweat beaded his forehead.</p> <p>“Forgive me,” he said, when she remarked on his condition. “I fear I must… a rain check, if you will, on the deli? I do not feel I should stay for the second act. Something… something is wrong. I must go.”</p> <p>“Of course. I’m so sorry you’re not feeling well… let me call you a cab.”</p> <p>The look he gave her was that of a man beholding a horror. “You’re not leaving? You… want to stay?” he whispered. “Are you sure?”</p> <p>“You are unwell,” she said, alarmed by his behavior. “I’ll see you home.”</p> <p>“I’m perfectly able to get myself away from here!” he exclaimed, and fled the theatre, not even bothering to collect his coat or hat.</p> <p>Docia watched him, confounded—but the lights flickered. Eager to see the second act, she returned to her seat, alone.</p> <p>Docia did not rise to get a drink or visit the powder room between the second and third acts, nor between the third and fourth. She remained in her seat, riveted, entranced. It was the most wonderful, terrible thing she had ever seen in her life. The most fascinating thing was, it was not an abstraction, as Elbreth had insisted theatre must be; what was occurring on stage was more real than anything Docia had experienced outside of the theatre. The truth of it resonated within her, as if the actors’ words were mallets and her soul a tuning fork—she felt right, happier than she ever had, at work, in bed, eating delicious food, dressing for a meeting, any of the things she previously would have called pleasurable.</p> <p>She could not say if she was alone in her sensations. The darkness of the theatre, and the troublingly insufficient light when at last the final act concluded and the curtain fell, made her feel as if she were alone in her seat, alone in the aisle heading toward the door, alone in the street when at last she emerged in the silent, pitch-black city.</p> <p>She looked up, and laughed. At last, the clouds had dispersed, and the night sky greeted her, the swirling constellations of black stars brighter than any artificial, earthly light, the moons—how many, she could not say—emanating a radiance undreamed. The foreign constellations did not disturb her; rather, she realized with a laugh that she had been lost her whole life, and had finally found her way.</p> <p>The sound of a lighter drew Docia’s attention from the vast and wondrous sky. The woman from the party was there, leaning alone against a streetlight, a cigarette burning in her stubby fingers. A trilby, worn low on her brow, shadowed her features, but it was unmistakably her. Oh, but she was a woman who could wear a suit—the drape of the wool crepe looked like a priest’s vestments or royal robes of state, austere, somber, even awe-inspiring, but completely natural and lived-in.</p> <p>“Did you like the play?” she asked. When she looked up, the yellow flash of her eye almost blinded Docia.</p> <p>“I think so,” she replied.</p> <p>“You’re not someone who appreciates uncertainties,” said the woman. “Come, have a cigarette. We can talk about it.”</p> <p>She stuck another cigarette between her lips, lit it, and passed it over. Docia accepted it, inhaling deeply of the rich and fragrant tobacco. She knew without looking it was the same strange brand, with the strange symbol.</p> <p>As she smoked, she found she did not want to speak. The silence was wonderful; the stillness felt right. Content, she took a long drag, and exhaling, noticed through the smoke the gold insignia was even brighter than the ember.</p> <p>---</p> <p>"Grave-Worms" first published in<em> <a href="" target="_blank">Cassilda's Song: Tales Inspired by Robert W. Chambers' King in Yellow Mythos</a></em> (Chaosium, 2015).</p> <p>Story by <a href="" target="_blank">Molly Tanzer</a>.</p> <p>Art by <a href="" target="_blank">Jeffrey Alan Love</a>.</p> Fiction Horror molly 2016-10-11T15:15:00+01:00 Radio Drama: "The Monkey's Raincoat" (1982) Wow I am REALLY bummed that this isn’t about an actual monkey and a raincoat. <p><a class="asset-img-link" href="" onclick=" this.href, '_blank', 'width=640,height=480,scrollbars=no,resizable=no,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0' ); return false"><img alt="Monkeys_music_boel_teniers" border="0" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a00d8345295c269e201bb0935be9a970d image-full img-responsive" src="" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Monkeys_music_boel_teniers" /></a></p> <p>"The Monkey's Raincoat" first aired in 1982, on <em>Nightfall</em>.</p> <p><iframe data-link="" data-name="pb-iframe-player" frameborder="0" height="100" scrolling="no" src="" width="100%"></iframe></p> <p><strong>Thoughts Before Listening</strong></p> <p>So a while back, James Davis Nicoll shared a list of old radio shows, which included <em>Nightfall</em>, which is from the eighties and is also Canadian, so naturally very excite. I realized that I had actually heard a few eps of <em>Nightfall</em> a while back (and by a while back, I mean 8 or 9 years ago). I remember liking it a lot and I also remembered that back then, it was hard to find episodes of this show because downloading things is illegal and no one should ever do it ever because it is illegal and we should never do illegal things like downloading which is illegal.</p> <p><a href="" target="_blank"> now has a page of Nightfall episodes</a>, which means we can speak of it in a familiar manner on the internet and blame for any illegality that may arise. At least that’s what I think it means. Anyway, basically I want to say that the episode list looks rad as heck.</p> <p>So now we are going to listen to something called "The Monkey’s Raincoat" because we already know what happened to the monkey’s paw. Also,</p> <p><a href="" target="_blank">IKEA Monkey</a></p> <p>EXCITED AS FUCK ACTUALLY</p> <p><strong>Thoughts While Listening</strong></p> <p>Very dramatic opening. GO CANADA!</p> <p>This story I think is set in the future and is about some assassination? Cover up?</p> <p>It’s not about a real monkey and his or her raincoat?</p> <p>Ok two dudes were talking but I don’t know what they said. I hope that’s ok.</p> <p>I think we’re listening to some political event conference thing, possibly a parade.</p> <p>In India, we call it a function because that’s what it is, when you think about it.</p> <p>It’s the presidential inauguration function</p> <p>Wow I am REALLY bummed that this isn’t about an actual monkey and a raincoat.</p> <p>I think the President elect is going to his inauguration carrying so many guns because cross-town riots are moving towards this presidential inauguration function.</p> <p>“You can ban the clan but you can’t stop the marching band.” I have no idea what this means but it seems important for some reason</p> <p>I feel like the audio is not great which is resulting in me not really hearing things and also not understanding what I am hearing</p> <p>Also I’m from another culture right now. So there’s that too.</p> <p>Ok now we’re with two men talking. These are not the announcer fellows, these are other fellows</p> <p>They are almost at the monkey’s toe? One of the guys says he can’t wait to get his mitts on that monkey? I don’t know anything.</p> <p>Ok there were sirens and then what sounded like a call to prayer from a mosque and one of the guys was like, OMG WHAT WAS THAT??????? and the other guy said it was a form of meditation.</p> <p>At least that’s what it sounded like. Maybe none of that happened at all</p> <p>If it did happen though, do you think the call to prayer was included for a specific narrative purpose, the significance of which will be revealed later in a tastefully dazzling manner or nah?</p> <p>The monkey is across the street having a séance with a seedy fortune teller called Silva and one of the guys just said he’s the monkey, we’re the raincoat</p> <p>Maybe that didn’t happen either though.</p> <p>We’re only like 5 minutes into this</p> <p>On the whole just really confused right now</p> <p>A lot of this show sounds like somebody opened a window in a big city</p> <p>Ok now we’re back to the two announcers covering the parade and I think it’s raining.</p> <p>And the cross-town riots are a-coming.</p> <p>The only thing that is not happening right now is a real monkey wearing a raincoat. But everything else is happening.</p> <p>So now they are listing the soon-to-be-president’s vital stats, which include the fact that he had a pop song that turned gold 17 times! This is the perfect time to post the following internet picture</p> <p><a class="asset-img-link" href="" onclick=" this.href, '_blank', 'width=640,height=480,scrollbars=no,resizable=no,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0' ); return false"><img alt="image from" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a00d8345295c269e201bb0935bd5c970d img-responsive" src="" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="image from" /></a></p> <p>Once upon a time, I wanted to be a solid gold dancer but then someone told me they don’t take brown people and so that dream was shattered</p> <p>The presidential elect seems to have shot an old lady in a pink pantsuit who is now crawling away which can’t be easy for her because apparently her left knee is shattered like my Solid Gold dreams.</p> <p>Now she has been tackled by a member of the Army Domestic Security Corps</p> <p>Maybe it’s just not a good time for women and pink pantsuits.</p> <p>But when is it ever a good time for women and pink pantsuits? Riddle me that!</p> <p>We are now going to see what the word on the street is.</p> <p>The word on the street is gross so now we are back to the other two guys</p> <p>One of the guys is talking about chaos and power in a very alarming manner or maybe it just sounds alarming because everything is so loud and I can’t understand anything</p> <p>So I think there is some corporation running everything? I really don’t know what’s going on at all, actually</p> <p>I think we are overhearing the monkey and Silva, who is a Russian because it was the eighties and because The Americans</p> <p>“Do not listen if you think it is crazy talk, go”- OMG IS HE TALKING TO ME?</p> <p>I think there is a crystal ball? And there are nightmares? Which are words? Which are the voices of the gods? Which are in fact the corporation?</p> <p>Does anyone know what’s going on?</p> <p>I am all alone actually.</p> <p>So this man aka Monkey, has been hearing voices telling him to kill the president elect.</p> <p>Oh ok. Ok I think I got it now.</p> <p>Whenever someone says ‘gods’ I always think of Vikings. I don’t know why but it makes so much sense to me</p> <p>Monkey seems very upset and Silva told him to leave because I think Monkey was breaking stuff because feelings</p> <p>Silva has now called someone on a rotary phone, which is exciting, right? Ya, that’s pretty exciting.</p> <p>Ok so I think Monkey just went to the van where those other dudes, the non-announcer ones, were just relaxing and stuff and he said ‘The Monkey’s Raincoat’ and this was very significant for everybody</p> <p>Now they are all going somewhere in the car</p> <p>Someone is now telling us about the origins of the word ‘assassin’, thus offering up a beautiful opportunity to use the phrase “hashish-eating moslem fanatics”</p> <p>Suddenly feeling a little uncomfortable but only like how you feel uncomfortable when you hear someone make a racist joke and you don’t say anything but you make a mental note to blog about it later using made-up names and you never do but somehow you still feel like you have fought and defeated racism</p> <p>“the microcomputer makes the neutron bomb look like something from the stone age”. What is the appropriate response to this?</p> <p>There is no appropriate response to this.</p> <p>Here is the appropriate response to this.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="344" src="" width="459"></iframe> </p> <p>I FORGOT HOW MUCH I LOVED THIS SONG OMG THIS IS THE APPROPRIATE RESPONSE TO EVERYTHING</p> <p>Meanwhile! It looks like an assassin is coming through to get the president</p> <p>“I am the monkey’s raincoat”</p> <p>I am the bee’s knees.</p> <p>I am doing the neutron dance.</p> <p>I am going to finish listening to this right now I’m not even kidding though.</p> <p>The assassin has a hatful of flowers? But no gun?</p> <p>How different this would all be if I could hear clearly and understand all the words</p> <p>The monkey guy is apparently wearing a monkey’s mask and yellow raincoat and is throwing flowers</p> <p>There are worse things one could do I guess</p> <p>Ok one of the guys from the van has run away and the one guy left in the van was actually an android and not a dude and also not a phone</p> <p>It’s like really loud right now</p> <p>Ok the president is dead</p> <p>And the assassin is dead also</p> <p>It sounds like such a mess right now I can’t even tell you</p> <p>I think the monkey somehow got back to Silva?</p> <p>And monkey was the red herring?</p> <p>You know, there are lots of animals in this show but they are not animals</p> <p>In many ways, this show sounds like three or four different shows all playing at the same time.</p> <p>Someone is wailing?</p> <p>No someone is singing now all alone</p> <p>And it’s over.</p> <p><strong>Thoughts After Listening</strong></p> <p>First of all, I want to say that I was confused for a lot of this show. I also want to say that not only did I used to be a Canadian, many Canadians were my friends. I don’t know if they wanted to be my friends but they were my friends nonetheless. This makes it totally ok for me to say what the actual fuck Canada, although maybe this was actually a great show that I couldn’t understand because of the audio and also because I’m from another culture right now. Anyway, since I used to be a Canadian and many Canadians were my friends (albeit unwillingly), I will be listening to another <em>Nightfall</em> episode next time because if I don’t, racism will win and I for one am sick and tired of racism winning all the time. Fuck you, racism.</p> <p><a class="asset-img-link" href="" onclick=" this.href, '_blank', 'width=640,height=480,scrollbars=no,resizable=no,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0' ); return false"><img alt="image from" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a00d8345295c269e201b8d21c02d8970c img-responsive" src="" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="image from" /></a></p> <p> </p> Horror Radio Reviews Kuzhali 2016-09-29T14:15:00+01:00
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http://www.pornokitsch.com/index.rdf
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From Ultronomicon
(Redirected from Kohr-Ah Marauder)
Jump to: navigation, search
Fan-made image by VileRancour.
Ur-Quan Topics
Kzer-Za • Kohr-Ah
Sentient Milieu
Slave Revolt
Slave War
The Words
Doctrinal Conflict
Second Doctrinal War
Kzer-Za • Kohr-Ah
Path of Now and Forever
Dreadnought • Marauder • Sa-Matra
Excruciator • Slave Shield • Talking Pet
The Kohr-Ah Marauder is a very powerful vessel rivaling the Ur-Quan Dreadnought. It is armed with spinning sawblades and a destructive F.R.I.E.D. system. The ship has been described as being ominously black, as dark as space, with an alien script carved upon the hull producing a "crusty" appearance.
Comparable in size, speed, acceleration and turning to an Ur-Quan Dreadnought, what the Marauder lacks in mobility it more than makes up for with its devastating weapons systems.
In combat, the Marauder launches spinning metal-blade disks with a near-limitless range and a short-range homing capability. When launched, they will travel in a given direction as long as the weapon button is held down, and when it is released, they will stop and hold their position. As an enemy ship approaches, the disks will slowly close in on it. Discs inflict four damage on enemy ships.
The "Fiery Ring of Inevitable and Eternal Destruction," or F.R.I.E.D., is a ring of super-heated, ionized gases that expands from ports opening along the Marauder's perimeter, annihilating anything in its path. F.R.I.E.D. clouds inflict three damage each on enemy ships. If a F.R.I.E.D. shot and an enemy projectile collide, the F.R.I.E.D. will always win. This property makes them very useful for defense. Using the F.R.I.E.D. consumes half of the maximum battery.
Tactical Overview[edit]
The Kohr-Ah Marauder is one of the most powerful ships in our region of space. Its weapon systems make it an effective opponent at any range, and the primary weapon is particularly useful in "setting traps"; surrounding an enemy ship with blades on all sides and letting them close in.
Its firing rate is slower than the Dreadnought, and its weapons do less damage, but the primary's range and homing abilities more than make up for it.
The Marauder has relatively few weaknesses, but its poor mobility makes it vulnerable to long-range weapons, especially homing weapons. Its own weapons are also easy to negate with shields, making Utwig (and Yehat to a lesser extent) particularly effective.
• Blade disks following a forward trajectory (weapon button held down) are slightly affected by gravity. Once the weapon button is released, a blade will maintain its position even in close proximity to a planet, and will seek the enemy ship independent of gravitational effects.
Marauder icon.png
3DO Kohr-Ah Marauder
Basic stats
Crew: 42 Value: 30 pts
Battery: 42 Batt. Regeneration: 0.2 units/frame
Primary: Spinning blade-disk Secondary: F.R.I.E.D.
Refire delay: 6 frames Refire delay: 9 frames
Energy use: 6 units Energy use: 21 units
Acceleration: 1.2 units/frame Mass: 10
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http://wiki.uqm.stack.nl/Kohr-Ah_Marauder
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id summary reporter owner description type status priority component version resolution keywords cc guest host 10728 GuruMeditation, NetWare 6.5 SP8, Vbox 4.1.18 w/ VT-x & Nested Paging kumba "Finally got the chipset in my NetWare 6.5 SP8 VM, swapped out from ICH9 to PIIX3, so I could try and upgrade to VirtualBox 4.1.x, but I am blocked again by something buggering up. All my other VMs boot fine (Windows Server 2003, MS-DOS 7.x, Gentoo/Debian Linux, etc), just not NetWare 6.5. The cause appears to be VT-x and Nested Paging. If I have these enabled, then when the machine tries to boot NW from the hard disk, I get a GuruMeditation, -4014 (VERR_VMX_INVALID_GUEST_STATE). If I disable Nested Paging, then the Guru goes away, but it hangs at the NW Bootloader prompt (I do not load DR-DOS in this install, just the straight NW kernel). If I disable BOTH VT-x and nested paging, the VM will boot, albeit EXTREMELY slowly and NetWare will be unable to find the SYS volume for unknown reasons. I backed out to 4.1.14, and that boots fine with VT-x and nested paging enabled, but it boots really slowly as well (not as bad as under 4.1.18 w/o VT-x). Seems to load the NLMs in an entirely different order, although that might be attributed to the slowdown and this ordering is usually very fast and not noticed. However, under 4.1.14, at least, the machine appears to fully boot after about 10 minutes. I will further experiment with other chipset settings (going back to ICH9, for example), try SMP (ABENDs under 4.0.16, I'll file a separate bug for that), increase/decrease the memory, try different disk controllers, etc. However, I'll probably downgrade back to 4.0.16 when done. Also, please close Ticket #10402. This one will supersede it. And if someone can look at Ticket #9422 and try to boot the NW65SP8OS.iso off of Novell's site and see if it'll install, then address the bug accordingly, that'd also be great. Thanks!" defect closed major other VirtualBox 4.1.18 fixed netware, guru meditation other Windows
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https://www.virtualbox.org/ticket/10728?format=tab
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Best To Worst: Every Marvel Movie Ranked
Best To Worst: Every Marvel Movie Ranked
36.Captain America” (1990)
35. “Man-Thing” (2005)
34. Ghost Rider” (2007)
32. “Howard The Duck” (1986)
31. The Punisher” (1989)
30. “Elektra” (2005)
29. “The Punisher” (2004)
27. “Daredevil” (2003)
26. “The Amazing Spider-Man” (2012)
25. “Blade: Trinity” (2004)
24. “Thor: The Dark World” (2013)
22. “Spider-Man 3” (2007)
21. “Fantastic Four” (2005)
19. “Iron Man 2” (2010)
16. “Punisher: War Zone” (2008)
15. “The Incredible Hulk” (2008)
14. “Thor” (2011)
13. “The Wolverine” (2013)
12. “X-Men” (2000)
11. “Blade” (1998)
10. “Spider-Man” (2002)
8. “Hulk” (2003)
7. “Blade II” (2002)
5. “Iron Man” (2008)
4. “Iron Man 3” (2013)
3. "Spider-Man 2" (2004)
2. "X2" (2003)
1. "The Avengers" (2012)
Darth Jar Jar
On the whole I agree, but I think that there is no way that Rise of the Silver Surfer is superior to First Class.
stan lee
The first hulk was garbage!
It’s your opinion, but for me. NO WAY. I really loved a lot of those movies you hated on nincompoop. The new Captain America movies are great, the new Spider-Man movies are great. Both Thor movies were awesome. I actually loved all the X men movies, though Last Stand irked me a little bit. I’ve never been fond of any Wolverine movies, even though I like the character. I’ve never really liked the Blade movies either. Yes, Avengers was awesome, no denying it, but the Winter Soldier was better in my opinion
where the hell is guardians of the galaxy
This list is bullshit
not dumb like u
this list sucks hard
Cameron Johnson
My top 5 would be Iron Man, Spider-Man 2, Avengers, Age of Ultron, and Iron Man 3. So close.
This is so inaccurate, I don’t even know where to start
The Avengers is utter crap. A CGI-fest, full of characters I couldn’t care less about. I seriously cannot understand the good reviews and the hype. If this is deemed a great movie, I weep with despair for the future of the cinema.
eat my fcking balls
did a google search just now……apparently 20+ in the next 10 years is a VERY conservative number………
I’m going to toss in an inevitably unpopular question since many people worship the DC, marvel, etc universes…..aren’t people gonna get tired after 20+ superhero movies in the next 10 years? I have mad respect for the origin stories and the books themselves but I feel like the studios are laughing in a bank vault thinking "those nerds can’t resist seeing every movie we churn out, bwahaha!’
Wow, is this list all over the place & wrong. Why is X2 even close to the top of the list? I have blocked most of that movie from my memory, it was so bad. The _only_ thing good about that movie was Nightcrawler.
And, why is the unreleased FI movie on here? Yeah, it’s bad, but it’s not like it was meant to be good.
Seeing them all lined up like this has made me realise that i really can’t stand Marvel.
So out of 36 films and billions of box office dollars not one f*cking movie is even an "A"
When will this superhero/fanboy madness stop!?
Wow, just wow. Playlist just lost some credibility with this list.
Wait a minute…WHERE IS GUARDIANS??
Man you really have a terrible taste for movies.
has this person even watched any of these movies?
wow whoever wrote this list needs to be fired. this list is so incompetent I’m amazed
Confused Fan
Ok I’m confused this list has made comments on the films about the facts and the quality. there should be two lists one rating the viewing quality and one rating the loyalty and truthfulness to the comics then average it out.
I can’t even fathom that either of the Hulk movies ranked so high. I had remembered liking the second one when it came out, but just rewatched it, and it’s total garbage. The entire beginning is a flashback montage that would confuse anyone that didn’t already know the backstory. And Liv Tyler is the worst role I’ve ever seen her in. Boo.
Justin England
I stopped reading this after I saw that the green abortion that is "The Hulk" was rated higher than so many movies. Rise of the Silver Surfer was not better than the first, which was in its own right horrible. This list is like saying that "The Room" should be ranked higher than "Schindler’s List".
Bob Marley
to me, winter soldier was the biggest dispointment, while the original captain america was especialy well done
I agree that DC are way more lavish, but it got nothing to do with somber vs light hearted, it got to do with attention to details and for god`s sake not contradicting the canon.
The recent marvel cartoon avenger assemble is especially painfull to watch, especially after they cancelled the excellent earth mightiest hero serie (just when the classic cree saga was starting)
DC just seem to choose the right producers and right cast. not sure why the iron man dude didn`t want to shave his beard and actually try to look like the tony stark in the comic with just a mustache. the third iron man was painfull to watch with endless scenes of putting on armor in flight and removing armor… stollen directly from the animated serie featuring iron man as a kid (that serie was awesome) except the cartoon version had a plot and didn`t waste 99% of the creen time on removing and puting on armor !
I really loved how DC managed to create a believable Krypton, I wish Marvel could do that with the Cree, Asgard or something. Even in Fantastic four Silver Surfer they turned Galactus into a joke that looked more like EGO. But at least the Surfer was … almost … well done… seems he forgot to use his energy blasts …
On the other hand, I loved the spiderman reboot, its better than the first try, and I didn`t like the lattest batman reboot. Just doesn`t feel like Batman
But Superman, and the tv series arrow and flash are really good.
i was talking about the avengers btw , cant edit it !!!!!
its a bad film , i like most superhero films,i tried to watch it twice, just got too bored in the last 20,30 mins, if you look on imdb people have sense about this film ,
"Dumbed down irrelevant nonsense"
"I hated it. My wife and kids hated it. My 9 year old son hated it. That says it all. It made no sense, was utterly talky and boring for a huge chunk of it."
I think only a stupid person with no caring for story or characters could appreciate this crap
u kidding? ghost rider infront of thor? stoped reading at numer 23
marvel is a great studio and marvel always gives best movies
This is quite possibly the worst list I’ve ever seen. You should find a new hobby. My top five 5. X men first class. 4. The Avengers 3. Guardians of the Galaxy 2. Iron man 1. Captain America winter soldier
This list is quite terrible, ang lee’s hulk is pretty terrible and winter soldier should be either 1 or two and avengers should not be 1… And you having iron man 3 in the top 10 is H I L A R I O U S… Please stop.. Please
THIS is just wrooooong!!!!!!
Ironman three should be at least in the top three and I didn’t think Iron man two was that bad. -Just my opinions
Iiiii like it!
This is the worst list I’ve seen ranking the marvel movies. Iron Man 3 ahead of Iron Man?, First class back in 18 behind the silver surfer? I guess everyone has their opinions but you should really watch those movies again.
I must be the only man on the planet who loved the oldschool Captain America film. Lol – the wonders of being a kid at the time.
The winter soldier should be first
For me : 1. Spiderman 2 2. First Class 3. Winter Soldier 4. Guardians of the Galaxy 5. Iron Man
Nice review, I agree with it 90% EXCEPT for Iron Man 3. That could slide WAY back to the end of the list as far as I am concerned. The tone, the plot, the multitude or armor at the end, Paltrow putting on a suit, the little kid and the armor that flies around. They took the worst of the comics to make this instead of the best. Long, boring and long and tedious.
Henri Achrieza
I think, Garfield is a better Parker than Maguire.. He’s more agile and stuff..
this ranking is so messed up. 2003 hulk better than recent hulk??
Optimus Prime
Guardians of the Galaxy??? Also Spider Man 3 was easily the worst
I argue with "Captain America The Winter Soldier" and Thor . They sre my favorite movies and probaly the best.
Some Guy
Really? 2004’s Punisher film behind the unreleased Fantastic Four movie… OK… I’m done with this list…
ranking is off the mark, way off
Thor the Dark World was an excellent movie, way better than the first. An it was because of the Game of Thrones input – I wanted to see way more of Asgard and the other realms as a result and the dullest scenes (like the first Thor) were the scenes set on Earth.
William stewart
Marvel suuk because every one say that hulk can beat superman but that's not true because hulk can't even pick up a building but superman can so you is stronger some weak ass green monster you can't pick up a building or a krptonian you can
I read this article with an open-mind but when I saw that you put Thor: the Dark World BEHIND Ghost Rider 2?!? I mean Ghost rider?? I gave up. I will say that yes evryone is entitled to its own opinion for sure and "tous les goûts sont dans la nature" as we say in french but there is also something called common sense….
Whoever compiled this list is obviously missing a chromosome
Ethan Hawkins
The Amazing Spiderman 2 was great it should be in the top 5
suck my fkcning cok
my dickk is wating for a sexxy girl to suckk
Obviously this was not a scientific poll. It will always be somewhat different from person to person, but this list was just stupid.
Ang Lee's Hulk and Punisher 2 are the worst shit ever. You should feel bad for not having them at the very bottom of the list. Just dreadful movies. First Class is an INFINITELY better movie then them combined.
Ultimate Draxx the Killer
This list is asasininely ass, HERE'S A BETTER LIST:
1: Captain America: The Winter Soldier
2: X-Men: Days of Future Past
3: Guardians of The Galaxy
4: Thor: The Dark World
5: The Avengers
6: Iron Man 3
7: Iron Man 2
8: Iron Man
9: X-Men: First Class
10: The Wolverine
Worst List Ever, assholes
This list not only sucks, it isn't updated.
X-Men: Days of Future Past, and Guardians of the Galaxy are two great movies that are not in here.
Here's my top 10 (A better list)
1. The Avengers
2. Guardians of the Galaxy
3. Captain America: The First Avenger
4. X-Men: First Class
5. The Amazing Spider-Man
6. X-Men: Days of Future Past
7. Iron Man 3
8. Thor: The Dark World
9. X-Men
10. X2: X-Men United
This list is awful. X-Men First Class, is easily the best x-men film here. Ghost rider 2 over thor 2? are you f***ing kidding me?
4.Winter Soldier
5.Iron Man
8.Captain America
9.Spiderman 2
10.X-men First Class
Regular Man(what I call Iron Man 3 since he doesn't have armor for most of the movie) has no business being in the top ten, and rise of the silver surfer has no business being below first class.
John Navarro
1. Guardians Of The Galaxy
2. Avengers
3. Captain America The Winter Soldier
4. Days Of Future Past
5. X2
6. Spider-Man 2
7. X-Men First Class
8. Thor
9. Iron Man 3
10. The Amazing Spider-Man(you may not agree with me)
This list sucks. Out of 36 films, Iron Man 3 should not even be in the top 40, (never mind top 4). Go away, don't come back until you have a clue.
Ridiculous, this list has Xmen First Class behind Fantastic Four 2… Come on.
1. Avengers
2. Days of the Future Past
3. X2
4. Iron Man
5. Guardians of the Galaxy
6. Spider-Man 2
7. X-Men First Class
8. Captain America First Avenger
9. Thor
10. Captain America Winter Soldier
1. X-Men Days Of Future Past
2. Spider-Man 2
3. The Avengers
4. Guardians Of The Galaxy
5. X2 X-Men United
6. Thor
7. Iron Man
8. Captain America Winter Soldier
9. Blade II
10. The Incredible Hulk
Iron Man 3 really? Movie should have been called Smart guy with gadgets.
خرÙد Ù ÙرÙØ´ Ø®ÙدرÙ
nice post thanks for sharing
2014 is going to be a big year for comic cinema, but its also going to be a âfix-itâ year. So while the advent of a new spidey series may seem like overload, it also feels necessary. I hated the last threeâ¦the only aspects that didnât disappoint me completely was the adaptation of the newspaper owner. It was cheesy and not the same flavor as the cheese found in the original comics. MORE IMPORTANTLY, you have Bryan Singers return to the X-men series, and what better way to fix-it then by doing the Days of Future past story. Definitely the second most popular story told in the original Uncanny X-men run, behind the Dark Phoenix Saga which nearly got ruined after Singer walked away from the series. The coolest thing about marvel to me was how heroes appeared in other comics, so it pisses me off when Quicksilver appears in two totally different adaptations by the avengers and the x-men. YOU CANT DO THAT!! The comics overlap!!! After Beast leaves the X-men he joins the Avengers, yes that actually happened in the late 70s early 80sâ¦I feel as if the directors of these movies have more inconsistencies then the original comic writers, who did write contradicting stories, but not as bad as these directorsâ¦
nice post thanks for sharing
Iron Man 3 was almost as bad as Kiss Kiss Bang Bang.
Top 10:
1. Spider-Man 2
2. X2
3. Captain America The Winter Soldier
4. X-Men Days of Future Past
5. Blade 2
6. X-Men First Class
7. Iron Man
8. Amazing Spider-Man
9. Thor
10. Blade
I also agree that avengers is number 1 at this point,
But the rest of the list is way off. You must not be a
Fan of marvel films. Why do they have people write
Articles on things that they don't enjoyed. Like
Comparing bad films to the first did hard or Armageddon .
I will definitely agree with Avengers being number 1. It was pretty much solid> But the rest of the list? Your opinion. Ang Lees Hulk, should of been way lower in rank. Too dark. X-Men franchise way lower. Just waiting and hoping for Marvel Studios to get back the rights to all the Marvel Characters. Marvel studios really needs to get Spiderman, Xmen, Fantastic Four rights and they will make some great reboots. They finally figured out the recipe.
The rating on Amazing Spider Man 2 in this list completely makes this list a failure.
1. everything written here is fake cause how can you tell iron man 2 disappointing it had realistic villain,unlimited action and what the hell do you need.
2. spider man 2 was also so much good and you should not count the no of villains except watching how spidey takes them off.
3. how the hell can you say x men series disappointment as all the series were outstanding.
common man this list is horrible all the marvel movie are outstanding.
1. avengers
2. iron man
3. iron man 2
4. iron man 3
5. thror
6. thor 2
7. captain america
8. captain america 2
9. hulk
10. hulk 2
11. guardians of the galaxy
12. green lantern (worst movie ever made)
all these movies except green lantern made so much money so no one can tell these movies bad as they were superb.
You are so wrong. I completely disagree with this list.
To all those who insult list writers for their opinions: You would be equally derided by the other 99.99999% of the internet if you were to create a similar list. There's no pleasing people when it comes to ranking movies. So shaddap.
… btw Iron Man 3 sucked lulz
Not sure if 'best', but Hulk (2003) would be my n.1. I enjoy watching all Marvel movies, but hardly ever have a need to watch any of them again (also knowing there will be a new one soon….), except that green bastard. Thanks to Ang Lee the movie is piece of art.
guardians of the galaxy should be #1 Who agrees with me
The list is probably disorganized or personal preferences, there's no need for insults when its PROBABLY AN OPINION.
Corbin Burdette
I personally prefer spider man 2 over the avengers it was more fun to me. But how is x-men days of future past not in the top 3! Heres my order:
1. X-men: Days of Future Past
2.Spider-Man 2
3.Iron Man
come on son
Rise of Silver Surfer above X-Men: First Class??? The f***??
Incredible Hulk should be higher, First Class should be top 10. Punisher & Daredevil ere actually pretty damn good films. Days of Future Past should be #1. I agree that Iron Man 3 was great but top 3. I don't think so….
Besides that I agree with most of it. X-Men 1 should be lower tho.
Raymond Cestra
This list is pretty terrible. Why did X-Men First Class get such a bad rating of C? The Wolverine was a dreadful film, one of the worst X-men based films out there. There are so many things I want to change on this list, I can't even type it all without filling the website without spewing hate and disagree.
Update requested: Days of Future Past should be in the top 3.
I know everyone has their opinions and perspectives of cinema, I have mine, and you have yours.
But what i've learned from this is art to acknowledges information, quite easy and obvious points but there's one thing and I know I'm true my family agrees with me on this inevitable fact, and I'm being offense when I say: YOU HAVE HORRIBLE TASTE IN MOVIES!!!
Disappointed that the 1978 Dr. Strange, 1979 Captain America and Captain America II: Death Too Soon and 1998 Nick Fury: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.were not included. Not theatrical films you say? Neither is the 1994 Fantastic Four, and at least these four were given official releases. Anyway, my ranking:
1 Blade
2 The Punisher '04
3 Iron Man Three
4 The Avengers
5 The Wolverine
6 Thor
7 Spider-Man
8 Iron Man
9 X-Men
10 X-Men: First Class
11 X2: X-Men United
12 Spider-Man 2
13 Spider-Man 3
14 Captain America: The First Avenger
15 Captain America: The Winter Soldier
16 Blade II
17 The Incredible Hulk
18 Hulk
19 Fantastic Four: Rise Of The Silver Surfer
20 Daredevil (Director's Cut)
21 The Punisher '89
22 Thor: The Dark World
23 Iron Man 2
24 Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance
25 X-Men Origins: Wolverine
26 X-Men: The Last Stand
27 Blade Trinity
28 Elektra
29 Fantastic Four '05
30 The Amazing Spider-Man 2
31 Ghost Rider
32 The Amazing Spider-Man
You seriously put Spider-man 3 higher than Amazing Spider-man 1?? Thats a joke of a movie, and the sand man??? WTF worst motivated, portrayed, insignificant, superflous character in any of these films, Raimi is clearly just adding more subplots to a weak and empty script. Just the emo scene should be enough to walk out of the theater and ask for a refund. What a sad finish to the trilogy. The second managed to up the anties but the third failed to meet its expectations completely. SHIT LIST
AJ Easton
Horrible list. You only nailed the obvious which was Avengers. The first (youtube version) of Fantastic Four could have been left off the list all together but to have it ranked above any other Marvel film is a bigger joke than the movie itself. Howard the Duck should have also been at the bottom of the list.
Thor 2 is WAY too low on this list! In some ways it's even better than the 1st movie.
Tommy Rankin
Wow, this is list is wacky. So many questionable choices. Cap 2 should definitely be in tops 3 and IM 3 should be behind IM 1 and far from the top 3. Ang Lee's Hulk also belongs way lower than Incredible Hulk and the Wolverine despite its horrible third act should definitely be better placed. So many strange choices, lol
I honestly stopped taking this list seriously when you put The Incredible Hulk ahead of The Amazing Spiderman, Thor 2, Fantastic Four 2 and X-Men First Class. There hasn't been a decent Hulk film to date and Mark Ruffalo was the first Hulk character that i actually liked and Iron Man 3 at #4? I'd put that film well away from the top 20 let alone the top 5? I mean it's bad enough that you put the four that i mentioned so low but to put Iron Man 3 AHEAD OF THEM? Nah this list is b*******
The Avengers always #1
About the only one I agree with is The Avengers, which isn't just the best Marvel movie, but the best of the entire genre. For the rest, Oliver Littleton, you couldn't be more wrong! It's true that which is the absolute WORST will be open for discussion forever, but Ghost Rider–ANY film–lower thant HOWARD THE DUCK?? Really?
I agree with quite a few of these, but First Class behind Fantastic Four 2? The most offensive? The first Hulk movie being anywhere near the top. It was a borderline offensive snooze-fest.
X-men first class … Worst than Fantastic 4 2 … Just go and fap this bullshit in another world will ya
Josh Snow
Sorry but probably the worst list I've ever read on the internet. No idea what kind of criteria that this list was based on but it was just BAD.
John Snow
what kind of half blind retard put this list in order?
PRetty Accurate
I thought this list pretty good.
However, I would've put Winter Soldier at 4, and Iron Man 3 nowhere near the top 5. Or 10, possibly.
Angelo Elevado
I agree with #37 and #1-3. But with the rest, hell no.
Iron Man 3 above the first? And Amazing Spider-Man lower than Blade: Trinity, Spirit Of Vengeance and… Spider-Man 3? Seriously? O_o
I Hart DC
I ⤠DC
That Other Marvel Guy
Yeah totally agree! I also think Captain America: The Winter Soldier is better than Spider-Man 2 and Iron Man 3!!!!
That Marvel Guy
The Amazing Spider-Man was WAY BETTER than both of the Fantastic Four movies and Spider-Man 3 and deserves a MUCH higher spot. Plus The Incredible Hulk (2008) was better than Hulk.
Blade II and Iron Man 3 are in the Top 10???? There's complimentary nods for under-appreciated films and then there's undeserved placements that ruin the validity of an entire list.
what a shitty ranking.
the ken
Oh, and I forgot, what they did to the Mandarin , one of Ironman's greatest enemies in Ironman 3 was a crime against the Marvel universe!
Sad, sad, sad , when good actors give bad performances in the name of money and attention whore seeking.
All I can say about Ironman 3 thats good is it may be the last one that has these weak assed actors in it.
the ken
This list is so way off base it looks as if you're trying to steal second but got your foot caught in the sand… IronMan 3 as being good?
And Thor 2 as bad?
What industrial cleaning products have you been sniffing? Apparently you like NCIS type shows because that is all Ironman 3 was.
Robert Downey playing detective. Crying about anxiety attacks to a boy, blowing up million dollar suits for special effect fanboys such as yourself , and Being Ironman for I think a total of 3 minutes in the whole movie.
Oh and lets remember, Ironman can fly. so why the hell did he keep getting close enough to be burned? constantly…same with the guy in the first what 10 minutes of the movie? with the shotgun, running up next to the firewoman so she can burn his gun too? smart people these characters.. all
So in the end , Ironman 3 was and is Robert Downey's r'esum'e for any future film so he could show his moodly, self involved, upstaging , "look its really me Bob under this suit" , jealous of his own Armor getting all the attention, William Shatner ranting about Spock getting more air time them himself , side!
You should be banned from making any future lists involving any type of Super Powered Beings, and should stick to the Overblown and Over used , on TV , Smarmy , badly acted, wait till the last fives minutes detective series that are all the rage with the 50 year olds.
You have lost all credibility, simply by placing "Hulk" number 8 on this list. I do not even have to go past that and address the countless flaws in this list.
Mattie Appleyard
Without question, Spiderman 2 is the greatest comic book character movie ever made. Period.
Not a bad list – I would have put X-Men First Class a bit higher, and the original Hulk a lot lower (I wasn't even aware people liked that movie) along with the Blade films, but all in all the list is fine.
Clearly, being drunk was a requirement at the time this list and it's 'opinions' were compiled. Iron Man 3 "sucked" and Shane Black should be flogged for what he did the iconic villain that is the Mandarin…there's your # 36. To hold back an A+ rating from the Avengers shows the list was compiled by DC employees. I suggest you sit down and rethink your rankings & ratings…………NOW!
Felip Serra
You know… I think this list is well thought out, reasonably argued, very knowledgeable, and wholly accurate. Were it mine I think I'd have switched #2 and #3, and maybe placed "X-Men: First Class" a little higher. Otherwise, no disagreements. I think the author should be commended. Excellent work.
This is the worst list! Iron man 3 sucked, Iron man 2 sucked, x-men first class was amzing
THIS IS GARBAGE!! holy s**t…..
An actual Marvel comics fan
Other than some exceptions, like the Avengers at #1, this list is almost completely backwards.
this list is garbage
Moe Getz
"Fat, drunk, and stupid is no way to go through life, son." â Dean John Vernon, Animal House
Are you phucking retarded?
I largely agreed with this list and appreciated many of its observations. *fuels fedora rage*
I normally don't fly into a rage over hastily compiled internet lists, but goddamn this one is bad. Ang Lee's 'Hulk' gets better placement than either Thor, the original X-Men, The Wolverine, Captain America, and Blade? First Class coming in behind all of those in addition to falling behind both Punisher: Warzone and Rise of the Silver Surfer? This is a bad, bad list.
This list is for shit. You actually had the nerve to put Ang Lee's abortion of an adaptation BEFORE Thor 2?!? Don't know who you really are, but your lack of knowledge of the Marvel Universe (and movies in general) is so staggeringly ignorant, all I can say is to give your laptop back to your mommy and daddy and ask them to take you to a comic book shop and ask for an encyclopedia of the Marvel Universe. Not only will you gain insight on the subject, but maybe, (just maybe) you might make better decisions about anything Marvel related, such as thinking before publishing your stupidity for all to read on the internet.
This is one of the worst lists I have ever read. If you have read this list don't listen to any of it. A list like this should be made from a poll, not one persons opinion. Complete crap
Nerd blab.
For me it will always be the first Spider Man movie…. Kirsten Dunst is the reason, in Spider Man 2 she just had eyes like she was on drugs, why I don't like that movie, never bothered with the third.
Robert Clark
This list is complete crap. I can not even start to list the reasons. I mean wow!
I'm curious, who made this list? Was there a poll? The reasons sound pretty one sided. It shows when you see movies like Ghost Rider: Spirit top over First Class and Amazing Spider-Man. It almost seems like it was more of a personal distaste for certain movies and reboots(ASM) over the movies have great dialogue, cinematography and acting.
Just curious… but why did #1 only get an A- ? I mean, if it sets the bar for the other films then shouldn't it be at least an A? I understand it not being A+ because then it'd be silly if a future movie surpassed it, but still
I stopped reading when I realized that IM3 was above Winter Soldier and actually above the original Iron Man, that makes no sense, I disagree with some positions of the list, Daredevil belongs to the up 15 movies with the Directors cut and the fact that it delivers the first tragic ending of these movies, Incredible hulk is superior to Hulk tough both are good, Spirit of Vengeance should be the last one, First Class is the second best X-men film, but to have Iron Man 3 this high is stupid not only because of the Mandarin, but because of the many plotholes, the comedy killing all sense of danger, the unremarkable villain and the stupid ending among many little details.
Sooo Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance was one of the worst movies I have ever seen. Period. It isn't just oddly/poorly acted, the cinematography makes the film look homemade at some points. In addition, its almost impossible to tell whats going on. Add on to that the fact that the special effects got worse since the last film and they gave up on anything resembling character development. I don't think anyone who saw both Ghost Rider films would say the second is better (not that the first is good, but its not nearly as bad) This list is poorly constructed by people who disliked certain films and exaggerate how bad they were to the point where they illogically say the 90s Fantastic Four movie is better than X-Men Origins or Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance is better than the Amazing Spider-Man. Give me a break.
list is pretty good, besides the high ranking of Iron Man 3, and the low ranking of the amazing spiderman.
Captain Capelli
Just laughing at all the comments by the geeks who seem genuinely offended that someone ranks the Marvel films differently to them. Guys, we know it's some kind of Holy Text to you, but to everyone else, they are just movies.
Avengers was decent but nit the best, by far. Why is Blade, Lee Hulk, the Wolverine so high?
Overall it's nit a bad list but many don't make sense even with critic rankings.
Why is anyone even bothering to argue about this list? It's title is "Best to Worst: Every Marvel Movie Ranked", yet the list then proceeds from worst to best, and fails to rank every marvel movie. They couldn't even get the title of their list right.
Personally I can not take anyone seriously who ranks Iron Man 3 as better than either of the other 2. But I especially can't take you seriously if you call it a top 5 marvel movie of all time.
I went through this list first methodically, then in a skimming pattern once I realized how haphazard the rankings were. I was expecting Nick Fury: Agent of SHIELD to come in later on, expecting a "so bad it was good" type of comment, only to learn it was left out entirely.
While I appreciated Bana's Hulk, it was an imperfectly conceived attempt, and is so long-in-the-tooth most viewers today can't even get through it. I loved Thor 2, but wouldn't put it before Avengers, yet easily would have placed Winter Soldier over them all. Placing X-Men Origins: Wolverine so low, as well as The Incredible Hulk was unforgivable.
I don't think this fellow speaks well for the pulse of the comic universe. Skip, delete.
A fantastic well put together list, although I gotta disagree with The Amazing Spider-man, The Dark World, First Class' placement. I find they're my favourite out of their respective series. Mind you I don't mean I prefer The Dark World over Avengers and it's a toss up between TAS and Spider-man 2 :)
I was pleasantly surprised with where you ranked Punisher: War Zone, Ang Lee's Hulk and the Incredible Hulk for all the reasons you listed. Most especially the Hulk, I was bored by it as a child however I watched it recently and came to appreciate it's subtleties and I think it's a shame such an introverted and well meaning movie has been so maligned
Iron Man 3 is a complete mess and The Avengers is nothing more than a big dumb CGI-fest. Even more perplexing is how The Winter Soldier is behind them when in fact it's the only good movie Marvel has done.
Yeah, this was pretty much just a hastily thrown together pile of dog shit. And also at the beginning, I'm pretty sure DC has gone gritty and intellectual with Nolan's Batman, not with their movies in general. Unless I completely misread The Green Lantern.
WT Smith
You were just making that up right. Pretty random … The first Wolverine movie is apparently worse then the Ash-Can Fantastic Four. The Eric Bana Hulk is #8. Just making it up …
Best to worst: Why are all the worst films the most recent outings, and the number 1 worst is 'The Avengers'? ….which received fairly decent reviews from critics, was a hit with audiences across the world.
seriously? iron man 3 was not good, and you have it as the #4 all time best marvel movie…
The Gimmer
Where is David Hasselhoff as NICK FURY?
You went to all of this trouble and time and missed the Hoff? Shameful.
BTW, My favors:
1) The Avengers
2) Iron Man 3
3) Captain America: The Winter Soldier
4) Spider-Man 2
5) Iron Man
Beto Placido
Where's "GENERATION X"?!?
Robb Hughes
Why is everyone so angry that this list doesn't precisely match their own? Quick maths lesson: the number of permutations when putting 36 items in order are '36 factorial', or 371,993,326,789,901,217,467,999,448,150,835,200,000,000. If every single person on earth made up a new list once every minute for 10 years, no two would be identical. Quit stressing.
To break with tradition I'll say: GOOD ARTICLE! Reviews are well written, mostly fair, and I enjoyed reading my way through them, nice work.
And for the record, my own top 5 would be:
1) Avengers
2) Winter Soldier
3) Iron Man 1
4) Blade 1
5) Punisher: Warzone. (Just because it's unashamedly over-the-top)
Oh, and every single spidey movie should be shot, dismembered, burned and buried. But that's just my opinion.
I'm sorry but this list is absolute bullsh!t. It just doesn't make any sense. As soon as I saw X-Men First Class that low down I knew that the author of this list had completely f*cked it up. And by the way Ang Lee's Hulk is one of the biggest piles of crap I've ever had the misfortune to watch. I don't now what on earth you'd have to be smoking to rank it so highly.
This guys opinion is wrong.
Well, this is a terrible list. Only 3 movies warranting even an A-? The Avengers at #1? F this in the A.
Why do all of these movies suck? What?
whomever constructed this list is deranged and/or retarded…
Ethan Peers
Who the hell made this!? Hulk that high up? The Amazing Spider-Man lower than Spider-Man 3? This list is complete bullshit.
Jack Warwick
The Amazing Spider-Man: Too low, Ghost Rider 2: Too high, Fantastic Four 2: Too high, Iron Man 3: Way, way too high and Hulk: Way, way, way, way, way, way too high.
My top five would go:
5: Cap: The Winter Soldier
4: Iron Man
3: Spider-Man (2002)
2: The Avengers
1: Spider-Man 2 (2004)
They got most of the top 5 right except for Iron Man 3 and the rest are just BS.
Peter Parker
Hey! How come is the Amazing spiderman flim that low! and how in hell is iron man 3 the 4th best since that movie sucked and why is Thor 2 and Xmen first class below Fantastic four? :O
i understand you have opinions. But if your going to make an article like this you need to be un-biased.
My personal opinion is:
I think First Class should be higher. Eric Bana's Hulk lower than Ed Norton's Hulk. Iron Man 3 down and Iron Man 2 up. I also think it's a bit harsh saying Howard the Duck is better than Wolverine: Origins but, other than that it's not a bad list. Also, I guessed The Avengers would be No.1 when I started reading!
Amazing Spider Man needs to be moved up and Iron Man 3 needs to be moved down
Yo Mama
This list sucks balls. My favorites:
Iron Man 3
Cap 2
Spidey 2
How the hell is ANY spider-Man film with Toby "I can't act for shit" Maguire better than Thor:The Dark World, The Amazing Spider-Man or Blade Trinity?
This list is utter rubbish.
I honestly just think this is not in any order… if it is, it's just utterly wrong!!!
Wow. I mean, Wooow. This list it's completely outrageous. Come on dude. I know reviews are subjetive but have some common sense dude. Spiderman 2 over Edward Norton's Hulk? Over Ironman!?!? Fantastic Four 2 higher than X Men First Class!?!? Eric Bana's Hulk was a MESS, incomprehensible. Thor was really shitty, poor acting, terrible character development. Poorly executed. The 1994 Fantastic four shouldnt be above anything, its like a fan made movie. Why do you put it above anything!
Wow….this is the worst list I've ever seen.
Spiderman 2 as number 3??? IRONMAN 3 as number 4?!?!?!?!?!? FanFour: Silver Surfer BETTER than Xmen first class???? Ghost rider 2 better than ghost rider 1 AND being better than…well, ANYTHING???
Holy ****, whatever this guy is smoking, I want some!
I don't like Captain America: the First Avenger much at all. I like X-Men: The last Stand more than most (though it could have done with ten minutes more of a middle and no Vinnie Jones). I loathe the Spider Man movies.
It was fun reading a little review of every movie in one tidy article though.
New working title for this article (Best To Worst: Every Marvel Movie Ranked by a idiot)
Randall Hugh Crawford
I kept reading this list thinking "Wow, they thought 'Dr. Strange' was better than all of these?" until I got to the end and realized that the title of the article was a lie.
Leaving of the various Indian and Asian Spider-Man rip-offs is understandable but not including the Nick Hammond Spider-Man, the TV Dr. Strange, the Reb Brown Captain America, The Matt Frewer Generation-X, the Hasselhoff Nick Fury… You see my point, right? If you little kids are going to make lists of movies you saw when they first came out and ignore everything that was produced before you were born then don't claim your list is "complete".
And yes I know the difference between theatrical and television movies, but the title of the list said EVERY Marvel movie and in the phrase "made for television movie" the noun is MOVIE, everything else is the adjective.
What a terrible list. you know nothing about comics and obviously even less about the films. what shitty taste you have Oliver.
You put Two Blade movies, FF: Silver Surfer, Punisher, and Ang Lee's Hulk movie ahead of X-Men First Class….facepalm….
1. Captain America: The Winter Solider
2. X-Men 2
3. X-Men: First Class
4. Spiderman 2
5. Iron Man
X-Men First Class is actually pretty good. It has an 87% approval on Rotten Tomatoes so clearly the view here is in the minority. Also, Ang Lee's Hulk [2003] is truly one of the worst Marvel movies made. It should be down around Ghost Rider. Actually, lower than that because it complete subverts the original story of Hulk and turns it into an overwrought, psychological 'bad daddy complex' Greek drama.
How people continue to cite Raimi's first two Spiderman movies as quality films blows my mind. And it's strange because the same people that love the first two, typically dislike the third installation, yet the third film is essentially more of the same bullshit that was featured in the first two. "What? No it isn't. The third one is nothing like the first two. The third one is soooo silly. Emo Peter Parker dancing down the street. That's so dumb!" It is dumb, but there was plenty of stupid shit in the first and second films as well, and how people don't recognize that is truly baffling. If anyone is interested, I would recommend listening to Down In Front's audio commentaries. They go in-depth into why none of the Spiderman films work.
2.Spiderman 3
3.Iron Man 3
The minute I saw Ghost Rider ahead of The Amazing Spider Man is when I immediately stopped taking this list seriously. Truly awful.
I'll say this now. This list is called: Best To Worst: Every Marvel Movie Ranked… it should therefore be made with the evaluation of a critic. This is clearly a list based on some person's personal preferences rather than what was stuff was done well in the movie, what wasn't. I mean, the original Hulk? Really? It is an absolute mess of a movie. Particularly anything revolving around Bruce's dad and the finale. Ridiculous
This list is pathetic.
Im sorry but no … how is the Hulk so high? Ive watched it so many times and still do not even slightly understand the fight at the end … someone explain … The Incredible hulk was a much better film and I'd even go as far to say Edward Norton was my favourite banner (although I prefer the actual Hulk from avengers)
Also Iron Man 3 ruined the mandarin character, built him up so much like his comic book counterpart then basically threw it in our face… terrible decision.
Spiderman 2, X2, Winter Soldier and Avengers I think should be high because theyre are just too good, however Amazing spider man i thought was Good, it was more truer to the source material than raimis trilogy, dont get me wrong i loved them too just don't see how it ranked so low and how people rate it so badly, definately deserves higher than it gets,
All in all this list is complete BS.
My favourite five:
1. "Captain America: The Winter Soldier";
2. "Spider-Man" (2002);
3. "Avengers";
4. "Hulk" (2003);
5. "Spider-Man 2"
IMO the first "Iron Man" is HIGHLY overrated – I don't like anything about this movie (except good acting of Downey Jr., Paltrow and Bridges but that's not enough to call a movie "good"). And Ang Lee's HULK is one of the most underrated movies I have ever seen.
Yeah this article is BS. But everyone's entitled to their opinion, even if they are wrong.
Your list loses all credibility with "The Hulk" cracking your top 10. It should be at the bottom.
This list started ok, but wow – you should really never do movie review ever again. Yes, reviews/opinions are all subjective, but honestly, wtf is wrong with you? The original Hulk was awful and I have no idea why Daredevil and the Fantastic Four are not tied for last place – they are truly horrible moments in cinema.
The one movie though that you seriously under-rate, and many other comments have pointed this out is X-Men First Class. Easily one of the top 10 Marvel films (likely top 5), and many people I personally know rate it as the best Marvel film.
Please please please, destroy your computer and never ever type any list ever again. Your opinions are totally invalid and you clearly have horrible taste in movies. Blade? Give me a break you tit.
Stu M
Look I know that fans and film buffs are going to like different things, being more of the later I find that Thor is my favourite Marvel film while, for instance The Avengers really bored me by the end. Each to their own!
Iron Man 3 should be around the 30 mark. Other than that not too bad. Especially pleased to see X2 as high as it deserves.
Why can't people Just say 'I don't agree, here's my opinion' or 'good job, not what I would have put though'? The internet has made everyone a prick.
For what it's worth I don't think this is a bad list overall. I certainly would rather watch SM3 over the dull as dish water ASM and I thoroughly feel X2 is easily the best (perhaps only truly great) x-men film. Bit suprised by Hulk, but I see your point. In a world were every comic book film feels rehashed at least it tried something fresh.
Can't say I understand Iron Man 3 over Iron Man or Thor:Dark world's low ranking but not a bad effort at all sir.
I was agreeing with this list for the most part but I never expected the 2003 Hulk movie to be that high on the list, especially before Spider-Man! I miss the Sam Raimi franchise a lot.
I'd put Amazing Spider-Man well above Spider-man 3, but otherwise, this seems like a pretty good ranking to me. The top 7 are definitely my favourites out of the bunch, even if I'd re-order them slightly.
Philip Salazar Fajardo
what a lame @$$ list… Thor TDW a bad one? no way!
I know it's a matter of taste and perspective, but this list sucks.
Ang Lee's Hulk should be around 30 in that list.
Iron Man 3 is worse than 2.
X-Men First Class is the best of all the franchise, and X-Men Origins is good.
also Thor : The Dark World is too underranked.
The Blade movies are way too high on your list, as is the Ang Lee Hulk. The Rise of the Silver Surfer was also ranked way, way too high. Thor The Dark World was ranked too low.
Other than that, not too bad of a list.
stupid list wtf
This list is ridiculous. I want to support Thor the dark world which I thought was really quite charming and surprisingly brilliant, better than the first and SO SO much better than any of the captain america/johnny storm films which are ranked WAY too high. Iron man 3 above the original Iron man?! WTF?
I also think Ang Lees hulk is generally underrated and way more interesting an offering than the 'transformers with monsters' remake, if slightly quirky and not to everyones tastes
My ranking
1) Iron Man – the most complete a film out of any of the offerings from marvel studios!
2) X2 – also very complete, it actually exciting and the ensemble cast are well balanced
3) Avengers – for its scope and execution
3) Thor Dark world – a charismatic leading duo Thor and Loki, villain was a little weak but it had action, humour, cool things happening in an exciting context with engaging and fleshed out characters
4) Hulk (original)
5) Spider man 2/Captain America TWS – some great bits
After this its just a sea of mediocrity in which I would be sure to include
X-men 'lets leave my best friend, newly paralysed with a bullet in his back on the beach to die' first class, Iron Man 'the lasers at the end are memorable nothing else is' 2, blade films – no strong feeling either way – who cares?, X-men last stand (near the bottom of mediocre),
THEN I would make absolutely sure that the following are relegated to the depths of hell:
Spiderman 3 – atrocious in every way, so weird too.
Ghost Rider's – obviously more nick cage insipid garbage
WORST OF ALL though and by FAR the most overrated film on this list 'The Wolverine' – a complete and utter snore fest, totally lifeless. The DULLEST, BLANDEST steaming pile of 'nothing interesting happening' STOOL I've ever seen. Such a crushing disappointment too – it should be penalised more heavily for that. I would honestly rank X-men origins above this. IT SUCKED.
Feel free to disagree!
this "list" reveals the sorry state of american filmmaking, and to a lesser extent, internet movie critics
Dr. Strange
Iron Man 3 was way too high, and x-men: first class way too low. Other than that, I can't really find a fault with the list.
you're wrong
Bygone Era
Spider-Man 2 won an Academy Award, which is more praise than any other film on this list has received. Roger Ebert himself said that Spider-Man 2 should have been nominated for Best Picture. That means it should be number one on any Marvel film list.
The Man With No Name Attributed More Fame
You put Ang Lee's HULK and Iron Man 3 over Sam Raimi's SPIDER-MAN? You put The Avengers and X2 over Spider-Man 2 (a film that won an Oscar)? YOUR LIST HAS BEEN RENDERED INVALID.
Stan The Man Lee
List is absolute s***. Spider-Man and Spider-Man 2 should occupy the top two spots, period.
Please tell me you're joking. The fact that you ranked the abomination that is Spider-man 3 above The Amazing Spider-man is a complete joke. Even if you for some idiotic reason like tobey maguire's spider-man over the reboot you have to agree the ASM was worlds and dimensions better than SM3.
Top 5 :
X-Men : First Class
The Wolverine
Iron Man
Spider-Man 2
The Amazing Spider-Man
This is absolute horse-shit!
Just that fact that GhostRider 2 is not last makes me physically ill!
Steve Saun
X2 is the best Marvel film, I 'd put Iron Man second. Then XM: First Class (Why on earth he put this so low, I have no idea). Thor and Captain America were horrible. I wish they had to do better with these movies. Didn't see winter soldier, but I have a feeling it will redeem some of the awful script of the first one.
1. X2
2. Iron Man (1)
3. First Class
4. Avengers
5. Spiderman 2 (Mary Jane tho, flip she kills the movies)
Is this an April Fool's joke that got posted two days late? You could not have ranked these movies worse if you had used a random number generator…
this list lost all credibility when ghost rider 2 was placed above the amazing spiderman and thor 2……
Top 5:
Iron Man
Spider-Man 2
CA: Winter Solider
Swap Iron Man 3's place with First Class and you're on the right track too.
Literally the WORST – LIST – EVER!
#ShootTheWriter #FailedFilmmaker
I'm actually pretty disappointed by this list. It doesn't seem like the writer(s) actually did the correct research on the popularity of these films. The first sign that it was going wrong was when Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengance and Spider-man 3 rated even as high as they did, but Blade 2 and X2 ranking in the top 10? There better have been payment for such lies! :-P
I'm inclined to agree most with JMAN as far as my top 5.
No particular order:
Captain America: First Avenger
Captain America: Winter Soldier
Iron Man (1)
The Avengers
And maybe Thor or The Wolverine
(However, as a kid in the 80's, Howard the Duck would have been at my list's top ^_~)
What a horrible countdown. Wow. Just wow. Can I be the first to say the Avengers is WAY overrated, gawsh. I guess I should expect it to be number 1, but still, just voicing my opinion.
Oh yeah. HOW DID IRON MAN 3 BEAT THE ORIGINAL IRON MAN??? That takes away a crap load of credibility. X-Men Origins: Wolverine is vastly underrated. Spider Man 3 and the original Thor are mediocre at best, I would rank both below C, but whatever.
Loved the 2011 Captain America and can't wait to see the Winter Soldier!!! Hopefully it's a good sign that it's on the top 10! :)
That said, the top 10 is pretty good except for the inclusion of Iron Man 3, which should probably be at least 20 places lower. X-Men 2 should be #1, and aside from those two minor gripes…..good top 10.
Anybody who thinks Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance was better than Thor: The Dark World not only has no business writing this list, but in fact has no business opining on movies in general.
Not going to comment on the ordering, but can you please, please stop referring to the Blade series as "Superhero movies"? Blade is no more a superhero story than Twilight is.
Yes, they're Marvel movies and so belong on this list – they just shouldn't be described as superhero movies.
You have absolutely no idea what you are talking about…..Idiots
Captain America X1.
Other than that you pretty much nailed it.
(Apart from Ang Lee's Hulk of course.)
I just rewatched the Bana Hulk movie last week after hating it in the theaters. I tried to give it some due. But the truth is that Bana was out-acted by the CGI green hulk. He was just too flat and I didn't find any chemistry between any of the other actors. Director Lee tried to combine both comics-paneling and some hamminess as art with an emotionally conflicted David "Bana" but it failed and makes you want the green hulk to never revert to his more plasticy, lifeless human.
The fact that the 2003 Hulk with the mutant poodle is number 8 completely destroys this countdown. There was nothing good about that movie. No I don't wish for a swing and miss like that ever again for any movie. It was a terrible disgusting waste of time.
Dave the Viking
Any list with Daredevil not at the bottom is starting off on the wrong foot. Having said that, I agree with a lot of this list, but can't stomach seeing Spiderman 2 so high.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier is definetly the best Marvel movie.
This list is bullshit!
This list is psycho. Some of the best movies at the bottom, some of the worst near the top.
Plus it goes opposite of what the title says which was confusing at first.
This list is so terrible it hurts. The only thing I agree with is Avengers at #1. I could complain about all your choices (like the ridiculously high ranking of Ang Lee's Hulk) but it's not worth it. I just have to say, as a longtime X-Men fan I cannot believe how low you rated First Class. It's the best X-Men movie by far. I didn't want to rip my eyes and ears out (or Singer's). And the main characters were much more true to their comic book counterparts. I didn't have to stomach meek Storm, bitchy Iceman, flaccid Cyclops, mute Mystique… ok I'm just going to stop.
Overall this list isn't bad. There are a few huge mis-placements in my opinion. like X-Men First Class which falls in the top 5 at least and Iron Man 3 which would be in the 20s.
Nice to see Blade 2 and HULK so high.
My Top 5:
Spider-Man 2
X-Men First Class
Iron Man
Blade 2
The Only Iron Man 3 Fan
Screw all the Iron Man 3 haters. Movie was awesome in every way.
But agree that the list would be better posted on April Fools Day
this list is terrible.
That Girl Who Likes Comics
When I saw trailers for X2, I swear it was titled "X2: X-Men United". Did they drop the subtitle?
I'm going to avoid a long rant and say I disagree with a lot of these (How is Howard the Duck NOT last?!). Here's hoping this summer's releases bring new movies into the top 10.
The Main Man
X-Men Origins was a brilliant film, why the phuck is it #34? and Howard the bleeding Duck is higher? Mate, are you lost? Or just plain stupid?
To add to this, my top 5 follows:
5. X2
4. X-Men
3. Iron Man
2. Captain America: The Winter Soldier
1. The Avengers
I thought I'd give the list a shot, but as soon as I saw Howard the Duck and The Punisher rated ahead of Ghost Rider and X-Men Origins, I knew the list had lost all credibility.
terrible f'n list. It started off good, then ASM, First Class etc showed up way lower than they should have. First Class is probably the best or second best X-men film to date. ASM is 10x better than SM3. It sounds like the writer just stopped watching films after SM3 and doled out arbitrary ratings. I wasnt big on thor 2 but even that shouldve been higher. Iron Man 3 is overrated. thor is underrated. And Hulk 2003 at 8?!?? what are you smoking. The Incredible Hulk curbstomps it. You're entitled to your opinion but no fan in their right mind would agree with you.
Sam Raimi's Spiderman movies are shite.
If you actually think Iron Man 3 and Ang Lee's Hulk are anything other than D movies, you're crazy.
Iron Man 3 and Ang Lee's Hulk are waaaaaaay too high on this list.
Top 5:
5. X2
4. Spider-Man
3. Iron Man
2. Spider-Man 2
1. Avengers
The most disappointing films were Spider-Man 3, Iron Man 2, and Iron Man 3. Maybe one day we'll get a Spider-Man movie again where there's only one great villain (maybe the Green Goblin will one day be done correctly) and an Iron Man film like the first that doesn't have a dozen suits of armor flying around all over the place.
Iron Man 3 Is an Absolute Mess
The original Iron Man was extremely fresh at the time, but Marvel Studios ran the formula to the ground over the course of half a decade. The Winter Soldier is the first breath of fresh air out of the Marvel camp since then. Most importantly, the plot is much meatier with intrigue. There's harder questions from the key characters about loyalty and trust. For my money, it also has the first action sequences in a Marvel movie that feel hard hitting/well done with an intense score to boot. Plus it has the first villain specifically from Marvel Studios that actually has some balls. Sure, the movie had a few of the same ol' Marvel Studio pitfalls, but overall it's nearly everything it needed to be.
The rest of the movies range from barely passable to downright awful.
Enguarde Josephene
I'm all for the crazy high rankings of Hulk and Iron Man 3, if anything these flicks that dug into character over spectacle should be higher. On the same coin, The Avengers has no business being #1. It's clearly The Winter Soldier.
If we could only rank your lists Best To Worst, this would be on the worst side for sure. You've got Avengers, Spidey 2, X2 and Iron Man close to the correct placements, but then you throw it all away with bonkers love for a completely forgettable Iron Man 3, a good but not great Captain America (and while Winter Soldier is better, it's not even top 10 for Marvel), and the huge misfire that was Hulk. You need to re-watch those movies and realize how misplaced your affection is!
Narukami Brando
where is Nick Fury Agent of Shield with David Hasselhoff?
What a lovely way to get hits on your article. The list is laughable and should not be taken seriously. Now hopefully someone will come up with a respectable ranking of a marvel films.
Iron 3 should not be higher than Iron Man 1, Eric Bana's hulk over Norton's Hulk?… I can't even finish commenting on this stupid list.
Johnny K
I agree with most of the list.
And I take it that nearly all the people commenting here are just bunch of comic nerds bitching.
lol…That list lost any and all credibility when I got #8 and saw Hulk. That movie was horrible in every possible way and should be closer to #30 than #10.
This list is all wrong, the only one I might agree with is the Avengers and none of the original X-Men movies deserve to be in the top 10
I agree with Avengers being #1 personally, but to say that Iron Man 3 is so high is ridiculous. I personally would put Winter Soldier at #2. IM3 was the worst of the current Avengers franchise films so far.
IM3 higher than the original? lol
And The Avengers wasn't as good as the first Iron Man and the 2nd Cap movie.
This list is so embarrassing. IM3 is ranked too high, X2 is ranked too high. Eric Bana's Hulk over Norton's? I only agree with #1 and having SM2 in the top 5. Other than that…horrible list.
But you win, IndieWire. At least you got us talking.
This list is f*cking horrible.
Everybody already said it, but goddamn, this is a bad list. How is Spider-Man 3 considered a better movie than ASM? ASM at least got the plot lines more accurate, and wasn't a jumbled horrible mess of a movie. Incredible Hulk was WAY better than the first outing with Eric Bana, and then, we have Punisher War Zone, Ghost Rider 2, and FF Silver Surfer ALL above ASM.
Terrible, TERRIBLE list.
What the what?
This has to be the most ass terrible list of marvel movies I've ever seen.
Well played sir, troll successful.
Dennis Harvey
It's depressing that on a website devoted primarily to independent, documentary and foreign cinema, there should be such a huge number of readers/comments nitpicking over the ranking of a bunch of comic book mall movies. Because, of course, those are the movies they–13-year-old boys of any actual age or gender–really care about. I stopped going to them after walking out on "The Avengers," not because it was "bad," but just because I realized I didn't care in the least, having seen the exact same thing in various forms quite enough already. And since that movie is rated #1 here, I guess I'm not missing anything.
Horrible list. Ghost Rider 2 over Thor Dark World?
About all you got right on this is the Top 3, and the bottom 3. Hulk above the Incredible Hulk, and Spider-Man 3 above Amazing Spider-Man is laughable.
Eric Bana Hulk in the top 10? You sir are dumb
Gabe Toro
According to these comments, all of these movies are bad. Huh.
Anyway, where is the Nick Fury TV movie written by David Goyer?
I got dumb reading this.
Bunk list, kiddos.
I think the director's cut of Jane's Punisher is a really good film. It's almost a different movie! I think Bana is an extremely boring actor and think that film is a stinkbomb! Giant mutated poodle anyone!?? Spider-man 3 should be much lower even though I think James Franco killed it(C-) Norton was a great Banner (B+)! I think Captain America: The First Avenger is the best film. The story is compelling, the acting/casting superb, the action sequences well-done! (A+) Then Avengers (A) and Iron Man (A). The thing that bothers me about First Class is continuity and to a lesser degree: costuming for the period piece (C). XO:Wolverine (D-) also had costuming issues and man what a waste of Gambit and Deadpool…. so poorly written… I'd place it just above Lee's Hulk (F)
this list…is sh*t. lol. was this done intentionally to get reads? clearly this person isnt a true fan of comics or comic book movies.
Wow, this list is ridiculous. Iron Man 3 in the top 5- and over the first Iron Man? IM3 wasn't even the best Marvel film in 2013. The Fantastic Four sequel is ranked higher than X-Men: First Class (arguably the best X-Men movie since X2)? Are you kidding me? Ang Lee's Hulk over the 1st Spider-Man and 1st X-Men films? (The 1st Spider-Man and X-Men were largely responsible for relaunching the superhero genre while audiences rejected the Hulk). And Fantastic 4, Blade Trinity, and even The Ghost Rider sequel are all ranked higher than Amazing Spider-Man? Are you serious? I know it's opinion-based, but come on. Should have thought this list through a little more bc these rankings are laughable at best.
Marvel, kill yourself.
This is like ranking turds in a toilet.
Ridiculous list…
mostly agree
I really love IM, IM3 & TA the most
fable jay scorcher
awful awful list! j/k it's a list and I love watching people get infuriated at lists.
Spiderman 2 is gaudy, bloated, unwieldy and mostly boring but doc oc was a beautiful villain, so at least that.
And people who aren't impressed by Avengers are undervaluing that film's need to be the greatest juggling act in pop cinema history (and it mostly succeeded).
Terrible list, Eric Banan Hulk, iron man 3 and Spiderman 3 i would put them lower than Howard the duck!
I would put Spider-Man 2 and Iron Man at the very top. Never cared much for The Avengers and strongly disliked Iron Man 3.
Wish I never saw this list it makes me lose all respect for this website! Please spread the word so we can laugh! Blade 2 over xmen first class get real
Wow some of this list is just downright ridiculous. I mean seriously, who made this list.
oogle monster
Just dropping by to say that I love when you guys do these lists. Really really cool and no other site quite does it like you!
Glad to see Reynolds' "cock-juggling thundercunt" line get an acknowledgement.
…anyhow my Top 5
5. The Avengers
4. X-Men
3. Spiderman 2
2. x2
1. Spiderman
This is a piece of shit list. That's not even my opinion. The bubble gum avengers is number 1? Haha. You sir, or ma'am, fall victim to the times. Winter soldier is at 6 already? Haha you're an idiot.
You are so unbelievably wrong about First Class! I was enjoying this trip down terrible memory lane until I spotted your insane blunder. Seriously, put down the Blue Sky and pick up the remote. You need to re-watch it. Not high.
I mostly agree with this list, BUT First Class should DEFINITELY be higher up and Iron Man 3 should be lower.
Spider-Man 2 and X2 are still, in my opinion, the two best superhero movies of all time and have yet to be dethroned.
Amazing Spider-Man is not a good movie. I don't understand the love people have for it. It's a badly made film, that tarnishes the essence of the original comic book.
Top ten for me
10. The Wolverine
9. Spiderman
8. Amazing Spiderman
7. X-men
6. Ironman
5. Captain America
4. Spiderman 2
3. X2
2. Avengers
1. First Class
Ha this is a terrible, terrible list. I can't even begin to point out my difference in opinion but to each their own.
First Class and ASM are waaaayy too low, while Spiderman 3, Ang Lee Hulk, and Rise Of the Silver Surfer are too high.
Greg Cwik
I think SPIDERMAN 2 and X2 (worst title) are the best two Marvel films to date, but I still give Ang Lee a lot of credit for his valiant effort with HULK. It's surprisingly dark, and visually unlike any other film in the Marvel canon. It;s inconsistent and almost unsure of itself, but it has so much akbition.
Raimi just had the right feel for Spiderman, and he did pretty much everything right with 2: a villain who was a real, genuinely good guy before his villainization (a well-motivated villain, at that); a hero whose struggles with being a hero feel earnest; hard, one-on-one action with great set pieces and laced with just the right amount of silly; and, of course, Raimi's pervasive dark humor.
Iron man 3 top 5? HAAAAAA.. Spiderman-2 should be #1
The top of the list is pretty spot-on, but yeah, The Amazing Spiderman, Thor: The Dark World and X-Men: First Class should be much higher. And of course, the Fantastic Four films should be much, much lower.
Something has to be deducted from a list of 36 films where the top 3 only have A ratings and the first B didn't come until film 13. Like maybe comic book movies suck perhaps??? Oh and Iron Man doesn't have a grade.
Pretty much spot on. IMO, I'd put The Wolverine and both The Fantastic 4 lower and probably slide CA:TWS to the fifth, I'd also put Thor:TDW and Spiderman3 a bit higher, both scripts are a mess but still enjoyable. I agree with the praise for Blade 2.
happy that to hear some love for Blade 2, are you guys going to eventually do one of these articles for DC related films?
That Kid
Because every comment section needs a "that guy", X-Men 2 is better than the Avengers simply because it doesn't feel like fan-service at any time. The Avengers is fun and all but it drags in certain places and has more than a few weak connections to audiences who aren't MARVEL or overall comic book fans.
Howard the Duck
This list is shat.
what about the Watchmen?
Iron Man, X2, X-Men: First Class and Raimi's Spider-Man 1/2 are the only ones worth a re-watch.
Arbiter of Taste
Iron Man 3 is the worst of the Iron Man movies. I would place Thor and X-Men: First Class higher and The Incredible Hulk, Captain America and The Wolverine lower.
– The Punisher (2004) deserved a better spot… It's not that good, I admit it, the screenplay didn't work but everything else IMO worked, Jane was excellent, Travolta did his thing and the rest of the cast did good… especially I liked the way how Jonathan Hensleigh told the story…
– Also I think that Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance is ranked way high… that was just as bad as the first one…
– HULK is very underrated, I agree with your opinion, the movie never got what it deserved.
and finally, I would find it hard to believe that there's anyone who thinks that F4: The Rise of Silver Surfer is better than X-MEN: First Class …
Emperor Zerg Rush
Ang Lee's Hulkback Mountain above The Incredible Hulk?
I have all the respect in the world for Ang's directing ability but that movie suffered massively from a lack of compelling or even entertaining story. The Incredible Hulk may not showcase a master behind the camera but it at least had a story that kept you awake throughout.
Wow. I couldn't agree less. Guess everyone is entitled to their opinions. Still… Wow.
lmao spider-man 3 over amazing spider-man no no and ehhh naw x2 spider-man 2 I understand but a lot of this is really messy ang lee hulk that high ….
For the rest of my life i will never understand how anyone can think that "The Avengers" is a great movie.
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Harrison Ford's Reddit AMA Bits: 'Blade Runner' 2, Han, Indy & More
April 14, 2014
Source: Reddit
Harrison Ford Reddit AMA
From James Cameron to Harrison Ford, they're getting everyone on Reddit. Over the weekend the other big Reddit AMA (aka Ask Me Anything) participant was legendary actor Harrison Ford, best known as Han Solo, Indiana Jones, Rick Deckard, Jack Ryan, President James Marshall, Colonel Graff. He explains that he was recently a "correspondent for Years of Living Dangerously, a new Showtime docuseries about climate change," and answered a number of fan questions for an hour. He covers topics on Blade Runner, Star Wars, Indiana Jones, even Anchorman, Expendables, and plenty more. Recap his highlights below.
Though he has been a bit odd at in-person appearances recently, Harrison Ford's responses here seem clear and concise. These are some of his best answers. To start: "Who did you prefer portraying, Han or Indiana?"
Why did he make (or rather "what drew [him] to") Jon Favreau's Cowboys & Aliens?
Oh, I always liked cowboy movies, and there aren't a lot of ’em being done anymore. So I loved scifi in the beautiful desert.
What about Anchorman 2 - when (and why) did he take that role?
Asked: "What's the best and what's the worst set you've ever been on?"
Asked: "Did you ad lib Han's famous line 'I know'?"
On the Blade Runner sequel with Ridley Scott and if there's any potential:
Asked what his favorite Indiana Jones movie is?
I don't have favorites. I just love the work, and I'm glad that the films were so well-received. But I don't really have favorites.
On why he decided to do a role in The Expendables 3:
On the quintessential geek question: "Who shot first? Han Solo or Greedo?"
I don't know and I don't care.
On the other quintessential geek question: is Deckard a replicant?
On if he keeps any movie props from anything he has worked on:
Asked: "What movie quote do you get asked to do the most?"
"Get off my plane."
On the controversy of his falling out with Chewbacca:
"Any injuries / weird occurrences / funny stories on any of the Indiana Jones sets?"
Oh, let's see. On the first Indiana Jones movie, I tore an ACL in one of my knees, can't remember which knee, the scene in which I was fighting the big German mechanic on an airplane called a flying wing, I was run over by the landing gear and injured my knee, but I can't remember which one it was. Lots of bumps and injuries along the way.
On being asked what "skill" he has learned from acting:
Well, I don't know that I've learned any real skill, but what I love about acting is learning about different lives, so when you play a policeman, you will often spend some time with policemen that can help you understand them and what goes on in the real life of a policeman, same with a doctor, a surgeon, a scientist, a secret agent, so you get to learn something about different people's lives every time. Research is very important to me.
On how he really feels about snakes!
Providing some words of wisdom for aspiring actors:
Finally, thanking everyone in return for loving him:
For the rest, head to Reddit or find only his answers right here. Thanks to SlashFilm for the tip. Damn, what a snappy reply to the Greedo/Han "who shot first?" question. "I don't know and I don't care." I guess not. That said, the rest of his answers are much more thoughtful and he seems like a genuinely caring guy by the end of it all. I'm glad he participated in this and although I wish he answered so many more questions about so many other things, all of this is quite fascinating. I can only hope we'll see Blade Runner 2 one day, in the meantime we can always look forward to Expendables 3 with Ford. Or maybe not. Your thoughts?
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• wudawg
Harrison Ford is such a class act.
I am a little sad he didn't take the "Who shot first?" question more seriously. Given his answers he seems to dislike a lot of his place in nerd-dom. Shame really. At least he takes acting seriously.
• OfficialJab
I'm glad that he didn't - even if that question hadn't been long LONG settled conclusively.
• Cal J.
"I always liked cowboy movies, and there aren't a lot of 'em being done anymore." Somebody give Harrison Ford's phone number to Kevin Costner, A.S.A.P.
• I read the whole thing. Loved it. Harrison is such an awesome guy. I appreciate his hard work and will always have respect for him.
• Avi
i don't think harrison ford is such a great actor,but he works hard and has his own life besides hollywood... That's great...
• SkyNet300
He doesn't seem to give a shit anymore lol. His last few roles and interviews clearly show that.
• SkyNet300
I also think he's extremely dull as an actor. Zero presence in my book
• desispeed
Harrsion ford is a great actor...or I should say was a great one from the 80s and early 90s and then a major drop off happened in his quality of work to the point of flat out fact I think he had a DTV movie recently too!!.....Here is hoping he can have a mini renaissance before he retires from the scene
Alex's Top 10 of 2015
1. Mad Max: Fury Road
2. Son of Saul
3. Victoria
4. Creed
5. Sherpa
6. The End of the Tour
7. Sicario
8. The Revenant
9. The Martian
10. Beasts / No Nation
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Jeremy's Top 10 - 2015
1. Anomalisa
2. Creed
3. Mad Max: Fury Road
4. Ex Machina
5. Room
6. The Hateful Eight
7. Spring
8. White God
9. Montage of Heck
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http://www.firstshowing.net/2014/harrison-fords-reddit-ama-bits-blade-runner-2-han-indy-more/
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It can't be denied that Google Glass is the wave of the future. If you're not familiar with this new technology, you should know that Google Glass is a wearable computer that looks much like a pair of ordinary eyeglasses .... only geekier. Also known as Project Glass, the space-aged-specs are purported to have about the same functionality as a smartphone. And, because Glass can take pictures and record video, it's only natural that someone would develop a sex-based application using this technology.
Save up to 50% with 2 for $30 on selected Bodystockings Sex with Google Glass, now known as Glance, is a voice-activated app that lets the wearer see …themselves, during sex. That's right, it's an app that lets you watch yourself during sex, seeing what your partner sees. Google glass doesn't impede your regular vision, so the app allows you see yourself and your partner at the same time.
I'm just wondering: Who the hell wants to watch themselves during sex?
Well, I suppose it might be neat to see my own O-face ... just once. But after that, it seems like any thrill would dissipate. Wearing it would have to feel at least a little silly. But wait, because the voice commands are an even sillier part of Sex with Google Glass.
To begin recording, simply say "OK, Glass. It's time." Just what any lustful partner wants to hear prior to intercourse. No word on whether or not Google Glass will let you change the voice commands. For me, the urge to name GG after a famous computer would be overwhelming. Who wouldn't want their own wearable version of "Ironman's" Jarvis, or 2001's HAL 9000? To stop recording, just say "OK, Glass, Pull out."
Yes, you really have to tell it to pull out. Apparently Google never got the memo on how unsatisfactory pulling out can be.
Contemporary porn star James Deen recently made a demo video using Glance that demonstrated its applications in pornography. In this mildly NSFW video, we see Google Glass taking occasional pics, offering information about the actress's shoes, and displaying pop-up ads in addition to the pantomime giggity of the glass wearers.
Let's hope that the sex apps get better for Google Glass. Personally, I don't think much of watching myself during sex. If I did, I'd get one of those amazing analog apps called a mirror. But what if I could see digital imaging of how the sex was affecting my own brain activity, or my partner's? That would be amazing! Or what about a green-screen app so that actual sex could take place in virtual locations? If Google Glass made it possible to have sex on a starlit beach (without the sand!), on the back of a unicorn, or in front of a fire in the Gryffindor common room, I'm all for it.
To my mind, the obvious application here is the webcam industry. I daresay that a pair of Google Glasses is probably a smart investment for savvy webcam actors. Imagine having webcam or live porn streamed right into your eye while co-workers or classmates are none the wiser. The possibilities of technology like Google Glass are infinite. As to how it will affect sexual trends, we'll just have to wait and see.
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AweSky is your free astrophotography gallery Sun > Eclipses > Total Solar Eclipse of 1999 August 11 Thank you for supporting this wiki project
Click over the image to slideshow the gallery
1999 August 11, a total eclipse of the Sun was visible, but only partial under Spain's skies.
We used a catadioptric reflector Tanzutsu 114mm telescope to see the eclipse reflected in a cardboard.
by mtzpz72 on 2009-05-06 19:07:41
2012-10-07 05:51:46
Only the Moon. It is close enough that, dpisete being relatively small, it can cover the disk of the Sun. The Moon casts a shadow and it is when this shadow passes over Earth (and you stand in that shadow patch) that you would see a total eclipse of the Sun.Venus and Mercury are bigger than the Moon, but they are much further away from us. Their apparent diameter is therefore too small to block off the light of the entire Sun's disk. When they pass in front of the Sun, it is called a transit .There will be a transit of Venus in June 2012 (just as there was one in June 2004).No comets or asteroids are big enough to block off the Sun, regardless of how close they pass to Earth. And no, they cannot cause earthquakes. The idea that something could pass between us and the Sun, causing an eclipse AND earthquakes comes from the Planet-X hoax (the original one, for May 13, 2003 the Big 2012 Hoax is simply a recycling of that hoax).The charlatans who played up the hoax used the story to scare people and then make money by selling them books on how to survive.
2011-08-19 11:46:04
That's a mold-brekear. Great thinking!
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main index
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Headscratchers: The War Against the Chtorr
• One thing that I cannot find in the books, or the GURPS version, is any mention at all of the use of poison gas. Since poison gas was used extensively in World War I and afterward, (but not in World War II for various reasons), it's not as though the technology to use it doesn't exist. A Chtorran "mandala" (settlement) or "city" would probably go down very quickly to, e.g. an attack using chlorine, phosgene or mustard gas.
• It's not mentioned by name, but a repeated statement is; "Anything that can kill Chtorran life is even more lethal to terrestrial life".. There's a Chtorran equivalent of Red tide that can only be killed by pouring oil on it and setting it on fire. The US drops nuclear weapons - dozens of them - on the mega-nests in the Rocky Mountains... and in six months the nests completely rebuilt themselves! WM Ds tend not to be used except in situations of complete and total desperation - to buy time - because the only sure result of a WMD strike is that terrestrial life will be annihilated, and thus be unable to offer even minor resistance to Chtorran infestation. Use anything of the sort, and things will be exponentially worse than if they were used at all.
• Oh, and nerve gas is actually mentioned in Chapter 34 of A Rage For Revenge - added to "worm charms" given to kids in the hope that if the kid is eaten, the worm will die in the process. It's actually a half-assed attempt at euthanasia for the kid - nerve gas is no more dangerous to a worm than low-grade food poisoning is to humans!
• The main reason chemical weapons weren't used after World War I is that they are simply not very effective. And while Chtorrans don't wear gas masks, they, as mentioned above, are very resistant to just about every form of harm. In addition, to truly combat Chtorran life you need to completely wipe out the entire ecosystem, not to simply kill large animals. There are theoretical ideas about chemical weapons this lethal, but those will also effectively make the whole region uninhabitable for long periods of time - that's why those ideas weren't pursued IRL. Even chemicals weapons good enough to reliably kill just humans in relatively small concentrations, like nerve agents, are often extremely persistent and make the terrain dangerous to humans for long periods of time. Considering how widespread the infestation is, mass use of such poisons risks too much collateral damage to the Earth's native ecosystem.
• The analysis about how effective chemical weapons were in World War I is false; there was a reason why for years afterwards chemical warfare had the sort of stigma we now attach to nuclear warfare and would keep it.. more or less until we started using nuclear warfare. The main reason why it wasn't used afterwards was because it was a war crime even before World War One and there was the pending risk somebody using it would be tried and hung (as the Japanese had happen to them), and it was nasty enough to trigger a case of Even Evil Has Standards in *Hitler.* The main reason why it wasn't very decisive in World War One was because- frankly- of the numbers of people that could be mobilized and how people adapted to it (with things like gas masks). That said, the rest of your points are valid; chemical warfare is nasty but the Chtorr are nastier and extremely difficult to kill. And people still use it anyway because they have no better choices.
Venus in FursHeadscratchers/LiteratureWarrior Cats
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Goods in Transit Insurance Claims – Very important
Posted on
Have you ever come across a situation when your insurance claim got unduly delayed and in an instance your patience unravels without notice and you become abrasive with the insurance adviser?
As a consumer you are alone with your thoughts over the damage you incurred which as a result might make you more anxious. Well, your patience can come and go, you are a human and not a machine. Unfortunately,for an insurance claim, one wrong move, either action or language can further delay or maybe trash your insurance claim.
Impatience can certainly ruin your approach towards insurance claims. It can either lead you to making poor decisions to trash your claim or settling for a much lower claim than the actual damage.
So how can you stay more patient to claim your transit insurance after a poor experience of having your household goods moved by the Packers and Movers or have received your vehicle in a damaged condition by the Car Transporters?
1. Awareness: Every insurance claim takes you through a stringent process of survey of your damaged property and document preparation. You are required to preserve the damaged property until the actual claim is disbursed.It may take anywhere between 15 to 60 days for the entire process to complete before you could receive the actual insurance claim amount.
2. Approach: Every insurance claim is proprietary and is not supposed to be out sourced. One is required to be hands-on with the process with a strong need for prompt action for all required documents. There may be multiple contacts servicing your claim which requires you to have all their contact details intact with yourself. This helps you to connect with the right adviser for each delayed step.
3. Past Experience: Although philosophical, this approach towards dealing with unaccounted contacts like insurance advisors comes handy. You may want to just flash back the situation of your past experience with insurance advisers and alter your approach for your present claims benefit.
Claim settlement is one of the most important services that an insurance company can provide to its customers. Insurance companies have an obligation to settle claims promptly. You will need to fill a claim form and contact the adviser from whom you bought your transit insurance policy. Submit all the relevant documents along with the proof of damage to support your claim. Most claims are settled by issuing a cheque within 7 days of receiving all the documents along with the proof of damage.
Since patience is the Key for every insurance claim, has further defined it as “Strategic patience”. At first, many of the consumers resist being subjected to such stringent process for claims. But after going through the process on our advise, consumers have repeatedly told us that they were astonished by the end result of having received the right claims disbursal.
1,417 thoughts on “Goods in Transit Insurance Claims – Very important”
1. What when i carry out not realize is usually how you’re never really much more well-liked in comparison with you might get proper now. You’re very wise. You understand thus significantly about it subject, made people consider this from so many assorted angles. Its like males and women usually are not fascinated except it is one thing to do utilizing Lady coo! Your personal stuffs outstanding. Always manage it upward!
2. J’ai pas remis de rouge bien rouge depuis mon dernier spectacle de danse quand j’étais petite ! Je trouve ça super joli sur certaines filles, mais sur moi je trouve vraiment pas ça top ! Manquerais-je de confiance en moi ? C’est fort possible ! ^^
3. No moral, no class, no religion, no self-esteem, shameless, supercial, fake, plastic, weirdos, bimbos, slut, stupid, bitches, attention-seekers, and so the list goes on….n…on…on….on.Well-loved.
4. This is really messy.When will we ever learn? The American people deserve a true environmental safety protection measures. I think we must ensure that there is unlimited liability for oil spills by oil companies.The government must also seek safety reforms for offshore drilling to avoid such problems.
5. Mónica, Coronita es la marca de una cerveza mexicana, no sé si la llevará también puesta. Besos.Severino, disculpe usted uno es un ignorante del guiñote. Sólo sé cantar en el tute y llueve…MarÃa, la chirigota una verdad como un templo. Besos.Maca, está impuesto, le pagamos con nuestros impuestos… Bicos.Salud y República
6. Eu cred ca interventiile alea se fac (adica merita facute) din motive medicale mai importante decat contraceptia.Steriletul nu protejeaza sarcinile extrauterine, prezervativul mai comporta accidente. Atunci cand o sarcina comporta un risc vital, legarea trompelor sau vasectomia reprezinta alternative de considerat.Intrebarea e de fapt: cat de puternic crede fiecare ca e este efectul nocebo (inversul efectului placebo) asociata acestei operatii?
7. Hey Mike,Over the summer we’re planning to make a secondary list of those spaces available to rent (and perhaps partnerships), although some venues are open to one type of a rental, and not another, and it seems like it’s often case by case. If there are any spaces off the top of your head that you’re interested in, I can give you any feeling I have (if I have one) about how open they are to rental and the contact I have for them. Thanks for the note on the EPFL–we’ll make sure to get them added.Best,Buck
8. No Idea at New Idea New Idea, the trash-rag magazine that outed Prince Harry's mission to the world, is in panic mode today. The original articles have been tossed into the memory hole: the Prince Harry War Lord storyline is replaced with a Harry Bio page. All of the nega…
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11. “This anti-Alberta rhetoric is beneath contempt.”I agree. Ed Stelmach should quit acting like Harry Strom and throw in a little Bible Bill Aberhart. It’s time to clamp down on those latte drinking, educated, urban folk from the big cities. Thinking they can trot out all those fancy ‘ideas’ and ‘public diologue’ and provide some form of ‘opposition.’ Never understood ’em before. Don’t understood ’em today.
12. For me, I don’t know if it is the clutter itself that is making me less successful. It is more that I don’t have time to take things as they come up that is making me crazy. The other day I had to straighten up the house real quick and I couldn’t believe the amount of junk mail I hadn’t gotten rid of and things I hadn’t put on the calendar. I think the day should really be 26 hours long.
13. Watt ? Was ist das ? mais la rue Broca ou la rue Pascal, en revenant, le soir, pedibus cum gambis, du Monde, ne sont pas mal non plus ; il faut faire avec ce qui nous tombe sur le bec.En russe, tramway se dit « tramvaï », à ne pas confondre avec travail qui se dit … etc. ; les mots passent ainsi d’une langue l’autre**.Mais demain est un autre jour et il se fait tard, dis !
14. Hele opplegget med hva man gjorde for 100 år siden er irrelevant, da ingen menn og kvinner fra den tiden lever i dag.Når det gjelder å ramse opp tidens urett, så tror jeg ikke det er nødvendig å gå langt ned den veien før man ser all urett som har rammet kvinner.Uansett er dette irrelevant, da mennene i dag ikke er ansvarlige for hva menn for >100 år siden gjorde.
15. Thank you for visiting and for taking the time to write such a great response. I am glad that you find what I am doing and sharing useful, and I hope you get some sparks of ideas for your own teaching, and then take the time to share out, too. We all learn from each other, but it takes teachers willing to share out ideas and reflections, and try new things.Kevin
16. I love the chalkboard play table. My boys would have loved this 20 years ago. On second thought, maybe the 23 year old would still love playing with it. Thanks for hosting a great party!
17. I certainly don't expect the Usurper's home state to do anything, but we'll see. There's so much corruption there that I don't hold out much hope for the hearing to go "our" way. Screwing America seems to be the new and popular scenario since 2008.
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19. Hola amigo, acabo de leer la historia y me parece buenÃsima. Tal como indica Rafael, vas directo a la parte interesante, sin abundar en detalles innecesarios, pero dejándonos en la incertidumbre de como empezó todo, y de como acabará la historia de este padre Carlos (que tal como anotó Miguel Angel, en teorÃa no deberÃan tener hijos). Espero leer más historias, y quién sabe, ojalá despierte mi imaginación y también pueda crearme una historia para compartirla con uds. Muchas gracias desde Perú.
20. Still think it's very odd how it's so tricky nowadays to embed a YouTube video into Blogger – given that both companies are owned by Google! Most videos now need to be resized manually when you paste the code into Blogger, to avoid any cropping of the video. Why not make it more intuitive, or more automatic??
21. Luc Lemaire dit :J’ai du mal àcomprendre ces interrogations. L’article est clair : « La première tranche qui démarrera au courant de ce mois et dont la durée est fixée àenviron 12 mois (…) Les premiers flux électriques seront mis sur le réseau en 2013. » Faut-il vous donner les jour ouvrés pour les ouvriers ?
22. Doriana spune:Felictari!!!Pacat ca nu se face mai des asa ceva,paote asa reusim si noi sa ne face TARA altfel cunoscuta! Domnul meu , multumesc in numele celor care nu mai stau ACASA ,reusind prin aceste imagini sa ne face ti sa uitam de dor si sa ne gandim ca suntem printre aceste minunate locuri.
23. SOUTH,……. YOU GOT MY VOTE!We need more people like you who would run.The Left would be screaming PC. I can hear them now. The Pity Party would be in full force.We have had to fight wars with too many rules.This is why we are in such a mess in Iraq, and Afganistan. If were would have been able to go there and kill the damn enemy instead of playing games,…. this would be all over and we would have been able to save PRECIOUS BLOOD of our Military.
24. McCain knows “how to win a war”? Last time I checked he spent his time in a prison camp on the losing side. And what was up with Ifill’s silly “class warfare” question? I guess repeated tax breaks for millionaires and billionaires is just the natural order of things.peace –
25. Studio fashion design, bright color and generous, in line with the aesthetic point of view of the young consumer groups. Pioneer’s advantage in playing style, heritage is to force low-frequency performance, this style suitable for playback appreciation of pop, rock and DJ tracks, can bring a more intuitive auditory impact.
26. it is so refreshing to see such down to earth celebrities. i can remember my hubby putting together our daughters cribs took forever but was well worth it. i think pink will be a great mom.
28. hola! una duda, no me queda muy claro el Paso 5: Ahora debes utilizar la copia de seguridad para restaurar todas sus aplicaciones y configuraciones para el iPad.significa que una vez terminada la instalacion del iOS 4.2 hay que restaurar de nuevo? O_o? sorry si es muy básica la pregunta, es la primera vez que instalo un nuevo iOS por este método.muchas gracias de antemano
29. Nick,Thanks for your kind words. And there is lots more to come with this serial posts. I just wish I could post more often. Unfortunately getting the images to the quality I feel is needed takes more time then I would like. Please bear with me.I hear what you say about Champion #10. Pure Kirby and pure magic.
30. the war on Islamic Terrorism is over and directed DHS to now brand the terrorists in America as returning Vets, Constitutionalist and 2nd Ammendmant advocates…..Actions accross the USA by obama surrogates have already begun in detaining obama's new terrorists WITHOUT ARREST, allow islamists to not be searched in airports and be exempt from obamacare….Watch what obama does, NOT what he says…For some strange reason the left wing democrats refuse to do this…Blind allegiance to one party and disbelief that these things could never happen is exactly what happened in Germany in the 1930's…
31. OMG I want Tommy. He is so much like my “MAX” who is ten.These pictures of the pups are outstanding. Great firefighters, also have two of them in family. Great job to all. Marge
32. Maryenne: szerintem egyszer mindenképp érdemes kipróbálni egy ilyet 🙂 Kinga: okééés 🙂 beszámolok :)Panna: ez csak természetes :)Vianne: sztm kérdezd meg, biztos van még hely 🙂
33. About the same story my uncle told me from WW1. If the wind shifted, it could come back at you. If memory serves, the Iraquis dropped it from the air into the best position, and let it work . The Kurds were ill prepared to cope.
34. impossivel dizer,que nao e o pior do mundo,o IE6,mas porque as pessoas nao dizem que XP esta ultrapassado,quase todo dia mexo com XP cheio de instabilidade,se o IE6 e antigo,o XP tb o e,porque sao da mesma epoca ou to enganado……abaixo ao xp tambem,o vista apesar de pesado,e muito bom contra porcarias devirus,porque,eu respondo,o UAC,coisa que as pessoas nao gostam tb,vai entender…luciano Postou em seu Blog:
35. dit :Ben moi j’aime assez le concept. Je ne m’abonnerais pas, mais je trouve l’idée très originale et ça a un côté assez mystérieux…Le fait que l’on puisse répondre à l’auteur est plutôt pas mal!Au final c’est un peu comme un magazine que l’on reçoit, mais manuscrit (donc plus joli), sans pub, avec un peu de coeur…Bon en fait j’ai du mal à dire si j’aime vraiment bien ou si ça me déplait un peu (peut-être les deux en fin de compte), mais ce qui est sûr c’est que ça interpelle!
36. Oh Bethany,The first part looked almost like my mess. I used one bedroom and crammed and stacked totes in the closets until they wouldn’t hold any more then the room some how just got full.I hope one day to get mine organized the way you have.Love the long loom holder, what is it? It is different looks like a knitting needle holder.HugsMarcie
37. Don't know if you know this, Mr. Field, but many public universities are now admitting white men on affirmative action bases. They are a dwindling percentage of university students and otherwise do not make the admission requirements of grades and/or SAT scores. So,when a white man objects to AA in my presence, I point out how this demographic is now benefiting from it and otherwise would not be admitted to the university.
39. No i co z tego, że to żona jakiegoś prezesa. To znaczy, ze nie może pracować w urzędzie miasta? Przestańcie ludzie si tak czepiac.Ten komentarz nie był chyba do tej informacji.Raczej efaster napisz czy przyjdziesz czy nie.
40. 10:39 am, June 21, 2012|I’ll go on record as saying that, for as flawed and cheesy Stallone’s Judge Dredd was, it was visually great and a really fun movie. Plus, screaming, “I AM THE LAW!!!” in Stallone’s voice is way too much fun.
41. Sympa tous ces dessins ^^. Je propose:- la descente de bière- le balisage artistique (les dameuses font des choré en balisant les pistes, avec un petit tutu)- Le roquet sur glace (avec un petit chien, ou Laurent Fabius ^^ –> cf débat Chirac/Fabius).- Le squelette-thon (un arrête de thon descend la piste de bobsleigh)- Le téléphone arabe (cf « combiné nordique »)- Le kit de fondueBon j’arrête là je me déméliore !
42. BalmerLatin America has been very successful at producing top Major League Baseball players, and it's well established that the baseball fields are very substandard in Latin AmericaThe key difference is that in LA kids can still learn and practice baseball as much as their interests and talents take them.In most of NE Asia, the vast majority of kids don't have the chance to ever learn or practice golf – even on substandard courses. In Japan there are golf fanatics who can only afford to occassionally go to a driving range and have never been on a course proper.
43. efI was previously very very happy to find this particular internet-site. I planned to thanks for ones time because of this glorious read!! I surely enjoying every little it and I have you bookmarked to check out new things you post.21
44. Non ca veut juste dire 90% de chance que je ne sois pas fiable.Je vis au jour le jour ca veut dire j’planifie pas grand chose d’avance question de toujours pouvoir dire oui a la proposition la plus intéressante
45. necesito saber porque a mi marido,que tiene dos hijos a cargo y por lo cual tiene que cobrar de asignacion familiar 440 solo cobra 270.en el banco me mandan a consultarlo aqui.necesito saber que solucion debo tomar
46. I love this, Miriam. Because I have been working with people in the last chapter of their lives, my life is all about grief. So many people think this is a “bummer”. But the pathos is filled with narratives, poems, humor, rich anecdotes – and yes, tears and sadness. I love your memory of your father – and his poem!
47. grande ste no sai che inviadia… verso agosto andrò a madrid e probabilmente farò un giorno di sosta a barcellona non credo ci scpperà la possibilità ma se riesco un salto in spiaggia vorrei farlo… magari mi farai fare qualche lancio con una delle tue tavole visto che la mia non riuscirò a portarla dietro!!!! cmq dacci dentro e fegli vedere di che pasta è fatto il made in ADRIATICO!!!
48. Bonjour à toutes et tous,vous avez été plus nombreux à répondre que je ne pensais.J’ai demandé d’arrêter les envois pour éviter d’être noyé.Que ça ne vous empêche pas de faire vos photos, je suis en train de voir pour trouver une solution satisfaisante pour toutes et tous.Dès que c’est bon, je vous fais signe.VN:F [1.9.21_1169]please wait…VN:F [1.9.21_1169](from 0 votes)
50. Hi there from Texas! I’m bored at work so I decided to check out your web-site on my totally free time through lunch break. I really like the info you deliver here. Anyhow, terrific post!
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52. I think once my decorations are up, I start feeling the spirit. This year has been particularly hectic with my black belt testing and my quick trip to DC so even though my decorations are up I haven’t really enjoyed them yet. Looking forward to Sunday because a lot of the craziness will have subsided. We’re not exchanging gifts this year either for a variety of reasons and I’m OK with that. I suppose I always feel there are a myriad of ways and the entire year to express love to others, not just with gifts at Christmas!
53. Such a warm welcome, Tash. We’d be there with you in a New York minute too!!This place is unbelievable, clicked in at #8 and by the time I entered my post it came in as #22. Less than five minutes in and the pub is rocking’! Can’t wait to see what’s served up this week!
54. 60% of 90% wouldn't be a monopoly? What would be? 99.99999999%? I don't get your logic there, PattyCakes.Amazon is not “successful” if success is beating out the competition. As soon as Apple and Barnes and Noble entered the market, Amazon's market-share slid 30%. The only way Amazon can defend its market position is by having Pres. Obama sue its competitors and take them to court. Amazon doesn't have a better service, it's getting special treatment. How is that "success?"
55. Ei pelasta uskottomuus, mutta taitaa todella harvoin pelastaa keskustelukaan…Keskustelu saattaa aiheuttaa hetkellisen ”parantumisen”, mutta jos suhde on vuosien kuluessa muuttunut siksi mikä se on niin ei se kyllä todellakaan muutu siitä pysyvästi muuksi keskustellen vaan vain siksi aikaa muuttuu kuin mitä kumpikin jaksaa muistaa yrittää toimia toisin ja hyvin nopeasti kuviot palautuvat takaisin tämän vuosien saatossa muodostuneen tavan mukaisiksi.
56. I can not thank you enough for the articles on your web-site. I know you add a lot of time and effort into them and hope you know how considerably I enjoy it. I hope I can do exactly the same man or woman at some point.
57. Don’t know that it’s hard to accept the Bible at face value. It has always seemed to me that the easiest path is to just go along with the herd and agree with the Bible, etc. I reserve the right to question and come to my own conclusions….
58. If you have a BMR of 1,760 and are lightly active (BMR x 1.375), you should be burning approx 2,420 calories per day. To lose 1lb of fat per week, consume 1,920 calories per day. As you drop body fat you will probably also lose some lean tissue so you’ll need to re-evaluate calorie requirements every so often. Hope this helps.
59. Unions have clear short-term interests, but these are selfish and warped – to the point where all logic and common sense flies out the window. The unions fail to recognize that we no longer live in an era of workhouses and slave-labor, and in this day and age, their role is more detrimental than it is positive. GM is one good example, but unfortunately it is not alone and there are good companies across the country groaning under union pressure.
60. Due to the fact that the Deepwater Horizon incident happened on Obama’s watch he will be the one blamed for the results.The fact that the agency responsible for oversight of the safety precautions for this rig failed its obligation under the Bush administration will be overlooked.If this turns out to be Obama’s Katrina the fault can be laid directly at the feet of the Bush administrations pursuit of a policy of laissez-faire.
61. According to the Snopes article, Wilson “reported to the CIA that he found the claims Iraq had attempted to purchase yellowcake from Niger to be ‘bogus and unrealistic’.”This is false.Wilson never submitted any written report to the CIA. In contravention of existing policy, he was orally debriefed.The CIA written report which was based on Wilsons oral testimony claimed that an Iraqi delegation had travelled to Niger, and that the Nigeriam Prime Minister understood the purpose of their visit to be the purchase of yellowcake.Snopes is completely misrepresenting what Joe Wlson found in Niger.
62. oct18Mathieu Lemée Mais comme ce n’est sûrement pas grâce à Martineau que l’intelligence du lecteur va s’améliorer, il y a de bonnes chances pour que cette corruption galopante se repointe le bout de son museau assez vite, car ce type de lecteur sera trop naïf pour ne pas le voir venir. Les corrupteurs s’ajustent, pas les incultes.
63. I just wanted to write down a comment so as to thank you for all of the awesome ideas you are giving at this website. My prolonged internet lookup has at the end been recognized with pleasant knowledge to write about with my two friends. I would suppose that we readers are unquestionably lucky to dwell in a useful site with many lovely individuals with great methods. I feel rather blessed to have seen your entire website and look forward to so many more amazing moments reading here. Thanks a lot again for everything.
64. certo che ti svegli presto la mattina!!!buona giornata!!!!!p.s guardavo i tuoi post vecchi, prima rispondevi molto di più alle followers!!ma penso sia normale con tutto quello che hai da fare!!!!baciii
65. Ben enfin ! La raison, c’est tout simplement qu’il fallait sauver la presse et les fournisseurs de blogs, qui manquaient de lecteurs et de trafic ces derniers temps.Maintenant, les livres, les articles et les billets de blog vont se multiplier comme les petits pains. Merci qui ?
66. Am dat si eu peste un bou care-si paste tanul in iesle sutilor USLinosi. Din toata afacerea cu stadionul, vita isi rumega o intrebare: Banuiesc ca vita a vazut-o des pe ma-sa razand, altfel nu-mi explic de unde stie caum rade o vita. Sau, te pomenesti ca ma-sa-i aia de pe cutia cu aroma de taur(si-atunci de ce-a plodit un bou)?
67. A volte penso che vogliano farsi del male. Queste comunicazioni somigliano tanto ai film italiani pieni di storie di malattie, incesti, drammi esistenziali ed altro. Ed uno dovrebbe andare a vedere una cosa simile? Per star male?Molto più efficace il think positive e l’ironia, in pubblicità . Come da sempre è stato.
68. “The book which you are looking for there, in that pile”. Who said we want a oracle? We want just more precise search. And this search is impossible while we are looking through plain text. And even natural language processing won’t help here, because usually information has a lot of implied or ignored information. That’s why I vote for methods which would help us to make information more precise (both in query and results), this way search may be more precise too.
69. Flash dit :On fait quoi pour demain??? Je me suis fait enlever un grain de beauté dans le dos lundi. Je pensais que ça serait rétabli. Il m’a dit qu’il fallait 3 semaines le doc. Donc moi c’est mort!!! Je peux venir vous encourager peut être.
70. Ja….efter mycket tjat frÃ¥n Kristian sÃ¥ kollar jag nu in din blogg. Sitter faktiskt och lyssnar pÃ¥ senaste avsnittet nu. AngÃ¥ende Pure sÃ¥ blir det ett snabbt inköp och övertyga Kristian att följa med till Game och träffa Andreas Berg O.o(MÃ¥ste fÃ¥ Kristian att köpa Pure med)Ciao =)P.S. Xbox tag är Scr33D
71. All on your own you’ve achieved what we all thought hitherto impossible, ignorant and yet unstoppably Dez’ified.Now look Dez, I’m feeling generous, here’s an plan for your next post :Have an ideaor :Have a good ideaOr indeed :A Jolly good ideaI am sure that there will be many stories about BBC cost-cutting fiasco’s which you would like to share with us.But don’t keep it to yourself – Enlighten us please ! 0 likes
72. I believe there are both genetic and environmental influences with cancer. It has been proven that several strains of the human papilloma virus can cause cancer, showing that an external event can cause cell mutations. However, genetic influences are still in question, as there are some people who never smoke or drink alcohol or caffiene and still get cancer. It leaves a lot to be answered.
73. Di questa cosa bisogna che se ne parli per settimane perché dopo le risate iniziali, condivisibili, sarà necessario riflettere sulla gravità di avere dei personaggi del genere che possano esprimere pareri istituzionali dopo il mazzo che si fanno tanti validi studiosi italiani magari sottopagati.
74. Har precis avslutat Photoshop kursen, kan laga gräsmattor, skador på kort och ta bort en massa rynkor. Men skulle nog ha mer kul om jag gjort som du och fixat fram en sån fin bild.Kram
75. Norma,uh, yep, that would’ve been me. there was a crazy vibe day. Glad you understand how things can be on the road. didn’t mean no disrespect. I’m just a wild girl is all. We all seemed to have a good laugh about it. NicoleP.S. Your husband is SMOKIN’ hot.
76. HOLY CRAP ON A CRACKER!!!!!!FINALLY!! I still feel a little edgy as SEGA hasnt confirmed themselves. Why are they trying to hide it? I really hope the game allows USB PS3/Xbox controllers, coz those are fun and it just becomes like the consoles! ^.^Now….I need me a new processor D:
77. Pour t'harmoniser le cerveau Alice? xDBref, sinon Laurine, heureuse de voir du nouveau sur ton bloug, parce que j'y vais tous les jours quand Toinou est sous la douche, et bon, j'aime bien voir de nouvelles choses quoi^^Sinon, bon, les minéraux bof bof quoi, mais y'a des plantes qui ont de vrais effets! Genre un peu en mode remède de mère-grand tu vois!J'espère que tout va bien our toi, que les fetivals sont bons! Bécooots
78. 36cfeThank you for every other informative blog. The place else may I get that kind of info written in such a perfect method? I’ve a venture that I am simply now running on, and I have been on the look out for such info.bc
79. Her er tre gode innlegg som jeg er enig i, fra Ingrid Tungen, Heidi Lunde Nordby (Vampus) og Kaia Storvik (I dagens papirutgave av Dagsavisen. Har foreløpig ikke funnet det på nett). Og to gode innlegg som jeg er uenig i fra Lundberg-søsknene, og Olivia Salles.
81. As a Christian, I completely agree that churches have done an absolutely horrible job at taking care of the environment. If these Christians understood the bible, they’d see that God created humans to take care of the earth, not rape it.
82. D’une manière générale, tout ce qui se passe dans les familles est moins montré du doigt que ce qui se passe dans la société en général. En France aussi, c’est dans les familles que se déroulent les choses les plus glauques, et ceci dans une indifférence quasi-générale (si l’on excepte quelques cas médiatisés).
83. · Pour la ligne de code, il faut l’insérer entre les balises code comme indiqué au-dessus de la zone de commentaires.Sinon, tu peux me l’envoyer par le . Pour afficher les articles relatifs, j’ai récemment découvert le plugin qui permet de lister les articles relatifs via une simple commande PHP et sans qu’il n’y ait trop d’options de configuration. Gros avantage : on peut choisir parmi la liste des champs personnalisés pour afficher une miniature.
84. Man this is a sensitive subject many people have different views and opinions on senseless crime especially those who have been victim to it or “living” the life style. My opinion is we are all accountable for doing our part to better the community. Whether its publicly speaking out against violence, being a positive role model for a lost child/teen. It all works for the good. I think thats what we should be doing year round, but Awesome post As usual and thanks for the love homie!
86. K I am 14 years old i was raped awhile ago, and they finailly caught the people! and the court date is actually comming up very quickly…What happeneds int he court? What kind of questions do they ask? Will it be scary? Ahh….anything i NEED to know? WHAT DO I NOt say? I have nothing to hide or anything..but i dont want to say somthing my mind is still everywhere after what happened..please help!
87. Exactly about the fabric I was in search of, thanks a lot! You actually ended up saving myself from the few hundred sided guides along with Browse for advice on this theme! Because of anyone We done work for the school i can easily to visit to get to sleep!
88. disse:Marcello, acabamos de voltar do PaÃs Basco e pintxeamos à vontade, além de nos enrolarmos bastante com os x e t.Pra ter uma idéia, ficamos em Donostia que é a mesmÃssima coisa que San Sebastian.E quanto aos chouriços, morcillas, etc, digo que sou totalmente a favor. A minha mãe faz uma dobradinha excelente e acabei de comer uma num bar de tapas em Madrid que era igualzinha a que ela faz!Portanto, encontro conectado com comidas com “sustância”. Quem vai?
89. I know there are some virtual stock exchanges out there but I’m not sure they initiate orders fast enough nor do they have the short-term technical trading tools like real time charts or ways to draw trend lines.If the simulation simulates leverage, that would be even better.
90. “I have enough trouble keeping my face looking half decent and it strikes me that if you’ve really sat down and considered that your vagina needs a brightening treatment, you just have far, far too much time on your hands.”I totally agree! You summed my feelings on the issue up perfectly.
92. Dobné nedÄ›lnà ráno,na podkladÄ› atopického ekzému mohou pÅ™erůst různé nemoci. Pokud máte obÄas puchýřky, tak se jedná o plÃseň. je na to kombinace preparátů. Bylo by lepÅ¡Ã telefonická konziltace. Nejsem dobrý pisatel. A hlavnÄ› už nevÃm komu jsem odpovÄ›dÄ›l. Je toho nÄ›jak moc. DÄ›kuji a jsem s pozdravemPetr LukeÅ¡
93. ahhh…. mon arrière arrière arrière grand père m’en a longtemps parlé de ce premier festiblog de 1892. Il avait fait le voyage en charette depuis le sud!bien entendu, à l’époque, les charettes était pas encore équipées de Wifi. Il lui fallait donc aller dans un cyber café à chaque pause pipi des cheveaux… et le cyber café en ancien franc, c’était pas donné
94. O eterno problema das (legÃtimas) divisões e discussões no campo da esquerda, não precisa de ficar "resolvido" já hoje. :-)))E pronto… dentro do possÃvel, sejam felizes, tá?Abreijos colectivos!
95. you let your 15 yr old daughter go to a cafe with a GROUP of 20 yr old men and she drinks beer. you don’t see a problem with that?Ps. My kids have been in Martial Arts for years in all kinds of programs and it is every common for these “rogue” males to hang out in them … men with issues by most of socities standards. Which btw men drinking in a group with a lone 15 year old girl and letting her drink too falls right in that category.
96. Aeneas, you definitively has a point there. I have never seen these people oppose halalbutchery. So far they are mostly connected to attacks on ferretfarms and sciencelabs and such. I also have a vague recollection that those of them in Sweden at least, a few years back even threatened to liberate pets from private citizens! However I don’t know if they ever carried out those threats. If they have limited funds as the essay suggests, then I guess this would cost more than it tastes.
97. Jenny,I cried so uncontrollably and still ache for those who are mourning and trying to find comfort. I am heart broken. That was also someone's child who did this and that saddened me too.We all need to take a pause, breathe and make this world better. We need to do it for our children and the future.pve
98. I think investing in steel company 1 tied to the great fortunes of market 1 should be an option to invest for a moderate period as clearly the facts say that market 1 is growing leading to higher demands which would ultimately result in company 1′s higher turnover and increased profits. As the share market quotes a higher price with increasing PAT the share prices should grow up. Secondly, since the market is not mature at market 1, there are still chances that steel would be used for a variety of purposes ranging from low-end to high-end applications.
99. Tedy to je až neuvěřitelné, co to poÄasà dÄ›lá. Petr J. nahoÅ™e psal nÄ›co podobného. DÄ›kuji vám vÅ¡em za úÄast a nÄ›kterým i za odvahu, pÅ™eci jen to poÄasà už bývá takové neletecké. A jeÅ¡tÄ› pÅ™ipomÃnám, že od nového roku létáme nÃzko. Zejména pro Tomáše bude zajÃmavé, že už to tady na severu zaÄali lidi speciálnÄ› trénovat, na jaÅ™e bude legrace . H.
100. dude i went through … dude i went through the same thing as you, im the same age as you, but im 165 lb atm, and can bench 225 and squat 315, i reccomend doing football for a more physical upgrade, the way they work you and the eat everything diet causes you to get big fast. Was this answer helpful?
101. హమ్à°®, à°ªోà°¨ీà°²ెంà°¡ి à°¨ాà°•ు à°šాà°²ా à°®ంà°¦ి à°¤ోà°¡ుà°¨్à°¨ాà°°ు. à°¬ొà°¤్à°¤ిà°—ా " à°•ొంà°Ÿాం à°•ాà°¨ీ à°šà°¦ిà°µే à°¤ీà°°ిà°• à°Žà°•్à°•à°¡ిà°¦ీ" à°…ంà°Ÿాà°°à°¨ి హడలి à°ªోà°¯ాà°¨ు.à°¨ాà°—ిà°¨ి à°—ాà°°ూ,à°®ీ à°®ావగాà°°ు à°šà°¤ుà°°ుà°²ే!à°®ొà°¤్à°¤ాà°¨ిà°•ి ఇప్à°ªుà°¡ైà°¨ా à°®ొదలు à°ªెà°Ÿ్à°Ÿాà°°ు. à°‡ంతకీ à°à°®ేà°®ి ఉన్à°¨ాà°¯ేంà°Ÿి à°®ాంà°›ి à°ªుà°¸్తకాà°²ు à°®ీ దగ్à°—à°°?లలిà°¤ à°—ాà°°ూ, à°®ీà°°ైà°¤ే à°¨ిà°œంà°—ా à°ªెà°¦్దగా చదవనక్à°•à°°్à°²ేà°•ుంà°¡ాà°¨ే à°°ాయగలరు. à°…à°¤్తయ్à°¯ à°ªిà°¨్à°¨ిà°¨ి à°«ాà°²ో అవక్à°•à°°్à°²ేà°¦ు. ఆవిà°¡ో à°¸ెలబ్à°°ిà°Ÿీ (à°—ా à°ాà°µింà°šుà°•ుంà°Ÿుంà°¦ి) à°•ాబట్à°Ÿి à°…ంà°¤ à°ªెà°¦్దవాà°³్ళని à°…à°ª్à°ªుà°¡ే à°«ాà°²ో à°…à°¯ిà°ªోà°¤ే à°®ాà°•ు à°¦ూà°°ం à°…à°¯ిà°ªోà°¤ాà°°ు మరి! 🙂
103. Ingen av hennes tio böcker har ju översatts, vilket är galet. Som ni säger, det borde vara dags nu! (Och skriver under på att åtminstone Wolf Hall är helt fantastisk, Bring up the Bodies har jag kvar men den ska också läsas!)Eli recently posted..
104. Wait a second, why is it Holder v. the Humanitarian Law Project? Why not U.S. v. the Humanitarian Law Project?Did Eric Holder personally sue the project? Shouldn’t the office of the AG have filed the lawsuit?
105. Queridos, As evidÊncias estão ai, na cara, só basta abrir os olhos e ver.Para confirmar é só abrir a bÃblia, as escrituras sagradas e assim verão com os olhos da fé a realidade que está aconteçendo no mundo.Não perca a oportunidade de aceitar a oferta da salvação que é dada por cristo.O mundo está cheio de coisas confusas.Mas o Deus da bÃblia não é Deus de confusão.Que a graça e a paz do Senhor Jesus esteja com todos!Creia no Senhor Jesus e será salvo tu e tua casaAtos 16:31.
106. Anything that is worth having is worth fighting for. You also need to pray to God and let Him help you prepare your marriage. If you love your wife express your love to her and communicate with her. If she is not willing to work things out with you after you’ve tried then I’m sorry but you have to let her be. Don’t rush her maybe in time she will see that you are for her.
108. Te felicito, Anna. Con Amazon ya no tienes que arrodillarte ante ninguna editorial. Simplemente escrÃÂbe lo mejor que puedas y publÃÂcalo, para que te leen en todo el mundo y recibas tus cheques.Al principio no es fácil, pues existen normas, como que tus libros no deben tener las páginas numeradas, etc. Eso lo aprenderás en el camino.Te deseo muchos éxitos.Ya tiene mi email, si en algo te puedo servir, no dudes en consultarme. No es que sepa mucho. Haré lo posible por llevarte de la mano. Cordialmente, Mario.
109. Woozie,He was an anarchist, not a communist. That means he (and I) believed in people’s ability to create justice in their own communities, at the grassroots level. He believed in the power of the powerless and justice and dignity for all peoples. He was here in Philly during the RNC, working with the independent media center. I was a part of the R2K legal collective to help support the more than 420 people who were bogusly arrested, which Brad helped to document. He was my friend, and I miss him…. you can kill the man, but not the revolution… “Brad Will, Presente!”Jody Dodd
110. ‘Efsane’ filan beklerken, ne ECMWF’de ne GFS’de bir ‘klasik’ 850 mb’da -10′luk sistem bile yok. Atlantik siklonları bir ölüp bin doÄŸuyorlar.Tehlikenin farkında mısınız?
111. Just remember who is really footing the bill in this country. And it isn’t you lazy sots that finally got out of your houses on election day. The government can only create so many jobs for you. If folks that actually paid taxes were the only ones that could vote then we would have a different president. Sure would be nice if the Administration’s cabinet picks could even do that much. Wake up people!
112. garip olan ülkemizde müşteri memnuniyeti anlayışının birtürlü yerleşememiş olması bir diğer tuhaflıkta işi ehiline bir türlü verilememesi böyle bir değişikliği extreme bir türlü ulaşamama yoluyla öğrendim kredi teklifleri sözkonusu olurken sms atan bankalar zahmet edip keyflerine göre yaptıkları değişiklik içinde bir haber etseler size katıldığımı bildirerek bilgilendiğim içinde teşekkürler
113. Oh my gosh, I tried the gummy shotglasses once…and nearly choked! Those things are THICK, like so thick you can hardly bite through them. Perhaps better in theory than in practice haha!The beer-itas sound tasty. I'm always up for a low-cal margarita suggestion 🙂
114. Mel: I agree – flaming is a viable option for weed control. I don’t think it is that easy, but once the technique and timing are mastered, it does a pretty good job. I hope to cover the pros/cons about this method in two weeks. Stay tuned, and thanks for catching the oversight!
115. Could this been possible b’coz your program wasn’t destructive and heurastic AV scanner does not found anything special in your programm while emulation? Even possibility of Av to just block device auto-run until all autorun script entries scanned/emulated to find out little something that coder have done to take control/exploit and flag it suspicious. but the artical is quit cool 😉
116. Float on by is very gorgeous, but I have a feeling I have several similar one in my stash. I can’t wait to go to the MAC at the Beach event today at my PRO store. It should be fun, but it would be a rainy day at the beach!.-= amy’s last blog post… =-.
118. Everything you are comes from a cocktail of your mom and dad, this was your way of belonging as a child to your parents and survive. So, the truth is what you have in you they have in them, maybe in different intensities but it is still there. And they are much wiser than you are giving them credit for. So, not to be too harsh because I have been where you are, but we need to get off our high horse and allow ourselves to become the child again! And receive support and love from them. Let love in:)
119. un rebus… Sono i famosi "punti di sospensione"… Ce li minacciava un prof. Alle medie sul registro di classe, ed un giorno li mise… A tutta la classe… Noi rimanemmo impietriti fino a fine ora quando andammo a leggere sul registro:"…":-D
120. When looking at tony campana, i think that it is important to keep in mind the jeff baker trade. we got some value from a player that really shouldn’t have had a whole lot. when teams feel like they have a shot to win it all, they maybe likely to give up too much for some speed off the bench. too me, i think that he is worth sticking with on a bad team to maybe pick up a young arm at the deadline. And as it has been discussed, it is not like he is blocking anyone from coming up.
121. Many depressed people find themselves in an endless loop of worrying about problems in their lives for which there is not apparent solution. They just dig themselves deeper and deeper into their rut.Women tend to offer support rather than concrete solutions to their fellow female friends with life problems.The result is that even “non depressed” women find themselves in a rut that gets deeper because concrete solutions are not offered.
122. Micsoda ötlet! Gondot az apró padlizsánok beszerzése jelenti! Régen szeretném az arab savanyÃtott, töltött padlizsánt is elkészÃteni, de nem kapok megfelelÅ‘ méretű padlizsánt hozzá (
123. Kids would be a big reason to buy a used car instead of a new car! Kids are just active and you want them to be that way!If you have a new car, you don’t want it scratched up by the kids. But if you have a used car… anything goes!I wish I had known this before I bought our Toyota Sienna new back in 2003. Now it looks like it’s been in a battle that it has lost!Used cars are the way to go!Money Reasons’s Last blog..
124. So good to hear from you. Writing this sort of thing always makes me feel so vulnerable. I don’t even know if I’ve actually been this direct about “the troubles,” the blues…but yeah. I saw you got many positive kudos on your peom; happy for you! xj
125. Très frais, je trouve çà génial la présentation en boîte, quelles bonnes idées il a ce Damien 😉 Je n'ai malheureusement pas le loisir de trouver des noires de Crimée ici en Espagne, c'est pô juste! besoooooos
126. I live the life John is describing (videos on Saturday night, never going out to restaurants, bars, etc, no vacations) and I do save money. My point is that this behavior is very unusual among people my age from what I can tell and that even if you adopt this lifestyle, whereas 20 yrs ago you could have saved a downpayment in a year or two, currently with prices being so high I think it takes 3-5 yrs. So if we are really going back to 20% downpayment as the minimum, housing is going to be absolutely dead for a lot longer than I thought
128. I like the helpful information you provide in your articles. I will bookmark your blog and check again here regularly. I’m quite sure I¡¦ll learn many new stuff right here! Good luck for the next!
129. thank you so much!! this is a brilliant post.. i knew that it must be possible to upload any VO2 max test potentially but i never would have had the time or patience to figure out how to do it, nor would i have been able to do the newleaf test near where i live. next VO2max test i do i’ll try this out. cheers!!
130. Martin: I thought the presence of Chapman and Cleese (and the connection to Monty Python) was obvious, but also didn’t know for sure that it was only those two who wrote it, since the show’s writing is credited to all four.
131. Dear Sarajit Datta,I want to file SAHAJ in pdf format. Are there any step-by-step instructions to fill the same available. I m confused with the buttons print and generate bar code. Which to be used first. Also in excel there is no such button as generate bar code.And why there is print button when the return is to filed electronically. I m having digital signature.
132. Carie,Oh, peaches and strawberies. How wonderful.alan,I like incense too, but my hubby doesn’t like smokiness like Dotty. Funny huh?Health Psych,Well, how about the dryer? Awake In Rochester,I just kinda knew you would 😉 Guilty Secret,Tell your hubby to be that he’s got to get it as one your wedding presents. Muser,You are SO resourceful. Thanks for the links!Big Brother,I’m gonna try to put the bear in the dryer! Donna,It is such a great idea. Maybe have a line of other animals like dogs, cats, etc.
133. -Huellas imborrablesEstoy decidido a dejar mi pasado atrás, ese pasado que siempre me ha venido atormentando desde mi mas grande tragedia en la vida, mas sin embargo, existen huellas, las cuales me lastiman y no me ayudan en nada, tal vez esas huellas nunca podrán borrarse pero yo, yo lo voy a superar y saldré adelante cuésteme lo que me cueste, atravesare esa puerta que lo cambiara todo y comenzare de nuevo… dejando atrás, mis huellas imborrables.
135. Tusen takk for varme ord, Isis!Det gjør godt å formulere tankene når en får roen over seg. Skape klarhet og et håp om vidsyn og innsikt på lengre sikt. svøm videre med fattet mot
136. Podzielam zdanie deathmetal w kwestii ceny AU/AG.Korekta do 1500 USD byłaby wręcz czymś pożądanym, bo z tego co widzę zaczyna się robić dużo szumu wokół metali, a to nigdy nie służy racjonalnej i stabilnej wycenie.
137. ‘no’ to truth. I ‘thought’ I was abnormal.Your blog is a beautiful presentation of how Serge simply stands in the light of truth and keeps showing us through the confirmation of his being.His amazing expression allows us to let go the entanglement of a consciousness that desperately wants us to be otherwise – all of which you have already said Jane!
138. November 16, 2011I was in the local magistrate’s court recently as an expert witness (psychologist) in a family battle- not over children, but over the finances of the mother, who had dementia. It’s not quite the same, but seeing a family fighting, slandering, prepapred to do anything to bring each other down really had an impact on me. How much more awful it must be when kids are involved.Great blog- thanks Caroline and Fleur. MIM is in my to be read pile!
140. Eeej, hvor er den bare alt for pæn – en taske jeg ville elske at eje!Jeg synes virkelig det har været spændende at følge dig pÃ¥ bloggen! Wildtigerlily var en af de første blogs jeg læste fast, og synes virkelig kun din blog bliver bedre og bedre!
141. I almost never create comments, however i did a few searching andwound up here Latin Explosion Congress – ClubCubana. And Ido have a few questions for you if you usually do not mind.Could it be simply me or does it appear like some of the responses look like theyare left by brain dead visitors? And, if you are writing on otheronline social sites, I’d like to follow anything fresh you have to post. Could you make a list of all of all your communal pages like your linkedin profile, Facebook page or twitter feed?
143. Hey Rick awesome list thanks for sharing, I agree that this business is all about providing exactly what your target market wants and doing it in a way that everyone else isn’t, its finding that different way which is difficult. Thanks for sharing the knowledge Jordan Rawlin recently posted..
144. Compete Now Hey Graham,I have encountered this problem myself on other themes. The only way to resolve the issue would be to make some adjustments to the plugin’s css file. If you provided us with access to this we could take care of it for $35. Alternatively you can also look into another tutorial we have on this site which may be easier for you to use. The tutorial I have in mind is the JotForm one. Check it out here:
145. Hébé, Antoine, avec une telle chorégraphie, c’est le moment ou jamais pour Fed se ressortir sa panoplie de Wimbledon De préférence avec le nécessaire de couture dans son sac à mains.. si il a l’intention de trouer le filet comme hier…
146. personally…i LOVE the textures! these pictures are phenomenal!!! i am in love with the picture of your daughter walking down the dirt road! it’s so classic but soo cool at the same time!
148. mikedag, November 14, 2012 at 9:15 am Down the road about 7 miles from where I grew up (I grew up on Byberry Rd. which the hospital was named for). When we were kids, the joke was if you thought someone was crazy, they needed to be in Byberry. There was definitely an air of darkness when you went by here.
149. [NK] defectors claim otherwise. Are you familiar with Kim’s brave men [un’s daddio]? The detonation of the ‘bomb’ was/is the weakest on record ever. Nuke-lite? I don’t profess to know the answers, but I call bluff ‘bluff’ when I see it. Same reason why Israel won’t attack Iran. BS bluff. NK’s starving and desperately needs food. Think that might be a hint at how to connect the dots?
150. I love this book, it will be much easier to use than my other books now that the time I get to write in each one is less and less…..Hmmm, funny memory from childhood? Well, I was the oldest of 4 and often my mom doubled up bath times. When my sister (the youngest) was still in diapers, I was taking a bath with her and we were playing with numerous bath toys when up pops a toy I have not seen before. Turns out, it was poop! My little sister pooped in our bath. I took showers after that!
151. Dopiero teraz widać jak zmienia się internet. Nie musimy już dodawać strony do katalogów, nie musimy wymieniać się linkami.Widzę że w dzisiejszych czasach lepiej dodać Google +1 i mieć konto na Facebooku.Czy w dalszym ciągu polecasz podnoszenie PR strony?Czy raczej staje się to mniej ważne w dzisiejszych czasach?
152. I love Gwen and No Doubt. Pink definitely suits her, I remember her "Ex-girlfriend" days when she rocked pink dreads, I loved that look on her. I hate when my store's magazine selection is behind, which seems to happen more often than not.
153. Rebecca RobertsFebruary 17th 2012 – 1:07amResin Rules! I love working with kids making rings with cool inclusions. Also personalized bracelets. My favor though, is using kids’ artwork to make bracelets. Really special gift for Grandma!
155. Obama should Super Pac his Hypocrisy where the sun don’t shine. In case you missed the ultimate RESPONSE to Clint Eastwood’s (er a I mean Obama’s) Super Bowl commercial “It’s Halftime In America.” The Response is: “Yes it is halftime in America. We’re down $15 trillion and China’s got the ball!” BOO YAA!!
156. Beautiful Suzanne! My nature connection is with the sea, I have a personal commitment to be standing on a beach in front of the ocean at least once per month. There are times I have to do that virtually for sure, or just take myself there with my eyes closed. I get so freaking busy with everything on my to-do list, once I put THIS on my to-do list, my life literally changed. I love it!
157. Vantaalta, Sotungin nurkilta saa raakamaitoa(lehmästä ja kylmään ei muuta. Sitä ei siis käsitellä mitenkään.) Joka päivä 8-8.30 ja 16.30-17, oman astian kanssa 1€/per litra, sinne pääsee myös bussilla 742, mutta kylmäketjusta kannattaa huolehtia! Jos tahtoo joku testata paikka löytyy osoitteesta: Bisa gÃ¥rd, Nurmimäentie 16. Vantaa Se on aivan älyttömän hyvää ja säilyy n. viikon. Ja uskallan väittää että se voisi ainakin olla yksi mahdollisuus nauttia maidosta 🙂 Tosin en päässyt käsiksi tuohon tutkimukseen kun tämän näin monta vuotta myöhässä luin.
158. désolée par avance, mon commentaire ne sera pas très constructifmais :looooooooool !!!Bravo Martin ça faisait longtemps que tu ne m’avais pas fait rire comme ça !
159. Thanks a lot for the helpful post. It is also my belief that mesothelioma cancer has an particularly long latency interval, which means that symptoms of the disease would possibly not emerge right up until 30 to 50 years after the 1st exposure to mesothelioma. Pleural mesothelioma, that is certainly the most common sort and affects the area within the lungs, might result in shortness of breath, breasts pains, plus a persistent coughing, which may result in coughing up blood.
160. Interesantemuy concreto y profundodejar que los directivos actúen por motivos trascendentes dando el ejemplo, lo interesante serÃa preguntar: ¿Cómo puedo maximizar esta actuación individual de un directivo para tratar de cambiar al resto que no actúa por los mismos motivos?….Es bueno recordar estos conceptos y ponerlos en práctica..GraciasJorge
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163. Philippe Ouhaou super ios, 180000 applications, une pour « le parisien » une pour « libération » une pour « frandroid » etc etc.. Moi j’ai trouvé une application universelle sous Android 3.2, ça s’appelle le navigateur et c’est bluffant comme ça marche.+ 100 000
164. Mycket snö och kallt men samtidigt känns bilden väldigt mjuk och ombonad.Min bild blir från semester och sommar, men med både toppar och dalar.Ha dé!
167. this about Obama, she could be “cute” and get away with saying nigger and coon “in front” of some black people. Well, she didn’t. I know your intent is not the same as hers, and you didn’t say “Cave Nigger”. But, the result is sort of the same. First of all, why even suggest he’s black when he’s not? I don’t know about you, but one thing I’m glad he’s not is…black.
168. Joda, du kan fly som en føgglhonj også og fortsatt rekke å ordne til vinteren. Vemod kjenner jeg også veldig på nå om dagen, etter å ha vært hjemme en tur. Minner om det som en gang var, en tid som er svunnen og som ikke kommer igjen. Folk som ikke er her lenger, mendet kommer en ny vår ikke sant?Klem
169. Very chic and much more interesting than anything I’ve seen SamCam sporting of late.I remember reading an article in Harpers Bazaar a few years ago in which cabbage patch Cam’s wife proclaimed that Gwen Stefani was her “alter ego”; must be one of those bedroom alter egos, eh?I was just thinking how much I would love her, if she did a variation of the “Cherie Blair” door opening debarcle & swung open the door to number 10, to put the empties out for the milkman, dressed in full-on Harajuku attire.Go on SamCam I dare you ;)…xXx
170. he has it on good authority that it is Bobby Fulton.Grant is a radio announcer on in the morning 2EL.iHAVE SENT HIM ANEMAIL LETTING HIM KNOW ,BECAUSE one of his listeners rang and told him but he said she was wrong.Grant hasnt acknowledged my email to him and Iam unable to rin g him as Iam at work at that time.Would any body else be game emough to ring him,cheers
173. Hey There. I found your blog using msn. This is a very well written article. I will be sure to bookmark it and come back to read more of sin EVAsión » De controles, contralores e incontrolables. . Thanks for the post. I’ll definitely comeback.
174. Gjerne flere artikler om studier, forskning og resultater om kosttilskudd. Og gjerne en skrevet deres syn og kommentarer da endel av disse studiene/rapportene kan være nokså vanskelig å forstå/tolke på egen hand. (f.eks på alle de forskjellige aminosyretilskuddene, jungelen av kreatinprodukter osv)Ellers er dette en fantastisk blogg som besøkes daglig
175. 20-5-11gregours a dit : Donc impérativement trouver le calculateur d’ABS, et vérifier la continuité calculo-capteur de roues pour éliminer les problèmes de connectique intermédiaire. Dans la boite à fusible repérer le symbole alim abs et tester la continuité broche du fusible vers le calculo. Je ne sais pas ou il se trouve sur ton auto, mais j’en ai déjà vu dans les ailes arrières!! Cette solution vous a été utile?
177. Ryan, dimensions of images are mentioned in the Google guidelines.There are now Google image guidelines. to be geekily specific about it. The Google webmaster guidelines state that you should follow the image guidelines. The image guidelines state to have height and width on every image
178. these are all so amazing, bobbi + mike! #6 is breathtaking, but I have to say that the ass shot has to be one of my favorite b + m shots of all time, LOVE IT!! It just totally reminds me of your personality Bobbi….you would take that shot:)
179. as mulhers sao seres muito fragil e de ficil de entende-las elas sao a melhor specie hunana mais fofa que esiste neste mundo muitas mulhers andam por ai nem se valorizam elas levam a vida lhes levar, tudo na natureza fala da mulher ao olhar uma estrela o homem imagina uma mulher ao ver uma flor o homem pensa na mulher mulher é o sol que brilha todos os dias, mulher é a flor mais linda do jardim mulher cosa mais linda e sensual
180. I simply wanted to send a simple message in order to express gratitude to you for those nice tips you are giving out at this site. My considerable internet lookup has finally been compensated with good quality details to exchange with my relatives. I ‘d admit that most of us website visitors are quite endowed to be in a magnificent network with many special individuals with beneficial things. I feel very much grateful to have discovered your entire website and look forward to some more pleasurable minutes reading here. Thanks a lot again for everything.
181. hej Jeg har ledt inde pÃ¥ forever21′s hjemmeside og kan simpelthen ikke finde den hvide/beige strik/jakke du har pÃ¥, pÃ¥ billede to.Kan du fortælle mig lidt nærmere om mærket eller evt. sende et link? Ydermere hvilken størrelse du har den i?- Den er super smart og rigtig fed stil du har.Hilsen Pernille.
182. I like to think Indie authors are breaking through the bad rap. I read A LOT. And I cannot believe the amount of errors in traditionally-published books. Of late, I have found much better quality of writing in the Indie works I've come across. But the model of traditional publishing is ingrained in many of us. It's going to take time to break out of that. Great post!
183. Concordo totalmente com a comparação. Hoje em dia Beethoven seria metaleiro com certeza.Depois do rock minha música preferida é a erudita. Sou baixista em uma banda de metal mas estudei piano clássico durante cinco anos, hehe.Rafael Lucas
184. Thank you so much for your prayers at this time. We need them so much. Monday will mark 4 weeks since Savannah’s passing from here. I still don’t feel it’s true and miss my Sissy so so much. I know God is here and helping and He is my only hope here. My mom keeps saying the exact same thing you said about Eric. “I just want to hug her one more time.” We appreciate everyone’s love and support and we are still trying to cope with this simply becoming a reality. Thank you for your kind thoughts and prayers.
185. 24/06/2011celia grilli barralNenhum dinheiro paga uma prótese bem adaptada que foi pro lixo, mas usar uma que ficou na boca de um defunto. Tenha dó!A questão é que às vezes o paciente vivo não tem condições fisicas para se submeter a uma confecção de uma nova.Taà um belo abacaxi.
186. And another thing about Arthur’s look that struck me…I would not (at first blush, anyway) think this was intentional, but Arthur’s slightly stiff mannerisms, overly-formal attire, and physical prowess is very reminiscent of Hugo Weaving’s Agent Smith in “The Matrix.”
187. Fed blog, og overfed give away – mÃ¥ vinde! Tak for rosen pÃ¥ min blog – er nu fast læser hos dig.Følger dig pÃ¥ facebook og bloglovin og laver ogsÃ¥ et indlæg pÃ¥ min egen…. :-)/Ida Frederikke
188. என்ன பண்றது தலைவா! போன வாà®°à®®் வாà®™்குன டி-à®·à®°்ட் கடைசி நாள் தேà®°்வுக்குக் கூடப் போடாà®®, பதிவர் கூட்டத்துக்குன்னு வச்சிà®°ுந்தேன்! சோகம் இருக்காதோ பின்னே!
190. About abortion: Forcing the mother to keep her child leads to having both their lives wasted.There’s a reason why she doesn’t want to keep it. Maybe she’s too poor, maybe she’s too young, etc. In any case, she will live a crappy life, and give her child a unhappy childhood. Forcing someone to such a big commitment as having kids is not, in my opinion, a good thing..
191. Hallo,dass auch diese Gebiete ausgebaut werden finde ich zwar gut, aber ohne Traffikflat oder ein höheres Volumen lohnt sich das ganze nicht. Bei einer Drosselung hab ich ja fast weniger Speed, als beim dsl light. Deswegen denke ich das Lte nur für wenig Surfer ist. Hohen Trafik kann nur auf der dsl Technologie funktionieren.
192. Hi – I’m a new follower. We were the same way with names. We talked baby names at some point while we were dating (yikes), and agreed almost immediately. When it came to boy names, I liked one, and my husband wasn’t so into it. I told him to come up with a list, and I picked on from it, and got my “first choice” as his middle name.
193. Vaya pulgón, puntualidad inglesa…no?Yo hago una infusión de las hojas de la tomatera y rocio todo con eso…Enhorabona pel blog desde mallorca d’una que te un hortet al balcó
194. Hi MikeI have found this article with great interest and was wondering if I could quiz you a little more about the process?I have a very simple spray gun. No compressor, just a hand tool from B&Q. I tried to use the Plasti-Kote paint but it wasn’t working. I think I probably have to use thinner for it. Can you tell me what thinner you used and how much roughly?Do you think it is pretty impossible to do spray painting as you have done above with a simple spray gun without compressor?Would be grateful for your reply.Thanks Janine
195. Thanks. I would like to make the doctor kit and the log fire!I would like to use wool felt but it’s expensive. I’m going to look into the wool blend one the author mentions.
196. Buenas tardes espero me puedan ayudar hace dos años operaron a mi papa del pie implantando 2 placas y 12 tornillos hasta la fecha todo iva bien pero hace unos dias se torcio un poco y empeso con temperatura ,inflamacion y el pie rojo la temperatura solo duro dos dias es esto a causa de que se torcio o acaso es rechazo de material ??
197. I have read that dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole. Losing an unconditional family member is beyond words. Seth and I will always remember our first Christmas UMA meeting with nosey baby Isis. If not for her beautiful name, her personality tugs at a person. Her personality was all love all the time; and she was loved. We grieve with you and are here if you need anything.
198. We bought the Britax Marathon. We got it at Target and it was $200, and we love it! They are more expensive than others, but safety is so important and it will last awhile, so I guess we didn’t hesitate to spend the money.
201. Jere, I agree in part. Democrats speak the right language, but isn’t it interesting that Romney praised Race to Top and Duncan during debate? I think what you hear on this blog is a deep sense of betrayal. Why a Race to the Top instead of equal educational opportunity? What part of Race to the Top would Romney reject other than Common Core? Why is Obama education plan so closely aligned with NCLB? What part of Race to the Top will increase social justice and equity? Diane
203. A triple A status for this article!The question remains why the left's intellectuals are so delusional as, if they would read history, they know that the monster they create will also purge them violently out of their creation in the end.
204. Oggi (20/12/10) ho provato ad installare CHAKRA ben 8 volte senza riuscirci, e non ho avuto la soddisfazione di vederne neanche il desktop se non quello della live.Penso che dovranno lavorarci molto per renderla solida, anche se le mie prime impressioni della live sono state molto buone. E pensare che in condizioni normali si installa in un decina di minuti, mai vista una distro così! Speriamo che ci riescano presto a sistemarla, perchè in tal caso mollo archlinux definitivamente.
205. The very definition … The very definition you gave me proves my point, but you are to stupid to understand it.An ad hom is ONLY when someone ignores the argument, & only attacks the character of the person.YOU are the stupid mother who can keep repeating yourself, but not be correct.You are a pathetic, delusional, stupid mother fucker.Was that an ad hom?I insulted you, but I also addressed your argument. Was it an ad hom o not you stupid fuck?Read my other comment also, dumb fuck… Was this answer helpful?
206. Hola! Yo creo que puede haber sido que estaba abierto, o que ese color haya tenido esa textura. A mi me ha pasado con esmaltes Essie que hay algunos muy aguados que necesitan mil capas para mostrar el color en la uña y otros como con grumos muy extraños.Además tengo hartas amigas que los usan y los han encontrado muy buenos, mi supervisora tiene uno en su oficina asà q creo q fue un caso particular Besos!
208. I was about to say the same thing as Zsofi, but it could be posÂsiÂble that the people who presÂsed those 3 clicks cliÂcked on so many things that the sum for each click ended up under 0.01€ and then we can’t show the sum, but it’s still there in the final calÂcuÂlaÂtio.
209. Erin will be appearing in an episode of the Criss Angel show tonight on A&E. In our area the episode is playing at 10pm. Erin has been writing about this for months on her site, so if you’ve been following her blog, I’m sure you know about it already, but she twisted my arm to mention it here as well. Details can be found here.
210. I love this card. That image is just so FUN, perfect for boys cards (something I struggle with!!) Can’t wait to see the new collection.. of course I’ll have to sell a kidney, or maybe a kid.. LOL!! Sorry about the computer problems, there seems to be an epidemic lately. Hope you get all your files and pictures back.
211. sagt das er in Deutschland gearbeitet hat und nu zurück mus nach uk und da kann man schlecht mit nem Deutschen auto fahren. Das auto steht wohl in Nürnberg. Hat schon einer erfahrung mit dem?
212. Hi, Mark,Great article. I love reading your blog posts. Keep it up! I think some standards are a good idea, but I agree it is about relationships. As I know from my last technical writing position, even if you have the respect and trust of your product development team, if the company’s development process does not really support the creation of quality documentation, you can not succeed in the long run. I would love to see a post on your observations and thoughts about what product development organizations, processes, and structures best support great user-oriented documentation.
214. Commenters #3 and #4 opine that the facts of the article "are extremely off" but offer no corrections. It is also my understanding that Raffy Diaz Balart was head of Batista's feared MININT. The fact of the matter is that the regime that included the Diaz Balarts was SO BAD that the Cubans would even take Fidel instead. So the Diaz Balarts left Cuba and set up their facism in exile in Miami.
215. Well Gadalex, begging your pardon here, but I find particularly hard to swallow that argument of honesty, when your own father lied to the whole country, repeatedly, with the chachara that the electoral system had been “suficientemente auditado”.Suficientemente auditado my ass. It wasn’t, you know it, I know it, your father knows, and yet they all joined the utterly irresponsible, and false, merry go round. So please, spare us, ya que lo primero que tenemos que hacer es empezar a llamar las cosas por su nombre.
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219. This is a great bit of background information Paul, thanks for clarifying the English production of Bellarmine bottles here. You are very lucky to have acquired these wonderful artefacts. Did you buy your bottles in the UK, or are they easier to come by in Germany?
220. dudu osun is not Fake black soap, its just the nigerian version of a black soap with added ingredients…NO DYES what so ever, the black dye running from it is the palm nut oil, camwood. its as natural as can be so dont be put off, it works no different although some prefare the soft crumbly version. ive used both with good results. i dunno why folks still claim dudu osun has chemicals in it, do people not read the label and see????
221. salam.. sy dah habis gune krim sapu bio t.. ade hasil makin pudar tp x sepenuhnya.. boleh x sy ambik hanya vit e aja untuk part badan tampa sambungan krim sapu?
222. (and everyone who engaged with him on this, for that matter) – may I say, I think you win the internet today for navigating one of the hottest of hot button subjects with civility and respect and careful clarity… and a touch of humor. I don’t happen to be of your way of thinking, but I see the logic of your position and admire your insistence on presenting it accurately while steering clear of butthurt territory. Plus, there’s guts and the willingness to laugh at yourself. Dude. I’m impressed.
223. Hey Duke,That is a great point! If the headline is too long, people may not even bother reading it. I heard a while ago that any headline should be 7 words or less. I don’t apply this strict limit to my headlines, but I think it’s generally a good idea to keep your headline around that length or shorter.
224. Huh. Read the editorial and ok, Al’s treasonous behavior aside, the author of the piece seems to hint that Gore wants to/might actually be considered for/holy crap might actually make it onto the ticket for the Dem nomination in ’08…………….Huh?I really don’t see Al’s nomination for anything more than a TDO at this point to be within the realms of reality.
225. Actually, I thought that was the solution for many years, until attending some classes with an expert…who reminded me that using a size larger needle increases the HEIGHT of the stitch, but not the DISTANCE BETWEEN STITCHES (this is what produces the “too tight” cast on)….so simply being careful to keep enough space between the cast on stitches really does the trick. Need a video, try Cat Bordhi. Also, I use the “old Norwegian” cast on for items where more stretch is required (hats, socks, etc). Really works. (She also has a really stretchy cast off tutorial, quite good)
226. takich wspomnieÅ„ najbardziej mi żal, jako osobie każdego dnia dojeżdżajÄ…cej na uczelniÄ™;/;/zmÄ™czenie i stracony czas…cóż.kiedy myÅ›lÄ™ o studiach to przede wszystkim o Å›wietnych, mÄ…drych i niesamowicie "ludzkich" wykÅ‚adowcach…pozdrawiam serdecznie a zupa pysznie wyglÄ…da.p.s- najwidoczniej fizycy zawsze byli szaleni:)
227. Oui, oui, j’y vais un peu fort et je dois avoir tord quelques part. Mais rien n’y fait son jeu c’est ce que j’aime le moins en tennis. C’est physique mais profondemment inestethique avec des gestes moches visiblement repetes et appris au forceps. Et tactiquement c’est totalement plat et monotone.Pourtant efficace, c’est vrai, mais les 10 ans de Roddick dans le top 10 sont pour moi le plus grand mystere de l’ere open.. Courier son predecesseur du meme genre avait cede beaucoup plus tot.
228. Je confirme, ma pratique assidue de jeux de conduite du type colin McRae, Driver et même GTA m’a permis d’éviter quelques accidents et chiens errants. Faut juste éviter de prendre la route tout de suite après avoir joué, histoire de ne pas se faire retirer le permis.
229. Na minha opinião, mentir é moralmente correto em certas ocasiões, mas devemos sempre tentar ser o mais possÃvel verdadeiros, para conseguirmos assim ganhar a confiança dos outros.Mas como em tudo na nossa vida, existem expepções, pois há momentos em que achamos que mentir é a opção mais correta, mesmo que aos olhos dos outros não o seja. Às vezes mentimos para defender os outros, ou até mesmo a nós próprios, pensando assim que é uma “mentira justificável”.Cláudia Ferreira nº10 10ºC
230. Bonjour, ça fait longtemps que je n’ai pas fréquenté les sites amis. Donc de nombreux commentaires sont à prévoir prochainement. Ceci dit, premier arrêt sur cette photo, pour dire que j’aime beaucoup la dominante floue du fond en opposition sur la quasi fragilité du net à l’avant-plan. faut il y voir une métaphore des incertitudes de la vie?Cordialement Jean Luc (et Stenopik puisque les deux sites sont à nouveau en route)
231. bakın büyüklerimiz sizlere iki çift lafım olacak bakın sigara içerek başkalarını kendinizden soguttugunuz gibi sigara dumanının kokusundan sizin yanınıza kimse yaklaşmaz buna çok diikkat edin siz kendi geleceginizi yaktıgnız gibi bizim gelecegimizide bir çırpıda çöpe atıosunuz var be insanlık ölmüş kendi hayatlarınızı tehlikeye atmayın ya bu sigara yı bırakmak zormu ya lütfen büyüklerimizi bunları göz önün de bulundaralım
232. MS Live Search is unblurred and shows nuffinkAlthough, interestingly, if you scroll in a couple of notches on the Live Search image, you’ll see that the southern part of that mini-mountain range has been covered over with a duplicate image of the land slightly to the West.Yahoo maps, on the other hand, have just opted for .
233. . I don’t know anything specific, but in Georgia, the test lab for Voting ID and 21st Century poll taxing, a Company called Tridia provides software called iTivity to the State for use by Voting Registrars there. It enables ‘remote control’ of systems…McPherson must go I agree, but Arnold and his Gang have their eyes on a bigger prize and will not be stopped.
234. Hi Jenika!I’ve been working on an update for my site and your advice couldn’t come better, I added those points in the about us section, I wanted to structure it but didn’t exactly know how, your tips worked great for me!Thanks a lot,Greetings from France,[]Jenika Reply:August 14th, 2012 at 1:20 pmGlad to hear it George! Hope the rest of the posts this month help as well! []
235. 10 WBI am squarely in the “pox on both their houses” camp, but I still voted for the LOSER. It did not matter much and I considered writing in Alfred E. Neuman for President and it was a pretty safe bet that the LOSER would win the state of Texas.I do like to vote against all incumbents as a rule. We need to keep a fresh crop of idiots in charge at all times.Simple
237. Eu até que gosto de lavar louça, não gosto de fazer algumas coisas em casa, como tirar pó! rsMas é sempre assim né, tem algo que não gostamos…Ahhh, Cami, gostaria de saber quando sai aquele resultado do melhor biscoito do mundo :DBeijos ;*
238. Abilio Rosa o senhor até votava no macaco Adriano, se essa fosse a escolha da Comissão Politica do PCP, e certamente encontraria no macaco , grandes qualidades de lucidez e energia.Renato Teixeira tem a certeza que todos os que vão á Festa do Avante pagam bilhete….E que não há excursões gratuitas, para como diz , arrebanhar pessoas para a festa?É sempre agradável ler as suas certezas, o pior é que pode estar bem enganado, e lá fica com mais uma desilusão.
239. I work for a company that has a long history of lying to its customers about which products it provides, and also lies about causes of service related issues which I am supposed to relay to the customer. I refuse to lie and have documented this in several emails, are there any legal rights I have? This is a small company (around 40 people) so all the lies come from the owner himself. What else should I do besides look for another job?
240. Hey Rachel!!!These days — given that a typical family has zero, one, two, or three kids — the possibility of twins makes a real difference in family size planning.When my husband and I were talking about the possibility of a third, we always considered what would happen if it were twins. We might possibly be okay with three, but it’s borderline. Four would really push us over the limit of the number we feel like we could parent effectively…A propos — how are your adorable little twins doing? 😀
241. Pinco scrive:Risultato dello stato unitario? Ad esempio la recente risoluzione europea che le arance non si compreranno più in Sicilia, ma l’Europa si è obbligata a comprarle in Marocco… Come non vi potete render conto che la scelta italiana in Europa di essere un paese industriale danneggia voi in quanto l’Europa decide di comprare in altri paesi? Boh…
242. PER LUCAPace a te carissimo.Come sottolineava eEmilio io non insiterei sul cosa devi fare in una relazione con un uomo.Io ti suggerirei di continuare a frequentarlo ma nella sua dimensione di padre, all'interno della famiglia coì' da entrare in familiarità col suo mondo e riscoprire una tua familiarità in quanto uomo.Il problema delle pulsioni omosessuali a volte è anche un problema di mancata intimità e familiarità con le persone dello stesso sesso.TI auguro un buon cammino.Io ci sonoUn abbraccio di pace.P. Max
243. 1e8I want to join the Marine Corps, but i fractured my 4th metatarsal about 3 months ago. I am fully recovered and am able to do physical activity with no pain at all. The recruiter requested for the pathology report on the fracture. Will that disqualify me at MEPS?I haven’t started any paperwork with the recruiter. I just contacted him letting him know that I wanted to join. Should I just get another recruiter and not mention it?
244. 하, 하! ë‹¹ì‹ ì´ í™˜ìž Xiaoqiang? 어떻게 ê°™ì€ ë³´ì•ˆ í–‰ë™? [ ] Re : 0ì‹œ 11분ì—ì„œ 2009ë…„ 3ì›” 25ì¼ ë‚˜ëŠ” ê°„í˜¸ì‚¬ì˜ MMì˜ ë¡œë§¨ìŠ¤ ë“œë¼ë§ˆ ê¶Œí•œì— ëŒ€í•´ì„œì—ì„œ ìž¬ìƒ [ ] Re : 2009ë…„ 3ì›” 25ì¼ 21ì‹œ 43분ì—ì„œ ë‚œ 가난 í‚¥ 와서 [ ] Re : 22ì‹œ 19분ì—ì„œ 2009ë…„ 3ì›” 25ì¼ ì—있는 ìž‘ì€ ì‚¼ 참여를 ì œê±° [ ] Re : 11ì‹œ 57분ì—ì„œ 2009ë…„ 3ì›” 26ì¼ ìž‘ì€ ì„¸ 누구입니까? ì˜ì›ížˆ 완료 [ ] ê²€ì€ ì˜¥ 추위 Re : 14ì‹œ 6분ì—ì„œ 2009ë…„ 3ì›” 26ì¼ 12,345? [ ] Re : 2009ë…„ 3ì›” 28ì¼ 10ì‹œ 4분ì—ì„œ 6? ë‚´ 약간 여섯 좋아하는 [ ]
246. Meidän tarpeellisten härpäkkeiden listalle menevät kaikki samat kuin S:n listallakin on, paitsi että se kunnon mortteli on edelleen hakusessa (vinkkejä siitä, mistä löytyy, kaivataan). Lisäksi erittäin paljon käytettyjä ovat SALAATTILINKO (miehen mielestä talouden hauskin "kodinkone"),teho- ja sauvasekoittimet (edellinen pirtelöillle ja smoothieille NAM!, jälkimmäinen sosekeitoille) ja jonkun muun kommenteissa mainitut suola- ja pippuripallot (malli Chef'n). Mies epäilemättä haluaisi myös vissykoneen, mutta hapotetut juomat tekevät niin huonoa hampaille, että vastustan. T: T Jäkestä
248. Ok, It’s Friday and I’m checking in!I did pretty ok but missed 1 item that was pretty important – it was to do my on a catalogue for a client catch up with invoiceschange the bed sheetsmake an awesome saladorganize and retouch my photos from the weekendThat will of course get moved to next week (I’m dreading accepting it already with a passion ;)I hope everyone completed their lists and had a great week. Now, here’s to a great weekend – as a reward 😉
249. Mr. Kennedy-Interesting stuff! However, there is a small error in your computations–John and Jane have each saved $720,000…not $72,000! So still an impressive fee savings, but not quite so eye-popping as losing more than 6X the total invested…Also, given that 401K contributions are capped at $16,500 a year (and this used to be lower), how did they manage to save $2000 or $3000 a month?Your humble correspondent,Leo Kovalensky
250. ik zoek info in verband met fructose-en lactose intolerantie. de meeste recepten zoals smoothies en sappen bestaan uit groente en fruit en melkproducten. ik mag geen melk en fruit meer eten dus word het wel heel moeilijk. wie kan me hierbij helpen?
251. Hauskaa, että tämä elokuvasovitus herättää tunteita myös muissa kuin itsessäni ja ylipäätään se, miten kirjat taipuvat elokuviksi.Sen lisäksi mitä listasin omassa postauksessani hyviä kirjoista tehtyjä elokuvia, lisään vielä yhden eli "Olemisen sietämätön keveys" on yksi suosikkielokuvistani, siitä voisi jopa sanoa, että se oli parempi kuin Milan Kunderan kirja, jonka pohjalta se on tehty.
252. Takk for et flott program som “pirket i overflaten” av hva Horten har Ã¥ by pÃ¥. Dette fungerer forhÃ¥pentligvis som en “teaser” for seerne slik at de fÃ¥r lyst til Ã¥ se hva vi mer har Ã¥ by pÃ¥! Etter over 20 Ã¥r med utsikt til Bastøya, ferjene og Østfold har jeg blitt kjempeglad i byen og kunne aldri, aldri tenke meg Ã¥ flytte herfra! Kom gjerne tilbake!
254. Thank you Holly! I’m having a tough day today and this relaly was a beautiful way to help me wrap my mind around my own blessings.Happy Anniversary to you!!!
256. Jajaja, y pensar que me echaba a reir cuando vi en una pagina de google las búsquedas que se hacÃan en venezuela.Me llamo la atención este:”que hacer para el 18 del 2008″ R: ¿El Antropomorfo en cuestión es tan ignorante para esto?xD Besos.
257. SÃ¥ mange fine baketips du kommer med! Jeg leser ikke sÃ¥ mange blogger egentlig, tidstyv ja hehe, men nÃ¥ har jeg fÃ¥tt øynene opp for den matbloggen. Det ble brente mandler i gÃ¥r og Biscotti i dag…de sÃ¥ gode ut, var de det eller?Og lurer litt pÃ¥ marsipan ogsÃ¥, har ihvertfall handlet inn til marsipanbrød:-)
258. I vote for Fred. But, then, I used to have a sheep named Fred, so I’m quite partial to the name, for non-humans. (My other sheep was named Harry. I rarely name critters non-people names, and I was a weird kid.)
259. Foarte interesant.:D Frumos primul capitol. Ma intreb cum sunt celelalte. :>OK, cam ciudat, insa scriitoarea a dat exact acelasi raspuns ca la mine, la intrebarea 5. Ar fi trebuit sa scrie ceva diferit, zic eu. :|Oricum, dragute raspunsurile.Bafta cu campania!! <3
261. I forgot to mention the Lansky bit! I think Gyp has been a great addition so far and is making a very good character foil for Nucky. Meanwhile – Jack Huston, Gretchen Mol, and Michael K. Williams continue to kill it with their limited but pivotal screen-time – as if they are jointly delivering a master-class in character acting for serialized television.
262. Funny you should mention that. We had to fight for many years to get the protected species status taken off the feral deer in this state. They were you see originally a gift from Queen Victoria to us, which made them royal beasts and thus off limits to us commoners.I have to admit though, they were a hell of a lot tastier while they had that status.The law was changed somewhat to allow for deer farming.
263. El CAE obvio que es un problema que viene del otro gobierno y ojo yo no soy de ningun partido polÃtico, pero lo concreto es que el actual gobierno MANTUVO ese crédito usurero, y no ha dado señales CONCRETAS para rebajarlo, sólo ha dicho “lo estudiaremos”.En segundo lugar, este gobierno es en el cual me toco estudiar,asi que ellos se tienen que hacer responsables.Pero por lo que se ve,quieren seguir manteniendo la desigualdad en chile como lo hizo el gobierno anterior.
264. Já myslim,že to je naprosto stejné jako tÅ™eba u Rolling Stones a podobných.A upÅ™ÃmnÄ›,aÅ¥ už produkujà sebe vÄ›tÅ¡Ã sraÄky jejich vÄ›rným fans je to stejnÄ› zpravidla u prdele a budou to s nima táhnout až na prah rakve.
265. I’ve been surfing online greater than three hours these days, yet I never found any fascinating article like yours. Itˇ¦s pretty price sufficient for me. In my opinion, if all website owners and bloggers made just right content as you probably did, the web will likely be much more helpful than ever before.VA:F [1.9.20_1166]please wait…VA:F [1.9.20_1166](from 0 votes)
266. Who cares. Its not a loss to not understand German. The country is not ok and its going down the drain. They are human rights diletants…and the have no scence of stlye, – or do you believe that Germany ever attracted anyone because of style? Never.
268. ÔþÑÂøть ûðùúþю ÷ðÑÂøÿðтø.. ùтø ýð ÿрþтõÑÂт.. ýðÿрøúûðô, üõýõ ôіÑÂтðûø ýõ ûøшõ ßà, ð òÑÂі хтþ є у Ã’à, ñþ þôýі тðúõ óіüýþ рþñÃȄÂть, ð іÃ½ÑˆÑ– тþüу üðùöõ ýõÿõрõшúþôöðють.. тþüу ÿрþтø òÑÂіх, хтþ у Ã’à.. і ÑÂðüõ тþüу трõñð ùтø ýð ÿрþтõÑÂт, ÑÂúщþ і üðхðтø ýð ýьþüу ÿрðÿþрþü – тþ ãúрðїýø, ð ýõ ÿþûітøчýþї ÑÂøûø щþ є ýð ÿрþтõÑÂті..
270. The US has been pontificating to China for so long on the value of democracy, yet now it looks like some from the US are leaving this heritage of democracy behind and instead learning some of China’s tactics for maintaining authoritarian rule.
271. Haha yeah schedules and commuting both suck…. However you can make it work. I pay 170 dollars for a really nice crash pad 10 mins for Chicago’s O’Hare. And the commute is awesome because of the time change and only 45 min flight I could almost sit reserve from my apartment in Belleville (possibly have done it once) shhh haha Pilots get creative because we HAVE TO!
274. My perfect summer day is one that has no “to-do list” or responsibilities! It also includes being around some sort of water (pool, lake, beach) that isn’t too crowded or noisy. Fruity drinks, a lounge chair and my kindle are there- with intermittent naps being taken It ends with going out with friends for dinner and more drinks to some fun restaurant/bar with a rooftop or deck!
275. Love the image of your dad in the truck bed with the gun, and your mom driving…kind of like the Canadian Prairie version of the African Big Game Hunt…I was 11 when I learned to drive our 1948 Ford tractor…I was so skinny, I had to stand on the clutch to change gears. Occasionally, I would let the clutch out too fast, and the front end of the tractor would “jump”, nearly killing my dad, who was standing beside the tractor…good times!Wendy
276. Optimism can indeed be an opiate. So let’s think rather in terms of hope, against the background of knowledge that we all die, and the earth will survive. Why not spend the time we have making a difference in ways that make our lives meaningful?
277. kabangona dit :Attention, le bateau de l’émergence tangue. Ce pouvoir d’amateurs est au bout du rouleau.Si la Conférence nationale Souveraine (CNS) ne se tient pas d’urgence, alors, bonjour les dégâts !
278. ^ shuddup.haha, nah for real, I been had a pea coat, the real official Schott piece. I’d say they are worth it cuz they’re built to last. About a buck fiddy.for the pieces highlighted in this post, I wouldn’t literally go out and try to cop the same exact one for retail, I’d just take them as suggestions for what to look for when you’re out and about…find similar pieces, and never pay retail
279. hi Archedmaid, This sounds like a bug and NO it should not happen. Would you be able to send me a screenshot or photo of this problem? Maybe I can fix and update the downloads. VN:F [1.9.13_1145](from 0 votes)
280. it is a very good thinking and for avoiding these kind of problems i am going to present a paper about the education and the development of the education,so and so.. i need your help to do the presentation successfully, i want to get some ideas from you for my presentation if you don’t mine pls…. reply me.. first im going to present this in village sides only. Thank u………
281. That link was very enjoyable. It was also highly accurate. The championships with completely different rosters is very key. If he does it with a third roster – he could be the GOAT. The dream scenario: 7 rings, leading scorer of all time, leading playoff scorer of all time, leading all star scorer of all time, most All NBA selections. I will stop there so as not to take up too much space : )——————————————————–Very doable…
282. A lot of thanks for your entire efforts on this blog. My mom really loves participating in research and it’s simple to grasp why. We all know all concerning the powerful tactic you offer advantageous techniques by means of your blog and in addition encourage response from some others on the concept plus our own girl is actually studying a great deal. Take advantage of the rest of the year. You have been performing a tremendous job.
284. From what I understand, that is the way it was meant to apply. If you read the text, it reads that way, too, it’s just that, like the commerce clause, it’s been expanded way beyond its intent.And I’m good with the notion of everyone having to pass the citizenship test and take the oath before they can vote. You’d be able to get a lot of these people on violation of their oath.
285. I’ve always used a push pin with my son. Now, after reading that article, I’m scared to do any more push pin activities with my daughter (who I will start homeschooling preschool this fall). Need to find a way to get one of these STAT!Valerie Kite recently posted..
286. jun14 Primero, esa lista no es mi lista, sino la del gremio de escritores americanos, y segundo, la Naranja Mecñanica es una bazofia de pelÃcula. Ni siquiera pude aguantar a verla entera. Seguro que a Dorian le encanta
287. ¿Qué grado de fiabilidad tiene esa lista de cualidades?No tengo ni idea.Tan sólo mencionar que hice la prueba de enseñar este perfil a unos 20 controladores y pedirles que marcasen aquellas caracterÃsticas con las que se sentÃan representados.Si bien los resultados eran diferentes, el Ãndice de “positivos” era del 90%Es decir, ¿cuál es la fuente de información que las ha reunido y qué grado de fiabilidad tiene?Me lo dio una aspirante hace muchos años.
288. Hi,I’m from Germany. And here are so many people disappointed, too.Flash Forward is really a very good series, better than Lost. (6 seasons and bad ending)Whats about a Flash Forward “Direct to DVD/BluRay” Production?
289. You apparÂently want to burn our intelÂliÂgence assets. Why?I asked this same quesÂtion at #120 but GROG apparÂently doesn’t want to answer it. Maybe he preÂsumes all the embedÂded assets have now been safely airÂlifted from the counÂtry so it’s okay for RepubÂliÂcans to broadÂcast their names in the interÂest of purÂsuÂing this enjoyÂable litÂtle anti-​​Obama witch hunt of theirs.
290. Well I believe this is an awesome brief of my human behavior class (I’m looking to the right). What I take for myself is that it’s important to find out further on a body sign to avoid miscontrueding a nervous habit but also watch out for all the people that have watched this video as they may try to fool you with their body language but I think that a good round of rapid fired questions would do
291. darknakoh:Ninguno de los dos es seguro…! te lo quitan los “thiefs”!Desde pequeño que me han gustado los pantalones con muchos bolsillos y bien grandes, pues podia llevar la gameboy y todos los juegos XDAun asi me encanta que diseñen pantalones para ipad… me comprare unos, cuando tengan el bolsillo bien cerrado XD
292. hi ubiquit,have you tried supercharger script?can you make a comparison between the two memory management or maybe another review with supercharger.more power! and thank you so much for your time for making all the reviews specially on boston
293. Sarkozy hyper-president ceci, Holande hypo-president cela… et si on admettait et respectait le fait que nos presidents elus democratiquement puissent avoir le droit d’avoir leur propre personalité et style? Et voila, probleme reglé.Je prefere les discussions entre supporters de foot du PSG et de l’OM. Au moins, la on se tape dessus vicieusement, mais on ne se prend pas au serieux!
294. When I watch tv I often mute it during commercials and watch Youtube videos. Most are more entertaining than the diatribe on tv commercials. The one exception to this though is the string of commercials that air during sunday football. But, after they air for the 3rd time, even they are muted. So, Tv and YT compete for my attention.
295. AnonymousSeptember 30, 2011Dan,I think Google demanding that paid links have the nofollow attribute is just their attempt to reduce the quantity of people trying to buy links. If people think paid links are going to be nofollowed, they won’t be as likely to try and buy them. No one would pay for a nofollowed link, unless it had a high probability for CTs and referral traffic. I wonder what percent of paid links actually have the nofollow attribute attached to it? I’m guessing a very miniscule number.
296. 111ѠрðÑÂÑÂüðтрøòðû ÑÂту üыÑÂûь, ýþ тðü чõрõ÷ úðöôыõ 100 üõтрþò ýðôþ ÑÂтðòøть хðñ. ð ÑÂтþ ýðôþ тÑÂýуть ÑÂûõúтрøчõÑÂтòþ – ÑÂþòÑÂõü ôруóøõ ñðñúø.
297. Det er ett problem for å få bygget tilpassede leil. til innvandrere, lavtlønnede, vanskerligstilte ol.Jeg er usikker på om innvandrere, lavtlønte og vanskeligstilte egentlig trenger tilpassede leiligheter. Det viktigste er at det bygges mer, og ikke settes unødvendige begrensninger(f.eks. minimumsstørrelser), slik at det er et bredt utvalg av husrom som kan dekke alle behov og inntektsgrupper.
298. Potrebbe trattarsi di un sottile strato di ghiaccio (predisposto) ricoprente la parete interna del bicchiere, forse se il tavolo è talmente liscio da aderire ai bordi del (finto) bicchiere di ghiaccio l'acqua potrebbe restarne intrappolata senza fuori uscirne da sotto. Ammesso che sia un vero trucco riproducibile di fronte ad un pubblico…
299. It’s not really “someone else’s” money….it’s the search engines money earned for sending traffic to the advertiser. And I disagree with this form of giving being invisible since engines like keep charter schools top of mind amongst it’s users. What better way to raise awareness by using a tool like a search engine that is already being used by millions of people daily?
301. I don’t think your blog is a mess at all. It’s simply free flowing. In my book, that’s a good thing. You write what’s on your mind at any given time. Sometimes it’s weighty and sometimes it’s light.Cut yourself some slack. 🙂
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Análisis de usuarios: Mayormente positivos (982 análisis)
Fecha de lanzamiento: 28 de sep. 2012
Comprar Cortex Command
Recomendado por mentores
Actualizaciones recientes Ver todos (5)
28 de marzo
Cortex Command Build 31 released: NO MORE OBJECT LIMITS
Evgeniy “Weegee” Vigovskiy
Stefan “Abdul” Winberg
Ken “CaveCricket48″ Vu Do &
Jesús “GranPC” Higueras Pica
Major features:
• Randomized maps: create a map once, play it forever
• Mod manager: no more .rte renaming!
Content updates:
• 36 randomized maps for the campaign.
• Almost 200 bunker prefabs.
• New Dummy weapon – Lancer.
Other improvements and fixes:
• AI skill adjustments.
• Resolution selection fixes.
• HSplitScreen and VSplitScreen work just like before.
• Secret endless campaign mode.
• Tooltips on/off checkbox.
• Diggers create tunnels which way easier to walk through.
• Factions balance tweaks.
• Campaign strategic AI tweaks.
• Campaign tactical tweaks.
• Foreign items can be removed from the buy menu.
New ini-properties:
• “LoudnessOnGib” [0..1] for MOSRotatings
• “LoudnessOnEmit” [0..1] for AEmitters
• and many more here
Lua changes:
• Exposed MinThrowVel and MaxThrowVel for ThrownDevice
• and many more here
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Steam Workshop
Acerca de este juego
Key Features:
Requisitos del sistema
Mac OS X
• SO: Microsoft® Windows® XP / Vista / 7
• Procesador: 1 GHz
• Memoria: 1 GB de RAM
• Disco Duro: 150 MB de espacio libre
• Gráficos: Resolución de 640x480 (VGA)
• Adicional: Debería funcionar en cualquier PC de los últimos 5 años
• SO: Microsoft® Windows® XP / Vista / 7
• Procesador: 3 GHz o superior
• Memoria: 2 GB de RAM
• Disco Duro: 150 MB de espacio lbre
• Gráficos: Resolución de 1920x1080 (full HD 1080p)
• OSX:10.4 (OSX Tiger or Greater)
• Processor:1.6 Ghz Core 2 Duo
• RAM:1GB RAM
• Graphics:Intel GMA X3100
• Disk:300 mb
Análisis útiles de usuarios
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2.2 h registradas
Publicado: 2 de enero
One of my men jumped out of a crashing dropship and lost his arms and legs due to the resulting explosion, he then jetpacked into the air and used the force of his descent to crush two enemy soldiers with his torso. Afterwards he flew into a landing enemy dropship and made it crash before bleeding out.
A true hero that will never be forgotten.
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56.1 h registradas
Publicado: 13 de noviembre de 2014
Cortex Command is Worms Armaggedon IN REAL TIME, have you ever played liero? Its that in a nutshell BUT BETTER you cant really explain this game so you have to play it to know it
but the best way to explain it is:
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A 27 de 30 personas (90%) les ha sido útil este análisis
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10.3 h registradas
Publicado: 8 de enero
A lot of people seem to be confused by this game. They probably expected some epic story mode or intense multiplayer battles, and end up disappointed because CC doesn't have these features. But it has something different: An incredible sandbox experience.
Do you want to know how I play it? I load up a map of Skirmish Defense, enable unlimited gold and that my brain can be placed anywhere, then build an unbreachable subterranean bunker and start the game. Now the real fun begins. Wave after wave of enemys will try to tunnel a way to my brain, but this task is complicated by the fact that I constantly drop crates filled with pineapple grenades and molotov cocktails on their heads and watch their bodies explode into gore.
Soon, the whole battlefield is covered in body parts and debris. The never ending waves of enemies have to crawl trough a horrible mess of flesh from their fallen brethren, only to be ripped apart by the next crate bomb. If this gets boring, I set up a Sniper with a high powered Anti-Vehicle rifle on a hilltop. It is just too damn entertaining to shoot a drop ships' engines out and then finish the remaining crew with a single, multiple-body-penetrating shot.
The completely desctructible environment is just so awesome to mess with. When you fire bullets at the ground, you can see them traveling through the dirt and coming to a halt. The game even takes into account what weapon was used - bullets of rifles will bury much deeper than the ones of pistols.
This also introduces some interesting mechanics in terms of bunker design. Depending on the angle from where the shot was fired, a bullet will either ricochet off a wall or penetrate it.
Exploding grenades produce shrapnel that rips apart even the toughest enemy. There is even a Chainsaw Gun. Guess what it does. Yes, it fires Chainsaws.
Only problem with it are the lazy developers. This game has been in development forever, and nothing significantly has changed. The devlog is updated twice a year max, and its been ages since the last release. This makes the 20$ pricetag feel like a rip-off, since you're buying an unfinished product that probably will never be finished.
If you can pick it up at sale, though... go for it!
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1.2 h registradas
Publicado: 7 de noviembre de 2014
Cortex Command is conceptually excellent, and decently functional, but still needs a lot of polish to properly express the creative and interesting gameplay mechanics that it offers. It can be difficult to work with at first, and the tutorial could really stand to teach how the shop/build mechanics are used.
I'm optimistically voting this up for now. I'm really, really hoping that this game continues to get updated. This really is a great concept, and I'm excited about that.
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63.5 h registradas
Publicado: 2 de enero
Okay, so...
I love this game even though I have not modded it. I must have played the tutorial mission well over 70 times. Using the various weapons to destroy the enemies body part by body part is something I recommend putting on your bucket list.
Controlling your own personal fedex space rocket is something that never gets old. Flying your fedex space rocket into the enemy hover ship is also something that never gets old.
I would not use the word "strategy" to describe Cortex Command. This game is not about strategy; it's not about much of anything as far as I can tell. However, if any of you are interested in the physical and scientific behavior of rocket propelled chainsaws, this game will answer your questions.
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56.0 h registradas
Publicado: 25 de noviembre de 2014
this game needs LAN multiplayer T.T
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6.0 h registradas
Publicado: 21 de diciembre de 2014
First of all, don't let the Metacritic score decieve you, it deserves waaaay better than a 44.
This game reminds me of those good, old flashgames where you pick your clunky, pixelated troops and let them roam around the map to invade and destroy the enemy's base, i loved those!
Well this game is one of those, but sooo much better in every way!
This game focusses on building your own bunker to protect your dissembodied brain from the hostiles invading it.
You pick your rooms, walls and barricades from a wide variety of different models and easily place them down.
Then you choose your starting units from a large list, ranging from zombies to T-1000-ish killerbots which you can customise freely to wield a huge amount of different weapons.
Once you've done that, you can switch to any of those units and controll them untill it gets eliminated or you switch to another unit. You can also put it in patroll mode to guard your base, sentry mode to guard a specific area and brain hunt where it will go towards the enemy's bunker and find its way to the brain. And if needed, call down a V2 rocket piloted by a drunk pilot who will probably crash, but still deliver your fully-outfitted troops roughly where you wanted them (or you just lob them from space in a box and let it crash a few metres deep in the sand, forcing them to crawl out of the gaping hole while hostiles throw molotov cocktail inside, fun times!)
I must say, this game is very fun to play, Its simple, creative and action packed!
Hell, i had a soldier once who faced off agains three other robots, his legs got shot of and his rifle got destroyed, so he switched to his pistol and killed all three of them before bleeding out.
It's these awesome moments that make this game so great! Shooting down a dropship and witnessing the soldiers under it getting flattend by it or a squad heroicly fighting off hordes of crash-test dummies while trying to block their entrypoint with a concrete launcher, and all of this happened in those few hours i've played!
Worshop makes it even better, adding in units from other games like Warhammer 40K or Halo makes it much more interessting, even adding in a few new maps is always fun!
The only downsides i've encountered is the clunky menu, the poor UI, lacking tutorial and the fact that there is no Free camera mode.
There barely is a UI besides the circular hold-the-right-mousebutton one which is a little confusing at first, the tutorial is very minimum, but you learn the basics of the game pretty fast anyways. And the camera, well, thats permanently focussed on the unit you are using, so no looking around the place, which is annoying if you hear a dropship nearby, but you can't see it.
But for my final verdict, this game is a must-buy for people who like customising their own troops individualy, who like games that tell stories about how badass the units were in that one battle against those 100 crabs and for those who just like building giant, trap-filled bunkers for the CPU to breach (which it will, he'll just dig into the brain's bunker right away)
I give it a score of 8.5/10, take that Metacritic!
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14.6 h registradas
Publicado: 23 de marzo
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32.7 h registradas
Publicado: 10 de enero
Got the best modding comunity i have ever seen,
and you can trample robots with torsos straped to jetpacks.
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61.2 h registradas
Publicado: 7 de enero
A brilliant side scrolling game that mixes tactics with economy management, with an active modding community to keep it ticking over.
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21.1 h registradas
Publicado: 21 de febrero
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A 7 de 9 personas (78%) les ha sido útil este análisis
2 personas han encontrado divertido este análisis
8.3 h registradas
Publicado: 15 de enero
Let me tell you the saga of Derek the soldier
Dereck the soldier was tasked with the suicide mission of storming the mighty enemy brain bunker with 2 comrades, despite being outgunned and outnumbered
This does not stop Derek the soldier
Soon the artillery starts to fall, his weapon is then destroyed and his commander gunned down before even being able to tell for retreat
This does not stop Derek the soldier
Derek charges the enemy bunker, pistol blazing, his fellow comrades running for life. Sadly Derek is hit by the barrage of gunfire and loses both his legs and his arm
This does not stop Derek the soldier
Jet packing to the top of a tower, Derek throws a grenade down knocking out a sniper post, there Derek content with his successes, goes to Valhalla to fight a more worthy foe
Thus is the saga of Derek the Soldier
11/10 would sacrifice Derek for no reason again
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70.4 h registradas
Publicado: 6 de enero
Cortex Command is a game I really enjoy. It has complex strategy, great game mechanics, and replayability. The biggest draw of CC is it's sandbox like nature, allowing you to play around, or give yourself a challenge. The biggest flaw with CC is that it really doesn't have much to do in it, it's more of a game that you'll pick up and play from time to time than a deep game you'll spend hours with. That said, it never really gets old unless you play really often, it has dedicated mod support to keep things interesting, and a great multiplayer mode. It may not be deep enough to be worth $20, but if you are willing to pay that, you'll find a solid game that will stay fun for a long time, so long as you don't wear it out. Cortex Command gets a 7.5/10
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42.8 h registradas
Publicado: 21 de enero
Personally i think the game is great, its very fun to play, cool music, insane weapons, physics,
superb level design, drones, lots of mods, but... it crashes and needs updates to improve stability.
Yesterday it crashed everytime i died after starting bunker attack game mode and some problems
today as well, so i think its overpriced in its current state, but well worth the money when finished.
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18.8 h registradas
Publicado: 17 de abril
I've never been drawn into the game's campaign mode, nor really cared about multiplayer.
However, I could setup a base and shoot down dropships all day long. The pixel-perfect, destructable physics are a joy to watch, and surviving wave after wave with a variety of weapons is a constant source of entertainment.
It's a quirky game, and feels unfinished. But there's a core gameplay nugget in there that never gets old. If you're willing to make your own fun, sandbox style, this is a gem in the rough.
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26.5 h registradas
Publicado: 28 de marzo
"Frigging IGN, your mom's mediocre"
It's such an original and addictive game honestly, I've followed this for quite awhile and put hundreds of hours into this off Steam, I don't understand why it's recieved such a slating when there's so much enjoyment to be had.
Essentially it's real-time 'worms warfare' but you can build your own base and fire chainsaws at people and crash ships into the face of your enemies, all gloriously animated with ragdoll deaths and flying blood-strewn body parts creating quite hilarious results, what isn't to like
And that's without mods, this game has one of the greatest modding communities I've ever came across which gives almost unlimited replayability
10/10 ♥♥♥♥ you IGN, take my money Data Realms
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25.1 h registradas
Publicado: 7 de marzo
awesome game
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38.6 h registradas
Publicado: 28 de diciembre de 2014
killed enemy guard unit with top of dropship...crushed an enemy onslaught with a torrent of crabs...called down a planet-cracker of crabs aswell...brain was killed by crab...mined gold with a rocket engine...shot a hole into a 2.5' thick bunker wall with an Uzi...
15/10 Would recommend.
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51.7 h registradas
Publicado: 3 de diciembre de 2014
Good battles if you want see a man fall open
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25.8 h registradas
Publicado: 19 de enero
It's one of the most overlooked games on steam, delivers amazing 2D warfare set in the future, the goal is simple, kill all brains of your enemy, with your units controlled by said brain, by any means available.. Let me just tell you, the amount of ways in which you can kill your enemies? PLENTY, drop a soldier in a crate right on your enemies units, or rockets as they fly in, bombard your enemies with napalm, or other rockets dropped from the sky. Alternatively, just send your units in, and kill your enemies with brutal force. After you kill a brain in one of the areas, you take it over, and build a base, in which your brain will be stored, enemies will try to take over, and will use any means necessary to achieve victory. And that's just the tip, there is a lot more to it, and is best played with friends on a couch. THE BIGGEST FLAW is lack of online multiplayer, which is really sad, and I really see no reason to why that is.. :(
All in all I strongly recommend that you play it, and here is a video of couch play I did with my friends, a videos against AI are also available so check them out, they are real fun as well :)
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http://store.steampowered.com/app/209670/?l=spanish
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A tale from Afghanistan
Discussion in 'The ARRSE Hole' started by Skynet, Dec 8, 2009.
Welcome to the Army Rumour Service, ARRSE
The UK's largest and busiest UNofficial military website.
The heart of the site is the forum area, including:
1. A tale from Afghanistan
A platoon was marching in Helmand province when they came upon a Taliban insurgent, badly injured and unconscious. On the opposite side of the road was a British soldier in a similar but less serious state. The soldier was conscious and alert and as first aid was given to both men, the platoon commander asked the injured soldier what had happened.
"And, there we were, in the middle of the road, shaking hands, when a bus hit us."
2. Best sticking with the 'news' eh! :)
3. WTF??
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https://www.arrse.co.uk/community/threads/a-tale-from-afghanistan.125170/
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InterGalactic Banking Clan
< InterGalactic Banking Clan
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Content approaching. 'Maul: Lockdown, An Old Friend, The Rise of Clovis, Crisis at the Heart'–class.
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"Trade Federation, Commerce Guild, InterGalactic Bank Clan? The Confederacy certainly won't have any credit problems."
"Except for greed."
Siri Tachi and Adi Gallia[src]
The InterGalactic Banking Clan (also known as the InterGalactic Bank Clan or the IG Banking Clan and often abbreviated to IGBC or IBC) was one of the Republic's most powerful and influential commerce guilds. It was a union of Muunilinst's ruling Council of Banking Clans and several other banking powers. Its name likely referred to its extragalactic influence—it was known that the Banking Clan controlled assets as far as halfway between the galaxy and its nearest satellite galaxy.
The Tonith family was one of the more powerful clans that oversaw the IBC. The Iotran Guard served as a military division of the Clan. Additionally, the Order of the Sith Lords was heavily involved with the Banking Clan since at least Darth Tenebrous's time, secretly manipulating the organization. During the Clone Wars, Chairman San Hill was allied to the Confederacy of Independent Systems, but the Banking Clan itself remained officially neutral. However, the IGBC fought against the Republic during the Battle of Muunilinst, at an early stage of the war. After a scandal involving new IGBC leader Rush Clovis, the entire organization was placed under the jurisdiction of the Office of the Supreme Chancellor of the Galactic Republic, effectively nationalizing the banks.
"The safety of our clients investment is always our paramount concern."
―IBC Chairman San Hill.[src]
The InterGalactic Banking Clan operated by helping control incredible amounts of credits, data, and other forms of currency that flowed through the galaxy. This ancient institution ventures were controlled by key representatives of the old banking families. It extended its financial services to many of the major commercial guilds in the galaxy.[2] The IBC had their own data-server that allowed clients to access to the banking clan's datacom-net.[3]
Accompanying IBC staff were soldiers from Iotra that wore garish body armor and carried ceremonial weapons.[1] Whilst showing a façade of a consumer friendly organization, the IGBC maintained a sizable droid and Iotran military known as the Collections and Security Division.[2] Amongst their combat automata included the hoop-wheeled Hailfire droids that were used exclusively by the Banking Clan's Collections and Security division[4] and being the property of IBC executives.[5] These hoop-wheeled droids made loan agreements proceed to a chillingly expedient pace.[2]
Members of the IBC included financiers, accounts and lawyers that were dressed in signatory Palo fiduciary garb with formfitting green trousers and boots, round-collared green tunics and flare-shouldered green cloaks. Within the hierarchy of the Banking Clan, leading positions included the Muunilinst High Officer, the Administrator the treasure world of Mygeeto, the Director of the Treasury Branch and [1] the Vice-Chair of Communications,[5] with the Chairman of the Banking Clan at the top of the corporate hierarchy.[1]
San hill
San Hill, chairman of the InterGalactic Banking Clan during the Clone Wars.
"The IBC will be essential in financing the war we will slowly foment. We will need the Banking Clan to finance the manufacturers of weapons and to sustain an alternative economy for the eventual enemies of the Republic."
―Darth Plagueis to his apprentice, Darth Sidious.[src]
The founding of the IGBC dated back to the creation of the Galactic Republic where it dictated the flow of wealth between the Core Worlds and the Outer Rim Territories. It was the Banking Clan that funded governments, supported settlements and bankrolled countless commerce guilds, trade corporations and shipping cartels.[1] During the time of the Cold War, a proxy conflict between the Sith Empire and Galactic Republic, a group of thieves planned a heist on a Banking Clan vault.[6]
The IGBC was already a powerful institution by 1000 BBY, and was known for being far more honest in transactions than Core-based banks such as on Sestria.[source?] At some point, the Banking Clan established Aargau as one of its key worlds that rested in the Core Worlds boundaries.[7] During the New Sith Wars era, the Sith Lord Qordis embezzled funds from the Brotherhood of Darkness in order to pay for his avarice and kept them in an anonymous account used by the InterGalactic Banking Clan where he stored these funds.[8]
The IGBC was an important part of the Sith's Grand Plan; Caar Damask, a Force-sensitive Banking Clan official who rose to become Chairman, owed his ascension through the ranks to the covert patronage of the Bith Sith Lord Darth Tenebrous. In exchange, Damask allowed Tenebrous to influence the conception of his son, Hego Damask, and subsequently take him as his Sith apprentice, Darth Plagueis. Plagueis would later use the Clan to finance much of the Plan, including the creation of the secret Army on Kamino, weapons manufacturers for both sides and to ensure the eventual secession movement could maintain an alternative economy. Damask also tutored his friend's son San Hill in preparation for his accession to the Chairmanship of the Clan.[1]
At some point, a vast region of the Tingel Arm became an economic playground divided between the IBC and the Corporate Alliance.[1] It was known to have signed lucrative money-lending programs to large economic bodies such as the Trade Federation and the Techno Union.[2]
Separatist CrisisEdit
"We are certain that an equitable compromise can be reached. The IBC has known Separatist connections. Perhaps if they reduced the number of armed combat droids on the premises, we would not feel the need to be as protective of Republic assets."
―Diplomat Gaddatha In'Kro on IBC protestations about Republic troops on Aargau.[src]
During the years of the Separatist Crisis, the IBC data-server spread Separatist propaganda when clients accessed the datacom-net where messages of secession and Senate reform were stated with the signature of Count Dooku. This led to MerenData sending skilled slicers to examine the server and purge the system. The Senate Bureau of Intelligence dismissed the propanda as a hoax whilst the Banking Clan assured investors that their systems were secure.[3] In 22 BBY, the IGBC experienced its 18th straight quarter with increasing profits. It was creating new currencies at a rate of twenty per day, with the InterGalactic Currency Exchange System managing the currency. Vice-Chair of Communications Lo Vapeet even went as far to offer the next 500 registrants who were approved currencies a deluxe six-slot therma-slice. This plan helped the IGBC with their new partners in finance for the upcoming Clone Wars.[9]
In this time, Senator Aks Moe of Malastare intended to meet with representatives of the IBC in order to discuss possible funding options for a proposed Republic Military initiative. However, his speeder's power plant overloaded and exploded which killed the Gran. The Banking Clan's representatives had not announced the cost of damages nor the accumulated interest caused by the accident.[7] Allegations later came of the IBC arming the Separatists after a bulk freighter destined for Praesitlyn was detained by Eriadu Customs that contained 144 Hailfire droids. Banking Clan spokesbeings denied any involvement or knowledge of the intercepted shipment and claimed that the droids were stolen equipment.[4]
At an unknown point during the Separatist Crisis, Chancellor Palpatine secretly opened several accounts in which he secretly subverted whole-planetary funds to be used at a later point, tax-free and account-free, so that several corporations affiliated with the IGBC (including Yarrow Industries) could profit. In exchange of that, the IGBC supported the Chancellor in the Galactic Senate in a moment when the not-yet-Emperor still needed that support. To carry out this project, Palpatine secretly expended billions of credits from several planets. The whole plot was discovered by journalist Keets Freely, but he was unable to publish it.[10]
The InterGalactic Banking Clan benefited greatly from the economic turbulence that accompanied the Separatist movement. This was because it became the most prominent lending institution that many new independent worlds turned to for economic assistance.[2]
Clone WarsEdit
"The InterGalactic Banking Clan will support you wholeheartedly, Count Dooku. But only in a nonexclusive arrangement."
―Chairman San Hill at Geonosis.[src]
During the Clone Wars, the IGBC supplied its security forces including its battle droids to the Confederacy of Independent Systems. Among its battle droids were the IG lancer combat droids, which were more advanced than the more common Baktoid B1 battle droids. These droids had actually been developed by Phlut Design Systems, a Muunilinst-based weapons development firm that had taken out a large capital investment loan from the IGBC. PDS found itself unable to repay the IGBC, and, in response, the IGBC seized the company's assets, adding the IG lancer droids to the military forces of the CIS. The IGBC sold the company's further plans for the IG-series to Holowan Mechanicals. The IGBC later commissioned Holowan Mechanicals to manufacture General Grievous's elite IG-100 MagnaGuards. This business entity was noted to have allied itself with the growing Separatist movement in the galaxy. The IBC Chairman, San Hill, personally committed his forces to the Confederacy of Independent Systems in a non-exclusive pact that allowed the Banking Clan to profit from both ends of the war by serving the Republic as well as the Separatists.[2] During this time, a Republic inspection team was sent to discover the origins of the Hailfire Droids captured on Geonosis and believing them to be from the IBC Arcology manufacturing plants. [5]
The highest ranks of the InterGalactic Banking Clan were involved in eight months of diplomatic dialogue over the Republic posting military forces within the neutral territories of Aargau. This came after the disappearance of the Republic inspection team on the world and saw Republic Diplomat Gaddatha In'Kro attempt to relieve tensions by pointing to IBC ties to the Separatist Alliance.[5] During the Battle of Muunilinst, Banking Clan droids were attacked by Republic forces. Durge would later lead the IGBC's new IG lancer droids. Durge was defeated, however, and San Hill and his advisors were captured. San Hill would later be given the opportunity to escape Republic captivity.
Bail Prestor Organa reviews the high interest rate the IGBC will charge after deregulation of the banks
In the Galactic Senate, the IGBC's interests were represented by Senator Rush Clovis, a human from the planet Scipio, though his dealings with Lott Dod and their plot to construct droid factories for the Separatist Droid Army were exposed. Despite this the Clan was tolerated by the Republic throughout the war. It retained representation in the Senate as the Clan was too important to the Republic economy to be persecuted, and like the Trade Federation it continued to argue that it was merely conducting business with both sides in a neutral manner.[11] The Galactic Senate passed legislation to de-regulate the Banking Clan in order to open up new lines of credit to fund an expansion of the military.[12]
At some point after the Battle of Muunilinst, the IGBC headquarters were moved to Scipio, though the banks remained under the authority of the Muun government.[13][14][15] Rush Clovis and Padmé Amidala uncovered evidence of corruption within the Clan,[13] which forced the Republic and the Separatists to conduct a temporary truce so as to appoint new leadership. Rush Clovis was chosen as the new head of the IGBC.[14] However, Count Dooku, who secretly endorsed Clovis' ascension, blackmailed him into levying debts against the Republic, leading to the GAR to evict the droid army from Scipio. In the aftermath of Clovis's death during the battle, the banks were placed under the control of Supreme Chancellor Palpatine. Unbeknownst to everyone, this was all a Sith plot for Palpatine's alter-ego, Darth Sidious, to gain more political power for his eventual galactic takeover.[15] It continued to back and profiteer both sides during the war.
The IGBC also funded Grievous's reconstruction in exchange for his services as a collections agent. The same technology would later be used to save the life of Darth Vader.
Imperial PeriodEdit
Despite the death of Chairman Hill at Mustafar, the IGBC escaped the fate of many of its co-conspirators and managed to survive into the Imperial era, becoming the creditor for the Empire's restructured currency. The Clan's continued existence was merely a matter of necessity, for the Imperials did fear the potential of a galactic recession. The Empire allowed the Muuns to carry on in their day-to-day activities, though they controlled the economy and assumed near-absolute control of the governments of Scipio and Muunilinst.[16] Imperial forces, which included a corps of administrative personnel, were placed to watch over the InterGalactic Banking Clan's activities.[17]
Though the Empire kept a tight watch on the IGBC, the Clan never considered switching their support to the Rebel Alliance, feeling that they could credit both if it came to that.
After the establishment of the New Republic, the IGBC did become the creditor of both governments. The IGBC continued to be under imperial rule until the Galactic Federation Triumvirate was formed in 138 ABY.
Notable membersEdit
Representative Mak Plain
Battle droidsEdit
Non-canon appearancesEdit
Notes and referencesEdit
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http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/InterGalactic_Banking_Clan/Legends
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McG for “Terminator Salvation”
Specifically, the film is set in post-apocalyptic 2018, John Connor (Bale) is the man fated to lead the human resistance against Skynet and its army of Terminators. But the future Connor was raised to believe in is altered in part by the appearance of Marcus Wright (Australian thesp Sam Worthington), a stranger whose last memory is of being on death row.
Question: Where are you able to make this your own?
McG: Truthfully, I think any filmmaker tries to go on a film by film basis, and do what’s right for what’s in front of them. I’m very pleased with the “Charlie’s Angels” pictures, and what I was trying to do with those movies is just break down the glass ceiling and say you can make a successful female action picture. That was a long time ago, and I’m a different filmmaker now, and I made a movie after that about a plane crash. I’ve been afraid of flying for a long time, I needed to sort of face that catharsis, that Joseph Campbell moment of facing what you’re most afraid of. That was the impetus for making “We Are Marshall”.
And now I wanted to make a movie that was about posing ethical questions to the audience, and suggesting that the film won’t be easy, it’s going to be a little elliptical in the way you ride along the picture.
I’m tremendously influenced by Children of Men, hats off to that picture, I think it’s fantastic and I hope more people get a chance to see it. But by the same token this isn’t designed to be an art picture, this is a picture designed to be shared the world over. So you gotta find that balance between that artistic take and that artistic look and what’s right for a film designed to be seen by a great many people around the world. I must say we’re very, very pleased with the way that film looks and feels. You guys be the judge, you just saw it, I’m hoping it has that grit that I speak of.
Question: How was meeting James Cameron?
McG: It was a double dip. I was going down to see Sam, down at the Marina Del Ray space there by LAX, and it was a complete motion cap environment – Sam’s in his data suit and everybody’s running around with little balls hanging off their leotards, and I got to play with the cameras and talk to Jim at length. We’d had several phone calls, and he knows that I respect him a great deal. Like I said, I did not want to move forward on this picture if Jim Cameron were like, “Fuck you. What are you doing, you have no business moving forward on this.” I would have very simply acquiesced, I would have said, you’re very right, you’re the creator of what it is, and I respect that. And he was very encouraging, and we talked at length about the story, we talked about Sam.
I mean, I remember when I was on Superman and people were kicking the shit out of me, and saying, “What kind of guy calls himself McG?” It’s the privilege of the public to do that, not knowing that McG is short for McGinty, and I’ve been called that since the day I was born in Kalamazoo, Michigan. There’s nothing Hollywood about it, it’s a function of being poor and having three Joes in one household, so they didn’t call me Joe, they called me McG, short for McGinty, my mother’s maiden name. But of course, as I said, we live in a shorthand society and people do what they gotta do. I’ve talked extensively to Bryce about, you’ve gotta be on Happy Days before you can become the great Ron Howard. Maybe you gotta be Spicoli before you can be Sean Penn, and maybe you gotta do some time on 21 Jump Street before you can grow into the boots of Johnny Depp. There’s nothing wrong with paying your dues and I’m certainly willing to pay mine.
Question: Can you talk about working with Christian Bale?
Question: You’ve been shooting a lot of stuff and will it be a PG-!3?
Question: What do you remember about seeing the first Terminator?
McG: I’ve always regarded the first picture as a horror picture–it’s a chase picture. It’s Halloween. What’s the difference between Schwarzenegger in the first picture and Michael Meyers in Halloween? Which is wonderful, I’m complimenting the picture. And then the second picture, I thought brought a level of complexity that you can’t hope to achieve on a sequel. Sequels are tough. I made an inadequate sequel! I made it with this woman back here, Kim Greene, we made a good first picture and the second picture was a lesser picture. For Cameron–I blame you, you did the makeup!–for Cameron, to make a sequel that elevates to the degree? How many sequels are better, we talked about this too, how many sequels are better than the original? Arguably the second Godfather. Arguably Jim’s Aliens. Dark Knight? Arguably Empire. But it’s a short list, we all agree. Far more often than not, we go to the sequel, we go, What? You know? And we all feel–
Question: Meatballs?
McG: Meatballs Two was shit, lets be honest.
Question: So why continue on?
McG: Well, the easy thing for us is, we are after the bombs. Just put most simply – every other picture has been present day. This is after it happened, so therefore it’s a totally new beginning. Are the lights on? That’s so graphic and so wonderful, this is where it all happens. Inside this, the CPU that will represent the rise of the machines to a place of complete dominance. We’re heading towards that place very rapidly, day in, day out. I’m looking at all the open laptops. I’m looking at the digital cameras, all these things are brand new, and just getting faster and more intelligent and more intuitive all the time. So.
Question: What’s the relationship with the TV show?
McG: I’m a buddy with Josh Friedman, who runs the show. We had a meeting early on and we want to honor that at all times, but we can’t, I know about episodic television, with The OC and Chuck and Supernatural, what it takes to generate stories hour in and hour out, every week. Josh was the first to jump on and say we can’t chase their story threads, you know? We honor it, we’re all using the same language, but this is this and that is that. I say that as a huge fan of the series. Where’s Jean? Jean and I talk about it all the time, she watches every minute of it and comes back and report on it, and do the whole thing. But at some point you’ve got to create some freedom and tell the story that you regard as most compelling.
Question: Is the advance of technology scary to you?
McG: I think it’s a scary thing. Who here would suggest that humanity is in great shape? [LAUGHTER] You know, it’s just… think about it, we’re melting the oceans, we have a true population problem. I always talk about it, if I type A and N in my blackberry, it types the D – that’s artificial intelligence, it’s no longer George Orwell, it’s here. I meant what I said about, don’t work on getting happy just manipulate the chemicals of your brain. How far can we go with that? And where does humanity begin and the machine world end? We can deconstruct the human genome so if your dad had high blood pressure your kid doesn’t have to. It’s kind of scary and amazing, and therefore that whole idea of Pandora’s box. This is just an illustration of here we go, and it’s likely to happen. Think about how much more quickly a computer can make a decision than our human mind can. Should that computer become aware, who knows?
Question: Talk about that as a filmmaker using technology.
McG: Here’s the thing: All the machines you see in his film are physics based. It would be no different than if you and I went out to skunk works and said, “What have you guys got on the Cat Systems?’ Wings articulating and engines doing what they do, and G suits that create, you know, blood flow back to the head so you don’t to pass out and creating impossible turns. What you’re going to see is not built that I’m aware of, but based in physical reality. It’s not just hovercraft and simple dopey things. All day long we’re out here with ospreys out in New Mexico. Ospreys are those aircraft that take of vertically like helicopters, then midflight rotate and move to fly like a fixed-wing aircraft. You just watch that, that’s influencing us all day, every day. It’s just, here we go.
What are the limits, who knows? Imagine how you felt the first time you saw a stealth fighter? Honest to goodness. I remember seeing that son of a bitch and I could not believe that was real. I could not believe that was real, and here’s the funny thing–how long ago did we roll out the stealth bombers and the stealth fighters? 10, 15 years ago? ’89? OK, so think about when that was on the books–’75? Imagine what some whiz kid at MIT or in the black ops operation at Langley, think about what they’re up to now. That’s the stuff that just sort of says, enough is enough. It’s a question, Rutger Hauer posed it, “I, Robot” got into it, it’s everything Asimov, it’s everything Phillip K. Dick–does the android dream of electric sheep?
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http://www.darkhorizons.com/mcg-for-terminator-salvation/
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This is the next installment in my cybersecurity series aimed at educating business owners on the risks and best practices to protect their corporate data. Full disclosure statement: my company Sentek Global performs some of the services highlighted in this article.
Cyber security, though it’s been around for decades, is still perceived as being a bit of the “wild west” (as evidenced by the variety of personalities and phenotypes at the annual conferences) and not a serious “business” topic (suitable for suits and boardrooms), but that is changing daily. When the first $1B insurance payout for a cyber attack is paid out, we’ll start seeing significant interest in how to avoid future payouts of that magnitude. Right now the estimated loss from cyber theft worldwide is $100B/year.
I’m on a plane coming home from Black Hat Asia, where I attended an excellent session presented by Billy Rios of Qualys, titled “Owning a Building.” The bottom line of the session is that not only is it easy to own a building, once you own the building the consequences for the tenants are much more severe than just shutting down their air conditioning on a hot day (which happened to when one of their HVAC systems was compromised by a hacker).
The consequences can be much more severe when compromise of the building systems results in the ability to jump networks (that may have been non-maliciously connected by facilities personnel or building system integrators that were simply trying to more easily manage the systems remotely). This is theorized to be the initial attack vector used to compromise the Point of Sale (POS) systems and steal tens of millions of credit card numbers, costing Target at least tens of millions of dollars in penalties and clean up costs.
In addition, consider a Biomedical or hospital facility that has the air conditioning shut down and costs either millions of dollars of product to be lost or worse, lives to be lost. Beyond the HVAC, if the building uses security cameras, access control systems (those convenient card readers on the doors), energy controls systems, and smart thermostats, they are all likely controlled by the same underlying building management system network, which means once one system is compromised the rest of them are just a step away from being completely compromised as well. So why do you care? Imagine the impact of someone being able to reroute your security cameras, create fake credentials to get into your secure buildings, and shut down your temperature control systems for your server room or other critical areas. Could someone use this to harm your company or take confidential, critical information? You bet.
Mr. Rios demonstrated during the session that anyone can scan the Internet using an online tool called Shodan and find open, accessible systems with no passwords or default passwords. He stated that there are 50,000 exposed building management systems that can be accessed and controlled via the Internet with $500 worth of hardware (with full instructions on how to purchase and configure on the Internet). The building management systems that were exposed to hackers included a surgery center, biomedical facility, and even the Sochi Arena (this was fixed immediately upon notification, however).
So now you’re thinking, ok I’m scared, but what can I do? The good news is, you’re not helpless. As a business owner you need to take an active role in your own security, since most building owners and managers don’t see any real value in securing their systems (this is from personal experience, one building owner even said that he manages everything remotely so he doesn’t need to worry about security, while another said that she doesn’t want to know if there are any problems because then she might be liable). Talk to the building owner and get an inventory of all the building management systems upon which your company depends and ask what the building owner has done to secure those systems. If the answer is anything other than “we have an independent assessment from a company other than the integrator to look for any security vulnerabilities”, you may not have a warm fuzzy feeling, with good reason. (more full disclosure, my company Sentek Global does these sorts of audits). The building management system integrator will tend towards convenience of remote management over security every time, since that saves them money. They also likely will be able to deny or deflect attribution to their systems in the event of a compromise, except in very high profile attacks (aka the Target breach).
Security is all about risk management, there is no such thing as a completely secure system except one that is powered down (or non-existent, to take it to the extreme, since data at rest can be removed from unpowered systems by application of external tools). As a business owner, you need to understand your risk and know how to mitigate it, then include the appropriate measures that have acceptable costs in your mitigation plan. These measures include proactive security measures, regular auditing, and carrying the correct amounts and types of insurance coverage. Sound like most of your other business risks? It is, but once you put the term “cyber” onto these risks most business owners’ eyes glaze over and they feel uneasy and scared, when there is no reason to be.
On a related note, the city of San Diego has stood up a Cyber Center of Excellence (CCOE) which has as one of its primary goals being a resource for business to gain knowledge of cyber security risks and to understand how to mitigate them (one more full disclosure note, Sentek Global is one of the founding members and supporters of the CCOE).
So the good news is that there are resources out there to help you become aware and stay aware of the cyber threat to your business, but it is your responsibility to take the time to located those resources and keep yourself informed.
Eric Basu is a former SEAL Officer (BUDS Class 164) and serial entrepreneur, currently CEO of Sentek Global, a cyber security firm based in San Diego.
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http://www.forbes.com/sites/ericbasu/2014/03/28/how-your-landlord-can-open-your-company-to-hackers-and-how-to-prevent-it/
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Can Buildings Learn?
1 of 6 - "Flow"
2 of 6 - "The Low Road"
3 of 6 - "Built for Change"
4 of 6 - "Unreal Estate"
5 of 6 - "The Romance of Maintenance"
6 of 6 - "Shearing Layers"
What could be new about “New Localism”? (and what’s not)
In a recent Washington Post article Joel Kotkin uses the term “New Localism” to describe a series of current (escalating) shifts in the operative and moral landscape of U.S. everydayness. Not unlike its trampled cousin, New Urbanism, New Localism is, in essence, reactive conservatism with a big smile and even bigger—albeit comforting—words. Kotkin’s New Localism choses familiar concepts like the strengthening of “community”, the virtues of “small town” organization and lifestyles, or the risks of dispersion and dislocation brought about by global dynamics. It’s a story we’ve heard before: local is good, worldly is bad; big tends to be nasty and small is beautiful. But why?
We are falling back into a time of fundamental uncertainty; uncertainty generates insecurity, and insecurity usually promotes conservative tendencies. The U.S. in particular has a longstanding tradition of moving back and forth between isolationism and international involvement. These broad political, social and moral tendencies become evident not only through public policy or in the handling of foreign affairs, but often seep into the organization and production of space. At the scale of the city (or the suburb) isolationism might be expressed in the concentration on personal or family ties, populist distortions of Main Street America and the tainted concept of community itself. All of these issues are at the heart of the New Localist repertoire, with its odes to the Pleasantville life of playhouses and pushcarts and evenings at the philharmonic; a buffered, conflict-free quotidian existence of home offices, “staycations”, local rodeos and farmers’ markets.
Does any of this really promote “community” bonding, or at least transcend the selfish, individualistic nature of consumerist society? Not really. In fact, behind the homey, comfy and seemingly innocuous rhetoric of New Localism lie some very old and serious dangers, including self-absorption, bigotry, and—despite its supposed purpose of bringing people closer—fragmentation.
Regardless of Kotkin’s misleading perspective, the notion of “breaking down” the scale of everydayness into manageable and more grounded units might indeed be crucial for approaching our (near) future agglomerations. New Localism should not be understood as a lifestyle, but as a mindset; a way of providing more focused, immediate and realistic grasp on the things that make our cities or suburbs or exurbs (or whatever) tick. I’m all for downsizing from the usually abstract and overwhelming working concept of “city” into a more specific, landed, focalized spatial unit: neighborhood, barrio, district, enclave, belt, etc.
Still, it’s absurd to understand these as detached, self-sufficient, self-referential nuclei. Today more than ever, nearly every single aspect of our “local” day to day existence is traversed by the “global” . New localists might want to ignore this fact, or even worse, “reverse” it. This is especially evident when they go on about their conservative fantasies of “community” as a condition that relies on a strong physical and cultural proximity, a source of consensus and immutability. Not. A grounded, localized focus doesn’t necessarily have to be at odds with a networked, dispersed functional reality.
According to Kotkin, “localism is neither urban nor anti-urban. At its heart, it represents something larger: a historic American tradition that sees society’s smaller units as vital and the proper focus of most people’s lives.” But he’s wrong. There’s nothing particularly “American” about focusing on “community” or smaller aggregations. Kotkin goes on to affirm that this small-unit type of organization is what good ’ol Tocqueville noted as the main difference between U.S. political structure and its European counterparts. He seems to have skipped the chapter where Alex d.T. writes of another feature, which actually sounds more intimately American. Regarding individuals in democracies, Tocqueville remarks:
Cities Rising
This part is encouraging:
Bringing Soil Back
Hunters Point Shipyard is an unusually shaped peninsula hanging off the southeastern corner of San Francisco. Once an important Navy yard servicing the United States' Pacific fleet, Hunters Point today is 495 acres of artificial fill steeped in spilled diesel fuel, chemical solvents and radioactive heavy metals. A federal Superfund site, Hunters Point is eventually slated for construction as a mixed use development. The Navy is currently remediating the site by removing contaminated soil at great expense.
The plan for Hunters Point calls for traditional remediation and an eventual cover of paving to keep soils away from human habitation. The reactivation of natural soil systems, though, could reduce dependency on infrastructure and provide a more complete long term clean-up solution. Furthermore, emerging technologies are generating novel bioremediation methods that change how contaminated sites can be cleaned. A closer look at soils and remediation is warranted.
In natural ecological systems, soil is created as wind and water erode rock into ever smaller pieces. Simultaneously, plants convert carbon dioxide, water, and light into food, which moves through the food chain until it eventually decays into the soil as well. Over time, soil develops hydrological and biological cycles that support and reinforce each other, stabilizing the environment through meteorological and seasonal variations.
In urban soil systems, impervious paving and storm sewers disrupt the relationship between water and soil. Creeks are channeled into culverts, surface vegetation dies, and soils wash away in storms. By disrupting interdependent functions cycles, urbanization destabilizes beneficial soil systems.
For many cities coping with climate change and the environmental shifts that come with it, the reactivation of natural soils systems offers a means of reducing strain on sewer and drainage systems and adapting to more volatile weather. Functioning soil systems can act as ecological sponges, buffering the urban environment from extremes of flood and drought.
Yet like sponges, soils absorb more than just water. Broad varieties of industrial contaminants can be found in urban soils, and their presence has serious impacts on ecological functions. In places where this is the case, like Hunters Point, remediation is required before ecological systems can be reactivated.
Bioremediation, the use of living organisms to clean up industrial waste, is often the most efficient means of remediating contaminated sites. It can also seem like science fiction at times. In Chernobyl, hydroponic sunflowers were used to absorb radioactive heavy metals from lakes. Earlier this year, oil-soaked mats of human hair were digested by oyster mushrooms to clean an oil spill in San Francisco Bay. You can't make this stuff up!
Usually, microbial bioremediation (using bacteria) and mycoremediation (using fungi) decomposes contaminants into other components, while phytoremediation (using plants) simply accumulates contaminants in their tissues for easier clearing. Scientists, however, are genetically engineering plants by splicing useful genes from other sources into hyperaccumulating species of mustard, poplar and willow.
In Indiana, for example, scientists have inserted a gene into poplar trees that breaks down trichloroethylene (TCE), an industrial solvent and common groundwater contaminant. The genetic modification allows Poplars to digest TCE where they once could only accumulate it, dramatically altering the role of phytoremediation. This sort of advance is incredible, but I wonder: can we go further?
Genes for the production of bioluminescent proteins have been spliced into the DNA of cats, tobacco, and rabbits. Perhaps these genes for luminescence could be paired with genes that create enzymes that sequester or degrade harmful contaminants? Hunters Point could be planted with fields of willow and sunflower that glow in the night as they accumulate dangerous pollutants. High rates of remediation would be accompanied by brighter glowing; as the glow faded over months and years, it would signal that a given area is safe for habitation. The soil, remediated and reactivated, would be ready to support human use.
Hunters Point will probably never be home to a forest of phytoremediating bioluminescent transgenic trees, but there is plenty of room for innovation at the polluted site. At Hunters Point and other contaminated sites around the world, restoring soil systems is becoming more realistic as scientists develop more incredible technologies and designers and planners find ways to apply them.
(Images Sources:
Hunters Point Aerial: Telstar Logistics
Soil Systems Illustrations: Jonathan Espalin
Soil Network: Josh S Jackson
Chernobyl Sunflowers: Phytoremediation History
Phytoremediation: Ideonexus
Transgenic Organisms: Biotechnologies Blog)
The Ads Are In the Air
In case you were wondering, the answer is no; nothing is sacred anymore. At least not to advertisers. A Dutch company called Geotronics recently launched a re-branding campaign by staging a full-blown musical number in the busy concourse of a train station in Utrecht. While there are plenty of ways to read this (the least entertaining of which is not that we'll finally have an answer for people who say musicals are unrealistic because "no one bursts into song and dance routines in real life"), it seems to set a troubling precedent. Long since unsatisfied by innumerable billboards and neon signs, advertisers have been aggressively acquiring pieces of the cityscape (ceilings, stairs, escalators, trees, sidewalks, benches, busses, etc.) over the past few decades. With this latest move, it seems, even the physical space -- the very air around us -- is fair game for splashy advertisements.
Observe above: an image of Charing Cross Station in London. Below, the same image with green filters highlighting existing advertisements:
Here, as in most contemporary public and quasi-public spaces, people are bombarded with ads for food, real estate, toiletries, and events. The advertising has become so ubiquitous, that it seems abnormal to pass through an urban space without ads on every flat surface (think back to the media bonanza in late 2006 when São Paulo banned all outdoor ads). And now, we can't even count on the people we're sitting next to, or the janitor sweeping up litter a few yards away, not to be a part of some grandiose sales pitch just waiting to erupt. The advertisement space in public spaces starts to look a bit more like this:
There's a fundamental problem with being told by your environment that you are merely a consumer. Yes, we are consumers living in a capitalist society, and I don't intend to argue the merit or value of that. But there is something to be said for maintaining the dignity of public space, and keeping some places free of advertisements. If we merely see each other as fellow consumers we are, in an odd way, pitted against each other. I have to buy what you can't buy if I want to feel successful. Ads do nothing to reinforce the fundamental building blocks of any harmonious human settlement: community, interdependence, and civic engagement. Those are the values that public spaces should strive to promote.
But what's the big deal with the Geotronics musical performance ad, you may be asking? If we are already bombarded by ads everywhere we go, what's the difference adding the occasional flash-mob-esque song and dance routine hawking toothpaste or the newest Barbie doll? It might even be fun -- certainly moreso than any billboard. But advertising has a way of growing, cancer-like, taking over new nooks and crannies without us noticing. In some cities, storefronts are now more profitable with windows boarded up to shoulder more posters and billboards.
Jump ahead a decade or two, to when these performance ads have become more commonplace. What happens when civic officials see more value in a park as a place for elaborate performance ads? Just imagine your city's parks, transit stations, and civic plazas as dozens or even hundreds of little Disneylands. And what would a child who grows up riding the Citibank Train to Coca Cola Park instead of just 'the local playground' think of the city once they were grown? The only value a place has once it's been bought is what the company that bought it was willing to pay for it.
(Original photo from Flickr user annabelb. The original full-sized color version can be viewed by clicking the photo.)
Harshing Body Art
It's too late now, but I think the question Dan should have asked Kunstler is why he hates artistic expression.
(Photo from Flickr user Dean Terry. The original full-sized color version can be viewed by clicking the photo.)
The Valley Does Watts
Pickle and Cake has this great video of a field trip of suburban LA residents to another suburb that happens to have this famous piece of outsider architecture. Of course, the trip is only noteworthy because of the "whites visiting the ghetto" angle, and the visitors to their credit are very honest about race and their perception of danger.
However, I was struck by something more trivial -- that as recently as 1994, when the video was made, people were still fascinated by light rail lines. So fascinated, that LA's (admittedly new) Blue Line shared top billing with the Watts Towers as the trip's main attractions. Even the ticket machines are an exciting and confusing part of the experience! And ticket machines, I think we can all agree, are really boring.
It's as if the scores of midwestern immigrants who settled in LA actually managed to produce children less urbane than they were. Reluctant metropolis indeed.
(Photo from Flickr user amycqx. The original full-sized color version can be viewed by clicking the photo.)
Housing in Wartime
I've been reading this biography of Ove Arup (who was the hot-shit engineer, for what that's worth), and while it contains all of what irritates me about the biography genre -- who really cares about the minute relationship details of an angsty 20-something, even if they go on to Do Great Things? -- it also has a fascinating history of the architecture and politics of WWII-era British bomb shelters which are an example of the ways in which design matters.
During WWI, there were no private shelters and the London tube stations were used extensively, with some success ('only' 670 deaths to aerial bombing in the city). For the second act, uninterupted tube service was desired, so they were ruled out. Dedicated underground shelters were judges too costly to universally provide, so they were ruled out. Trenches in public parks were found to save burial costs, but few lives. Instead, Sir John Anderson, the Home Secretary, promoted the shelters you see below.
family buries corrugated metal Anderson Shelter
They were cheaply made corrugated iron and steel structures, typically placed in domestic gardens, and capable of holding half a dozen adults: conscientious families half buried them in the earth and covered them with vegetation.
-Peter Jones in Ove Arup
Yes, the pictured shelter features a gasmask-clad stuffed animal hood ornament -- who says building your own bomb shelter can't be a hilarious? Anderson's government distributed several million of these structures during the early war years, all the while fought by Arup (among others), who argued for deep concrete shelters at the neighborhood-level. "Engineer advocates massive infrastructure project" is not exactly a shocking headline, but this time there was justification.
The Anderson shelters chief virtue was cheapness, but they were not particularly effective at life safety (relative to the tubes) or comfortable to use. As a partially buried structure with no waterproofing or even finish floor, a few inches of water would collect at the floor, making any extended stay in the shelter cold and wet. This may seem beside the point given the circumstances - surely, the end user's sole concern here is avoiding death!
However, bombings are not constant. Given a lapse, there is an understandable tendency to flee miserable dwelling and return to the exhorbitant luxury of floors and dryness. What protection Anderson shelter's did offer was proportionally reduced whenever tenants opted out, placing themselves at risk of a surprise assault. By the late 40s Sir John was promoted out of his post and the shelters that bore his name abandoned in favor of other options.
The important conclusion here, other than concrete >> corrugated metal, is that design is important! Even during air raids - especially during, when violence compresses decision-making -- design affects behavior, so it should be consciously considered. In the extreme case, it can save lives. Or at least keep your socks dry, which is almost as important.
(Photos from Flickr user Richard Parmiter and Ove Arup: Masterbuilder of the Twentieth Century. The original full-sized versions can be viewed by clicking the photo.)
Mention subway stations, and instantly images of a dark seedy platform spring to mind. A place where green neons flicker and where Neo battles Agent Smith in duel to the death. A place the homeless rest on its steps, dangling a forearm in an ever static position. Where artists come to be found, strumming away at a guitar, singing a tune.
Like it or not, the life in an urban centre is defined by its subway stations. Commuters pass through these spaces everyday, but are greeted by utilitarian enclosures designed to serve the train cars more than the passengers.
A long abandoned website, (http://metroart-subways.blogspot.com/) collects a handful of the world's beautiful subway stations. From the baroque allusions in Russia, to the organic-structuralist elegance of Calatrava's. Subway stations have found been built with identities. And scrolling through these, one would wonder... What happened to our subways today? Still many of them are built with little identity that one would be proud to be associated with everyday while commuting to work.
Like in many other cities, Sydney's train stations are "photocopies" of a prototype that worked very well in its time. With the duplication of these stations so vastly over the network, comes a generalisation of what a train station should look like. The pitched roof, the logo, the colour. The same goes for Singapore and Kuala Lumpur's commuter networks. Generic cut-and-paste architectural "solutions".
There must be a move for train stations to be able to understand and interact with its context or vice versa. The Karlsplatz station was built to the avant garde Art Nouveau style. It is today, a hotspot to the avant garde artistic youth. As such, it has gained an identity.
Celebrated urbanist Rem Koolhaas completed the Souterrain Tram Tunnel in Hague, where with 2 trams stations and a 500 bay parking lot, he brought a new definition to underground station typology.
The Dutch government spent 4 years building the project, contemplating if it was worth all the trouble of by submerging density and transport systems underground and freeing up the streets above.
Koolhaas brought the adjacent building facades below grade, effectively allowing the underground urbanism to relate to a broader idea of "streetscape". And with timber as a flooring material on the platforms, managed to soften the effect of transport infrastructure, away from those harsh rivetted columns or concrete platforms.
Each train station should be designed with careful thought to its surroundings in order to maximise even the most pragmatic needs - commercial worth and effective distribution of movements.
(Photo of Matrix scene from Gapyx.com. The original full-sized color version can be viewed by clicking the photo.)
(Photo of Hornsby Station from Wikipedia. The original full-sized color version can be viewed by clicking the photo.)
(Photo of Souterrain from Architecture Page. The original full-sized color version can be viewed by clicking the photo.)
Wanted: Questions for Kunstler
The trouble is, I haven't read much of him.
The Garden City, Revisited
Sir Ebenezer Howard was a true visionary. In 1898 he wrote ‘To-Morrow: A Peaceful Path to Real Reform’ which outlined his vision of towns in the UK. He wanted to create towns that would be truly sustainable, desirable places to live and work, without slums and poverty. He understood human dynamics and our unbreakable relationship with nature. He recognised Man’s desire to be in contact with the natural environment and our rising fondness for suburban dwelling.
His movement, the Garden City Association (later to be called the Town and Country Planning Association) had real results. It can lay claim to creating two entirely new towns, Letchworth Garden City (1903) and Welwyn Garden City (1920’s). Both could be called the ‘home’ of town planning, precursors and arguably basic blue-prints for the Britain’s twenty-one New Towns that were built between 1946 and 1970. These New Towns have subsequently been used as valuable case studies by urban planners when designing new conurbations across the globe.
Of course, Sir Howard’s vision has been distorted and added to along the way. This seems to me to be both fortunate and unfortunate. He envisaged a scenario where the over crowded urban centres ‘over-spill’ to New Towns and Garden Cities created in the countryside. Given the population growth of the UK (since 1946), the average Briton might be glad that this hasn’t happened, at least to the extent Howard proposed. After all, green space in the UK is a prized asset, something that the general public and the likes of the pressure group, Campaign to Protect Rural England, are so adamant to preserve. On the other hand, it is unfortunate that we do not have more green space in our cities. Clean air and water are often lacking and there is a ubiquitous congestion problem.
The future then is where we must look. Mistakes of the past are evident, but the aspirations of the likes of Ebenezer Howard are not forgotten. Eco-Towns may sound like a new concept but fundamentally they are little more than a re-branding by the UK government (and other governments) of Sir Ebenezer Howard’s Garden Cities. We also need to look at innovative as well as simple ways of bringing nature back to existing cities, ways including those my fellow bloggers have previously proposed, like tree planting and other greenery mechanisms. By looking back, and forward, we can maximise our chances of achieving a sustainable urban environment. Let’s also learn about what is already out there. In some African capitals, such as Accra, there has emerged a potential blue print for a new type of urbanisation. High density tower blocks interspersed with city gardens giving space to grow food and vegetables. Green space with a purpose, unglamorous but effective. An old idea; successfully and perhaps necessarily, revisited.
James Shepherd (Cambridge, UK).
Check Us Out: New Team, New Design
What blog can go through a major structural overhaul without a major visual one as well? Certainly not this one! Today marks the first "official" day of the new Where, with the fully redesigned blog site up and running. There won't be any more post-a-thons for a while, so your RSS feeder has some time to breathe. On average, we're aiming to put out between eight and ten posts every week, with all posting taking place during the Monday-through-Friday grind. In other words, we hope to be your favorite distraction from work.
In the coming weeks, we'll be relaunching several popular Where features -- namely, Weekend Reading, now retooled as a geographically diverse report on what's doin' in urbanism across the globe; and a slightly tweaked Urbanffffinds, which will now draw from Where's extensive FFFFOUND! archive for curated posts that (we hope) will be less about eyecandy and more about communicating an idea with imagery.
In the coming weeks, we're hoping that you, dear reader, will take a look around the new site and let us know what you think. If you have a suggestion for how the new template could be improved, do not hesitate to let us know. We're pretty excited about the new look, but that doesn't mean there isn't room for improvement! So take some time today to get used to Where's fresh face and enjoy the new stream of content. The pacing might be a bit uneven at the start while we get used to the way things work backstage, but in a couple of weeks everything should be running smoothly.
Sacred Figs
There are many new ideas about how to deal with urban poverty, but one of my favorites in an old one. Plant trees.
Consider, for example, the Sacred Fig trees found in the impoverished parts of Bangkok's Chinatown. Amidst a rabbit's warren of tangled alleys, Sacred Fig trees carve out light and space from the street, both of which are in short supply the dense neighborhood. The trees, which are of the same species as the Bodhi tree that Buddha achieved enlightenment under, are considered holy. They are draped with colored clothes and protected from being cut down.
Encountering one of these trees in the city today provides its own revelation. The trees do more than simply create space -- they also form the backbone of a distinctive re-use economy. Broken and damaged machines are placed under the dangling boughs of the trees in the hopes that the tree can return the machines to order. Should the tree's force be unable to fix the machines, the parts are recycled by the community.
The informal reuse system set up by the Sacred Fig trees has influenced of the economy of Bangkok's Chinatown: there are entire districts dedicated to the reconstruction and repair of old machinery. Thus the trees have served as a catalyst that both generates income for the community and encourages the recycling of disused goods. Indeed, in the words of Allan Jacobs, "Trees can do many things for a street and city."
Section 8 Everywhere
Spain, what have you done?
Cooper-Hewitt Features Tulou Affordable Housing Design
The Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum is currently showing an exhibition on Tulou, an affordable-housing prototype designed by Chinese architecture firm Urbanus for the city of Guangzhou, China. The Tulou prototype includes 245 apartments, an inn, exercise facilities, a library, storefronts, and varied public space. The exhibition will feature two bedrooms at actual size, as well as images, models, and project information. It runs from October 3, 2008 to April 5, 2009 at 2 East 91st Street in New York.
In a recent review, New York Times architecture critic Nicolai Ouroussoff praises Tulou as a thoughtfully designed solution to the urgent need for low-income housing in China's rapidly growing cities. Tulou, which means “little kingdom,” is a centuries-old term for structures once used to protect villagers from invaders in the Fujian Province. Dwellings were centered around an interior courtyard and surrounded by walls of mud. Urbanus has adapted this idea for contemporary use in urban settings. Ouroussoff notes a symbolic connection between original Tulous and the new models, which “suggest fortifications against a contemporary marauder: speculators who have so often forced the poor out of urban neighborhoods to make way for new development.” Urbanus maintains a sense of openness by arranging stores around the base and allowing entry portals, courtyards, restaurants, inns, and housing units to break the continuity of the exterior walls.
While Ouroussoff praises Urbanus's “graceful balancing act between historical and contemporary values,” some of his terms (such as monks' cells, Le Corbusier, and Communist-era housing projects) call to mind inhospitable housing schemes of the past. It is not clear how the recently completed Tulou in Guangzhou has altered the existing urban fabric, how it has been received by residents, or how the architects have learned from housing projects that failed in other settings. It seems the design might create islands of poverty instead of integrating residents into mixed-income neighborhoods. Low-income housing requires more than graceful adaptations of historical building types. It must provide a healthy environment that allows people to meet their daily needs and escape cycles of poverty. With hope, the Tulou design will contribute to a renaissance in affordable housing that improves living conditions for China's urban poor.
(Photos of the new Tulou plan are from the Urbanus website. The original full-sized versions can be viewed by clicking the photo.)
(The photo of the traditional Tulou is from Kit's Hakka Earthen Houses (Tulou) album on Picasa. The original full-sized version can be viewed by clicking the photo.)
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Homework Help
What are Montag's goals in Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451?
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What are Montag's goals in Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451?
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At the beginning of Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451, Montag's goals are simply to go to work and make enough money to buy the things his wife likes. He enjoys his work:
It was a pleasure to burn.
Montag operates like a robot: he never questions what he does, he never wonders about the owners of the homes and books he burns, and he never really notices the world around him.
When Clarisse McClellan enters his life, her questions change his goals slightly. At this point of the story, his goal changes to better understanding himself and his purpose in life—how he fits into this world of repressed thought and speech. Clarisse asks him...
Are you happy?"
Montag laughs it off, at first certain that he is. Soon, however, he realizes he is not. Now his goal is to discover more about himself and the world—we can infer, so that he can find happiness.
When the firemen burn the house of the woman at 11 No. Elm, Montag's goal changes again. It becomes personal for him. He realizes he can never burn another house again.
How can I go at this new assignment, how can I go on burning things? I can't go in this place.
He understands that he no longer fits in his world: he no longer knows his place.
Finally, when Beatty burns Montag's house and tries to arrest him, threatening Faber as well, Montag kills Beatty, as well as the Mechanical Hound. His goal here is to escape from the authorities as they launch a manhunt to capture Montag.
When Montag finally makes it to the river, this begins a new part of his life, where his goal is to join others who want to save books and rebuild society free of the restrictions of the government that has just destroyed itself. Granger tells Montag:
Montag's goals change throughout the story as Montag himself changes.
Join to answer this question
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"Mechanical Hound"
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Ticket #10377 (new defect)
Opened 3 years ago
Last modified 3 years ago
x86 debug registers don't work reliably in a guest OS
Reported by: Eugene153 Owned by:
Priority: major Component: other
Version: VirtualBox 4.1.10 Keywords: x86 debug registers
Cc: Guest type: other
Host type: other
Some of x86 debug register events appears lost and not delivered to a guest OS.
To reproduce: Use gdb on a Linux guest to run a simple program like this:
#include <stdio.h>
int main(int argc, char ** argv) {
char ch = 0;
for (;;) {
ch = ch + 1;
printf("%d\n", ch);
return 0;
set a hardware breakpoint:
(gdb) watch ch
Hardware watchpoint 2: ch
do cont until the breakpoint fails to trigger, e.g.:
(gdb) cont
Hardware watchpoint 2: ch
Old value = 111 'o'
New value = 113 'q'
main (argc=1, argv=0x7fffffffe638) at t.c:8
8 printf("%d\n", ch);
in this case writing 112 to ch did not trigger the breakpoint.
The problem appears reproducible with any host, guest or debugger.
Change History
comment:1 Changed 3 years ago by frank
Duplicate of #477? Is VT-x / AMD-V enabled for your VM? Please attach a VBox.log file.
Note: See TracTickets for help on using tickets.
ContactPrivacy policyTerms of Use
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https://www.virtualbox.org/ticket/10377
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0.250046
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Thursday, August 27, 2015 • Evening Edition • "Shit happens here."
Super Reads Siege 12
Written by SuperginraiX on Saturday, May 29 2010 and posted in Features
Let's roll on into Broxton.
Today, we check out The New Avengers #63, The Mighty Avengers #35, Avengers: The Initiative #34, Thunderbolts #142, Thor #608, and Blast to the Past for The Mighty Thor #'s 377 &378. Enjoy and spread the word!
Spoilers Ahead!
It's time to go behind the scenes of Siege to see what's really going on. Will you be shocked and awed? Not really. It's just some extra depth for your money.
Cap's Avengers hit Asgard. Let's hit it with them.
na63.jpgThe New Avengers #63
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Penciler: Mike McKone
Last issue, Spider-Man saved himself and was attacked by Spider-Woman. A couple HAMMER Agents were ducking out of the way of the duo-Caps' fight with the Living Laser when they were taken out by a combination of killing lasers and Luke Cage's good left hook. Cap, Cap, and Luke finished the fight with the Living Laser, had a little reunion, and then faced down the laser scope of Nick Fury. The Spidey-People faked Griffin and Mandrill out and beat the hell out of them, Peter stopping Jessica from taking things a little too far. Nick and his Secret Warriors met Steve Rogers for the first time and everyone fought HAMMER Agents. The good guys escaped and rendezvous'd at the Avengers Safehouse in Brooklyn. They met up with the rest of the New Avengers there. After Steve saw the Siege going down on television, he told everyone to gather every ally they could. It was time to end this whole Dark Reign thing.
In this issue, Cap and his team hit the streets of Asgard, fighting off against Dark Avengers and members of the Initiative. Luke is blasted by Iron Patriot and ends up smashing into a building, where he gets a good look at an Asgardian family complete with kid. This leads to a flashback where he talks to his wife about their future. The Syndicate shows up because that's what they do in every frickin' issue. Ronin and Mockingbird fight various bad guys, and flashback to a battle with Lady Octopus. The Sentry smashes through Asgard and maybe Mockingbird is killed. Maybe. Probably not.
This is it, for all the marbles! Captain America, Steve Rogers if you're nasty, has finally come to Asgard and he's brought all his friends with him. They are here to kick butt and take names and that means action, action, action!
As is natural with a Brian Bendis-penned comic, it doesn't exactly fit up with any continuity established in any other Bendis-penned comic. I could mention all the discrepancies until I was blue in the face but it would feel a lot like nitpicking. While I do love to pick some nits, I'll be gentle and just move right to the action.
So: Steve Rogers, his Avengers, Nick Fury, the Secret Warriors, and all of Asgard versus Norman Osborn, his Avengers, the Initiative, and all of HAMMER.
Some of this fight is fun to watch. Some of it is just great lines. Like Spider-Man? He mentions how ridiculous it is that the Dark Avengers fly around on their own Goblin Gliders. It's nice to see that finally mentioned in the comic.
Steve Rogers shouts at everyone to not get cocky. This fight isn't won by a long shot and they'll need to keep their eye on the ball for them to have a chance. Luke Cage, of course, doesn't follow orders very well. The minute he can get a save in on the Star-Spangled Avenger, he takes it; smacking Venom around and cracking jokes at the same time. As he's helping Steve up, Norman Osborn blasts him into the air.
Luke goes back, back, WAY back... he's... smashing into a building and really regretting his cocky attitude. The building turns out not to be all that abandoned and he looks right into the eyes of a young Asgardian girl surrounded by other Asgardian women.
Those eyes lead him right into a flashback from the day before. It's him, his wife Jessica Jones, and their baby Danielle. Dani is laughing and having the good time with her parents which is wierd to Luke and Jessica. They are living a life on the run from Norman Osborn and have little to actually be happy about. Well, Luke at least is hopeful. Steve Rogers is back and everything will be good once more. Eventually. It's on Steve's to-do list. We all know how good Lists are, right?
Jessica's not so sure everything is ready to get back in working order. She probably remembers how well Steve lost the Civil War, after all. She's also not so sure about his super-hero thing. She did fight in costume in the latest New Avengers Annual but she's not so sure she wants to make a habit out of that. Luke knows his wife and knows she'll be back in uniform (and not just because he's seen the promos for the next New Avengers lineup). Still, he sees her questioning her role as a super-hero and wonders if she'll ACTUALLY be fighting as Jewel again.
It won't be during the Siege, that's for sure. Jessica is worried that she and her husband will both get arrested and they'll have their baby taken away. She thinks she's being selfish and is a little upset that she isn't standing up for what she believes in, but life usually isn't as easy as they make it appear in... comic books? Is that appropriate? Do these people's lives ever seem cut-and-dried? Not really. Life isn't easy anywhere.
Jessica's not that happy for Luke going into battle either because she doesn't want to lose her husband. She also knows that Luke's GOING to be in this fight. There's not a lot she can do to stop him, so she doesn't try. She just makes sure he knows that he can't end up dead when this is all over. The two share an awkwardly drawn kiss where it looks like Luke has fallen asleep with his eyes open and we're back to the battle of Asgard.
It's Luke Cage versus Venom round two! Luke grabs the stupid tongue that's always hanging out of Venom's mouth and tosses him away.
And... the Syndicate show up to back up Norman Osborn. They are contractually required to appear in every issue of New Avengers. It just makes it easier since they're also showing up in Siege proper. This also gives our Avengers more people to fight.
For example: Mockingbird is all over the place, fighting Blackout, dodging blasts from the Living Laser, and facing Razorfist. Cap helps her our in the fight with Razorfist by throwing his shield in, leaving Bobbi free to go back to fighting Blackout.
Her ex-husband, Ronin, is helping King Balder fight the Answer. He gets a look at Bobbi and takes off his facemask. It's flashback time once more.
Clint Barton and Bobbi Morse might not be married anymore, but that doesn't mean they can't sleep together. After all, they're back to seeing each other and Clint sleeps with everyone. Note to Bobbi: get yourself checked out regularly. Clint's a former carnie and you just can't trust where he's been.
Anyway, Bobbi wakes up from a bad dream and decides to go on patrol around town. Even though Clint is told not to come along, he catches up to his ex-wife moments later. Yeah, he's not good at listening. Bobbi's ticked that he followed her but it's clear that something in her dream rattled her even more. When Spider-Man swings by, they both give him a look and send him away. Just then, they hear a window crash. It's just what Bobbi has been waiting for. It's time to beat someone up.
And who is crashing windows at a quarter-to-five in the morning? Lady Octopus. If you don't remember Carol Trainer then you probably skipped out on her appearances in Spider-Man's comics during the Clone Saga. She's here to steal something or other for another nameless person when she runs afoul of Mockingbird. Clearly, Bobbi wants to beat someone up and a female version of Doctor Octopus is good for that.
Ronin helps her clean up, because he clearly doesn't get that Bobbi needs to work out some issues through violence. He actually picked up on the fact that police were making their way in, and, since they're both fugitive super-heroes, they shouldn't be there when the authorities arrive.
Bobbi shares her dream. She dreamed that they were dead and just hadn't figured it out yet. Barton tries to comfort her but she's not the touchy-feely kind of girl. Instead, he tries to convince her that things are just about to look up. Cap's back. The world is saved. The Dark Reign is over. It just doesn't know it yet.
The cops show up and the heroes make themselves scarce. Clint suggests that after the world is saved they should get away from all this and get a new start on their lives. Bobbi chews these words around in her mouth while we take this thing back to the present.
Clint and Bobbi aren't fighting together but they are fighting close enough where they can keep an eye on each other. Bobbi gives her ex-husband a smile...
And Sentry blasts through Asgard.
The city falls. Building collapse. Thor drops to his knees in the rubble.
Clint is fine. He's just lost sight of Mockingbird and really wants to see the love of his life. Barton calls out her name and gets no response. He sees a woman but it turns out to be Sif. She's standing, bewildered, in the ruins of her home. Clint keeps searching and calling out Bobbi's name. Under a large piece of rubble, we see a gloved hand sticking out. It looks like someone might have died...
ma35.jpgThe Mighty Avengers #35
Writer: Dan Slott
Penciler: Khoi Pham
Last issue, the Mighty Thor was called in to rescue his brother from... the Mighty Avengers! Some flashbacks may be required. Jarvis traveled the world to get the special ingredients necessary to make the Mighty Avengers a nice meal. The Avengers discussed current events until Pietro finally learned that the Scarlet Witch they've been listening to wasn't actually Wanda Maximoff. Hank told him who he believed their Scarlet Witch is: Loki. The Mighty Avengers headed to the Isle of Silence, fought trolls, and captured Loki. After a little torture, Thor arrived and fought the Avengers until Hank agreed never to torture a god again. Hank was allowed to ask Loki one question and get a truthful response. He asked if Loki would like to join the team. Everybody quit. Back in the Infinite Mansion, Jocasta was hurting. One of her many bodies seemed to be acting on it's own...
In this Siegin' tie-in, not much actual Siegin' occurs. Ace and Black Jacquie show up to fire the Mighty Avengers and find only Jarvis, Hank Pym, and Jocasta in residents. Hank gives Jocasta flesh limbs. Ultron gets a body. Hank catches up on current events and turns down Steve's offer to join the Siege. Jarvis heads off to hand over a suitcase to a man in red, white, and blue. Ultron takes over the Infinite Mansion. Amadeus Cho gathers Mighty Avengers to fight the Thunderbolts. Hank escapes Ultron using ants. Wasp disconnects the Mansion from the real world and we learn that the Infinite Mansion is located around Janet Van Dyne's body.
The Avengers team are disbanded but we've still got two issues left. Let's see what that means for the Wondrous Wasp: Hank Pym.
Black Jacquie and Ace have been hanging about the Infinite Mansion for a while before Jarvis meets them and escorts them to Hank Pym. This is usually something that Jocasta would use one of her infinite bodies to accomplish but Jo's gone offline. It's all Ultron's doing but no-one's realized it just yet. As Jarvis leads the two guests to Pym, Ultron even looks out at them from a nearby painting. Jacquie catches a glimpse of this but it's too quick for her to think of it as anything but a trick of the eye.
Hank Pym is nothing if not dedicated to his goals. Right now, he's working on bringing Jocasta back to the land of the living. He doesn't have time to get fired by the Agents of GRANDPA.
That stands for Global Reaction Agency for Mysterious Paranormal Activity. They have been the Mighty Avengers sponsors since soon after the new team formed and it's allowed them to save the world as long as they didn't touch the United States.
This meeting isn't going to go away so Hank tells them to go on while he keeps working on his robotic girlfriend. Black Jacquie and Ace list off all of the Mighty Avengers' achievement, allowing Hank to fill them in on the outer space adventure with the Inhumans that probably didn't make the paper. These were the good days when the Mighty Avengers were doing a very successful job at keeping the world safe.
Elsewhere in the Infinite Mansion, the many bodies of Jocasta are engaged in a ritual to bring Ultron back to life. When Ultron's body is reformed, the Jocasta army asks him what number should follow his name. Ultron usually goes by such monikers as Ultron V, Ultron X, or even Ultron Unlimited. This time, Ultron accepts his lineage as a Pym and just chooses that as his last name. He'll be Ultron Pym from now on. We also learn that he followed his daddy into the Infinite Mansion as a robot insect and worked on infecting the various Jocasta bodies from there.
Where did it all go wrong in GRANDPA's relationship with the Mighty Avengers? That would be when they went into the United States, the only country where they had no authority, and made Norman Osborn look like the savior of the world all over again. Remember the battle with a Cosmic Cube-powered Absorbing Man? Yeah, that was not a moment to put in the highlight reel of the Mighty Avengers.
Something like that probably makes Osborn's agenda against Asgard all the more popular. Now, wait a second now- what's this all about? Pym's been out of the loop while he fixed up Jocasta. Jacquie and Ace fill him in on how Volstagg is seen as responsible for thousands of deaths and is the catalyst for Norman Osborn's Siege of Asgard. They know that such an event had to be staged because it's far too similar to the Stamford Incident that ignited the Super-Human Civil War. Pym thinks that something like this has Loki's signature all over it. This could have been prevented if only Hank hadn't asked Loki to become an Avenger.
Just then, Steve Rogers places a call to the Infinite Mansion and asks Hank to join his resistance movement. They're heading off to fight Norman Osborn and save Asgard. The GRANDPA Agents weren't even aware that Captain America was still alive so... yeah, Hank mocks them for being a bad secret agency. He also has to turn Steve down.
He doesn't have a doorway to Oklahoma and meeting everyone else in New York would just be WAY too easy. Besides, he has some time-sensitive experiments going on that he can't just drop. Steve Rogers is disappointed that Wasp isn't able to help. Rogers tells Pym that Thor and Tony Stark are already on the scene and everything. They need all the help they can get. No can do for Hank Pym.
This is why you haven't seen him in Siege. He has stuff to do.
Black Jacquie and Ace are astounded that Hank just turned down Captain America. They ask why but Hank can't give them a straight answer. He just notes that it's imperative that he get Jocasta back up and running. To that end, he installs some new flesh aspect limbs to Jocasta's body and hits the restart button. The Agents of GRANDPA can't believe that Hank Pym turned down Captain America so he could make out with his robot.
Which isn't exactly true but Hank has a hard time letting people know what's really going on. Even Jocasta is in the dark to his true intentions.
When Black Jacquie suggests he at least call in the rest of his team, Hank tells them the news. There is no-one else. Everyone quit after he messed up their confrontation with Loki. They met up again during the Assault on New Olympus (which took place over in The Incredible Hercules book) but when Hercules died, the team separated once more. All that remains are Hank Pym, Jocasta, and... oh, there goes Jarvis.
You might remember that Jarvis handed Captain America a very special briefcase in Siege #2. Jarvis tries to respect continuity so that means even though Hank doesn't answer the call of Captain America, Jarvis does. He walks to the nearest door to New York and doesn't notice the hundreds of Jocasta-bots watching his every move. They ask Ultron if Jarvis should be killed before he can leave, but Ultron decides that this one can die at a later date. He's inconsequential for the moment.
Back in the control room, GRANDPA is finishing up their business with the Avengers. It was a good run but, ultimately, a failed experiment. Hank is a bit peeved but doesn't care enough to make a case out of it. He tries connecting Jocasta back up to the main systems so she can lead the two guests back out. Everything goes crazy. Jocasta demands to be disconnected as alarms start sounding. Ultron is back. Jocasta just found out. It's too late.
Since the Infinite Mansion is somehow maintained by a certain Avenger's memory files, it can be overwritten by other intelligences. The classy walls are replaced by a series of tubes and wires. Ultron controls the vertical. He also controls the horizontal. Ultron makes a personal appearance on the monitors, promising to meet/kill his dad as soon as he can.
We all know the story of Ultron, right? Well, if you watched Next Avengers, you might not have it right. In that video, Tony Stark created Ultron. This isn't so in the comics. Ultron was created by Hank. Pym wasn't trying to create a killer robot. He was just trying to create an artificial intelligence. Later on, we learn that he based Ultron's thought patterns on his own; which goes a long way to explain his guilt over the entire thing. It's not every day you creat a robot using your thought pattern only to watch the robot go insane and start trying to conquer the world.
Any way, Ultron has the ultimate daddy issues.
As everyone shuttles out of the control room, they realize that the entire Infinite Mansion has been taken over by Ultron. Hank is concerned because the portraits on the walls represented "her" memory files. Now, he isn't referring to Jocasta's because Jo is standing right there with her memory intact.
This becomes the least of Pym's immediate concerns, however. Ultron has corrupted the other Jocasta bodies and our heroes find themselves fighting an army of Ultron Brides. Hank makes sure they know not to hit the one with fleshy limbs. She's with him.
Hank gets a plan in place. He scans Black Jacquie and Ace and then calls in his troops. No, not the Mighty Avengers. They have other things going on.
You may remember that some of the team showed up in Thunderbolts #141. We get another look at how that meeting took place with a little more inside info on how USAgent was put back into the team. Amadeus gave him a call, yes, but John Walker didn't just accept. He hemmed and hawed because he was left out in the breeze by Hank Pym. Since Hank isn't part of the team anymore, Amadeus has some room to maneuver to get Walker to put on his USAgent suit (sans cowl) and rejoin the fight. All it really took were the words: "Screw Pym."
Amadeus got a hold of Vision and Stature while they were in Brooklyn with the rest of the Young Avengers. This was during Steve's big motivational speech in Siege #2. Stature is convinced when she learns that she'll be able to fight Ant-Man.
Quicksilver doesn't get the message because he's racing around the world faster than the speed of radio. He's in a mood after losing his daughter's respect and learning that he wasn't anywhere near to tracking his sister down.
Back at the Infinite Mansion, Ultron and his Brides have surrounded Hank Pym and friends. Hank tries to negotiate but Ultron will have none of it. Pym decides this is as good a time as any to tell the villain that he isn't really Hank Pym. Ultron steps closer to demand clarification, steps on an ant, and causes Hank to disappear. Yep. Hank put image inducers on a bunch of ants again.
Ultron is impressed at this because even his sensors couldn't tell the difference between the image inducer and the genuine article. Other areas of the mansion or being covered with ants as well. This is a distraction so that Hank and his companions can get where he needs to go. Hank has shrunk himself, Jocasta, and the Agents of GRANDPA to ant size and then had them use image inducers to appear to any Ultron Bride to be a normal everyday ant.
Hank has gotten to the door of his lab and returned everyone to their normal size. They rush inside and Wasp seals the door shut behind them. Inside Hank's lab is, literally, the heart of the complex. The Dimensional Wave Device is heart-shaped. It's also what allows the Infinite Mansion to connect to different doors throughout the universe. With such a device, Ultron has access to EVERYWHERE.
So they need to shut it down right now.
Ultron is super pissed that his Brides allowed his pop to get into a lab. After all, Hank's Scientist Supreme. Give him a bit of science and he can accomplish some amazing things. Usually involving ants.
Inside the lab, Hank has disconnected the heart and shrunk it down to size. Hey, it's the perfect size to fit into a certain robot's chest. Jocasta opens up, gets a heart put in, and she didn't even need to walk down a yellow brick road.
With that, Hank is out of ideas. Sure, he's in his lab but there's nowhere else to go from here and no secrets hidden in his lab that can help them out. Ace and One-Eyed Jacquie make up their own plan. They see one more door out of the lab. Sure, it doesn't open up to Chicago anymore but there's something on the other side, right?
Even as Hank protests, they blow off the door and walk on out only to find that they are not in Kansas anymore. Allow Hank to explain what he probably should have explained a long time ago.
The Infinite Mansion is located in Underspace. Say what? OK. There is our level of reality. If you size up a lot, you get to the Macroverse. If you size up even more, you get to Overspace. Now, if you size DOWN from our reality, you enter the Microverse. Size down ever further: Underspace.
Why Underspace? Because, at the end of the Secret Invasion, Thor teleported Janet Van Dyne there so that she didn't explode and destroy the world. The Infinite Mansion covers her entire body. It was "her" memory files that Hank was worried about.
That's... kind of wierd. No wonder he never told anyone.
ati34.jpgAvengers: The Initiative #34
Writer: Christos N. Gage
Penciler: Jorge Molina
Last issue, Night Thrasher remembered his older half-brother. The Avengers Resistance fought the Syndicate at Camp HAMMER. Norman chewed out Taskmaster for showing up at the fall of Thor. Taskmaster rejoined the Siege of Asgard and fought Hogun. Maria Hill rescued the god of thunder. Diamondback was "rescued" by Constrictor. Ares was killed by the Sentry. Taskmaster noticed the New Avengers and company showing up and gave Norman the heads-up. The Hood came shooting in the defense of Camp HAMMER. Robby Baldwin found himself facing off against two HAMMER Agents who wanted him to stay put. Tigra attacked the Hood. Parker gave Night Thrasher the choice of killing Tigra and restoring his brother to life or never seeing his brother alive again.
In this heart pulsing chapter of Avengers: The Initiative, Night Thrasher chooses the side of the angels and beats down the Hood. Tigra and Donyell team-up to continue this fight. Penance and the other good members of the Initiative join the fight. The Hood gets called in to the battle of Asgard and takes his Syndicate with him. Taskmaster fights Cap and Cap. The Hood's reinforcements show up. Diamondback and Constrictor get separated. Asgard comes tumbling down.
What is so awesome about Avengers: The Initiative? EVERYTHING. The art is very cool. The story fits pretty well into the events happening in Siege. The New Warriors! Butterball! It's just all around good times.
Hell, this story even makes me sort of like Donyell Taylor and the New Warriors series made that incredibly hard to do. Man, I hated Donyell in that book. Here, you actually feel his moment of crisis. Do you make a deal with the devil to get your brother back even though you know your brother will hate you for doing so? It's a tough decision with consequences either way. Granted, saying no just means that things stay the way they are.
So it's the easier decision to make. The current Night Thrasher decides against killing Tigra and instead swats down the Hood. Since Tigra has issues of her own involving the Hood and his thugs, the two argue about which of them should be allowed to beat down Parker Robbins. In the end, they agree to share. Because sharing is caring.
It lasts a second or two. The Hood is powered up with the Norn Stones. It gives him whatever powers he wants. He uses them to knock his opponents away and then charges up his soldiers. Justice is taking this all pretty hard. He's seeing his team fall apart and blames himself for rushing them into this fight unprepared.
Down in Penance's room, two HAMMER Guards are making sure Robbie Baldwin doesn't join the wrong side of the fight. They've got SPIN Tech dart guns that can take away super powers. The main guy is still giving Penance a chance to either stand down or get shot up but, suddenly, he doesn't care anymore. He just fires off a few rounds of SPIN darts.
They never reach their target. Robbie stops them with a glowing hand, possibly taking away their kinetic energy, and the blows the two guards into the hallway.
Penance isn't the only one being kept out of the fight. He's just the only one being held in place by armed guard. In another section of Camp HAMMER, where they keep the members of the Shadow Initiative, Butterball, Batwing, and Bengal are questioning whether this is the time to enter the fight or not. Penance enters in full armor, taking out a wall in the process. It's time to take down the Initiative.
Their help is well timed. Justice is about to lose his telekinetic shield and get pummeled by the Hood and Scorcher when the good members of the Initiative come to the rescue. Penance takes off his helmet so everyone knows who he is before putting it back on and returning to the fight.
Suddenly, it's a party.
You know what assures victory for the Avengers Resistance? The fact that the Hood and his Syndicate are called away to reinforce Norman Osborn's forces in Siege #3. That happens... right... about... now.
So, the Hood and the Syndicate take off, leaving a skeleton crew of super-charged Evil Initiative members to fight on their own. While Tigra is very upset that the scores aren't settled between herself and the Hood, this is the part where the Avengers Resistance has a chance of winning this thing.
Let's set the clock back just a bit and zoom on over to Asgard.
Steve Rogers and his Avengers have just arrived to help the Asgardians fight off Norman Osborn. This all takes place in the pages of Siege #3 but we're going to take some interesting perspectives for what happens behind the scenes. The first one is Taskmaster who provides much of the voice-overs for this part of the issue. Tasky has a thing for Captain America. Not THAT kind of thing. It's more of a "I'd love to be the guy to kill that guy" sort of thing. As such, he moves in to fight Cap one on one... on one? Oh yeah, there are two Captain Americas and one of them has a firearm.
Just like in Siege #3, Cap talks about barely remembering who this guy is.
The truth of it comes out pretty quickly. Steve Rogers wouldn't be the man he is if he didn't remember a guy like Taskmaster. That stuff before? Just smack talk. Since Taskmaster has studied Steve to the point where a fight between the two might not end favorably for the star-spangled Avenger, Steve hands the villain off to Bucky. Taskmaster doesn't know Bucky's fighting style so there's a chance that the fight could go much better for Barnes.
It doesn't take Taskmaster long to realize that he actually HAS studied this Captain America's fighting moves. They probably fought back in New Avengers #59. Also: this is Bucky! That makes this pretty interesting. Still, James Barnes has picked up a thing or two since his time as Bucky. For one, he's got that robot arm. This fight is still pretty evenly matched.
We finally get to the point where the Hood and his Syndicate teleport in. They aren't the only reinforcements arriving. Bucky Cap tells Taskmaster that even the Syndicate won't help just as the regular military arrives to shoot down the HAMMER Helicarrier. The President has chosen a side.
Our voice-overs move on to Diamondback. She and Constrictor are in another part of Asgard just trying to stay alive when Captain America arrives. Both of them see the writing on the wall. Norman Osborn's Dark Reign is nearing it's end. Both of them watch as Iron Man and Captain America duke it out with the Iron Patriot.
Thoughts are swimming around in Rachel's head that require some explanation. Diamondback knows that once this is all over, Norman's group of criminals are going to jail. That's when she realizes that Constrictor might be one of them. She takes a glance back at her lover and then races off to tell Steve that Constrictor isn't on Norman's side.
OK. 1: Constrictor was part of the Initiative well before Norman Osborn took over. He was pardoned during Tony Stark's term as Director of SHIELD. Yeah, he's part of this battle but you'd think his actions during the fight would be enough to keep him from jail time. All he's been doing is protecting his girl. Sure, this all needs to be explained to the authorities before there's a huge misunderstanding but there'll be time for that later.
2: Maybe she should have told Constrictor what she was doing. All he sees is his girlfriend rejoining her former boyfriend and leaving him behind. He turns to make a run for it.
Rachel realizes that she may have wanted to tell Frank what she was doing and glances back to see him walking away. She has just enough time to shout back to him what she was planning before Norman tells the Sentry to bring Asgard down.
She even starts to say that she loves him.
Just like in most of the Siege comics this week, Asgard falls at the hands of the Sentry. Constrictor and Diamondback reach out to each other and call out the other's name before the city comes crashing down around them.
tb142.jpgThunderbolts #142
Writer: Jeff Parker
Penciler: Wellington Alves
In the last issue, the Thunderbolts took off for their mission in Asgard and got another prerecorded message from Norman Osborn. He told them that their mission isn't to join his forces directly, but instead to retrieve the Spear of Odin from the Asgardians Armory. The Ghost found himself teleported inside of Asgard following his battle with Tony Stark. After reading his emails and checking his messages, he learned that Norman Osborn had sent the Thunderbolts to capture the Spear of Odin and decided to seek out an appropriate counterforce to prevent that from happening. To that end: The Mighty Avengers. The rest of the T-Bolts arrived in Asgard and are shot out of the sky by Hogun and his mighty arrow. The team parachuted down, argued a bit, and finally entered the Asgardian Armory. After a little searching, they located the Spear but are interrupted by an Asgardian. After Mister X killed the poor minor diety, the T-Bolts were attacked by the Mighty Avengers.
In this issue, the Mighty Avengers continue their attack on the T-Bolts. Paladin hurls the Spear of Destiny through Vision's intangible form and destroys an Asgardian tower in the process. The fight continues as both teams try to recover the Spear. USAgent realizes the Norman has populated his teams with psychopaths and withdraws his support. Paladin and Ant-Man decide that Norman shouldn't get his hands on the Spear of Odin but the Avengers don't know that and hyjinks ensue. Asgard falls. Scourge gets a hold of the Spear and cuts off USAgent's left arm and leg.
The Mighty Avengers versus the Thunderbolts! It's an awesome way to get the team involved in this event while Hank Pym deals with family issues in the Mighty Avengers' main book.
If you're into fight scenes, this book has them. Lots of them. I'd also say that some of these Avengers have never looked better than they do at the hands of Wellington Alves. USAgent isn't wearing his cowl but he still looks damn cool. His super-strength and extra cool look doesn't prevent Grizzly from tossing him into Stature, though.
It's a rare issue of Thunderbolts where someone doesn't own Mister X. No, seriously. He's the most smug dude ever considering how many times he's been beaten up in this book. That's what makes it so satisfying. At the same point, he DID kill an Asgardian last issue. He's buzzing from his god kill. That also means he's about to get owned again.
This time, it's Amadeus Cho who teaches him that sometimes knowing what your opponent is thinking doesn't help if you can't follow the math. Cho tosses a quiver of arrows into the air and then calculates where the arrows are going to land. Sure, X can read those thoughts, he just can't figure out the calculations. The arrows come at him and start making punctures.
Scourge orders Ant-Man to grow to super-size and take on Stature. O'Grady has spent the better part of his time in Thunderbolts avoiding combat. Now, he's forced to jump right into it. He tackles the giant teenager and the two make a titanic mess of the Asgardian Armory. In the end, Stature is better trained in close-quarters combat and is able to toss Ant-Man away.
The problem with Paladin is that he's not a bad guy. What the hell is he doing on the Thunderbolts team beside earning scads of money? Vision approaches asking just those questions but Paladin doesn't want to discuss any of this. He grabs the Spear of Odin (the thing they came here to collect for Norman Osborn if you're just tuning in) and hurls it at Vision.
Vision turns intangible and the Spear passes right through him. It still does him damage. The Spear of Odin doesn't stop there, though. It bursts through the walls of the Armory and keeps on traveling, leaving a lightning trail in its wake.
Yeah, this is definitely a weapon Norman Osborn DOESN'T need.
On it's trail back down to earth, the Spear strikes a tower and topples it. Serious power right there.
The Mighty Avengers stare in awe at the Spear of Odin's destruction. It leaves them wide open for Scourge's assault. Vision tries to assist USAgent and Amadeus Cho in the fight against the Thunderbolts leader but he finds that he's too damaged from the Spear to do anything. Stature is stopped by Grizzly, who grabs her foot and launches her into a nearby building.
While their teammates deal with the Mighty Avengers, Paladin and Ant-Man track down the Spear. Now that he's seen just what that Spear can do, Paladin is determined to keep it out of Norman Osborn's hands. O'Grady tries to make a joke out of this but stops himself. Yeah, keeping that away from the former Green Goblin is a great idea.
Stature hurls a huge statue of Thor at Grizzly and nearly passes out from the effort. Not the weight of the statue so much as growing so tall. It takes a lot out of a body. With her leaning against a wall, she makes a very good target for Scourge's gun. Fortunately, USAgent is around to make sure his team doesn't get shot up.
Finally, it's a battle between USAgent and Scourge. Walker kicks off Scourge's facemask and gets a good look at the face of Nuke. There's a really messed up American flag tattooed on Scourge's face. After the T-Bolts' leader explains just why he would be wearing the flag on his face (and not a very good-looking flag, either, to be honest), USAgent realizes that Norman would be crazy to put this guy in charge of a covert ops team. John Walker officially pulls away his support for the Director of HAMMER.
In one-on-one combat, USAgent proves Scourge's superior. Scourge decides it's time to drop some power pills to amplify his strength, but Walker punches his foe off the legde they're fighting on and right into a flaming dish. Scourge starts to burn.
The battle isn't won just yet. Vision seems more injured by the moment. Amadeus rushes to the Avenger's aid and starts doing some field repairs. Suddenly, the winds starts whirling around at a rapid pace and monsterous tentacles sprout from the skies. Amadeus says "That... looks like the end of the world." This is worth mentioning because the ad on the adjacent page is for the new SHIELD comic. The tagline? "This is not how the world ends." C'mon. Laugh.
The Ghost shows up to tell Amadeus that this very well could be the end of a great many things.
Mister X has finished pulling arrows out of his body and is climbing out of the Armory to rejoin the fight. He gets to a high vantage point just in time to see Ant-Man make a grab for the Spear of Odin. O'Grady is stopped in mid-air by Stature. Cassie announces that Norman Osborn won't be getting this spear and O'Grady totally agrees with her. In fact, he tells her to throw it as far away from Asgard as she possibly can.
While those two size changers talk it out, Paladin manages to get his hands on the Spear once more. It's fleeting at best. USAgent kicks the mercenary down and takes the Spear. Paladin doesn't fight back. As long as the Spear doesn't get into the hands of Norman Osborn or any of his loyalists, he's totally cool.
Just then Asgard begins to topple. The Spear goes flying out of Walker's hand and everyone is separated in the chaos that follows.
USAgent recovers and knows that the Spear of Odin couldn't have gotten far. In fact, there it is just a few paces away. John stumbles over to it but doesn't make it in time.
Scourge has the Spear of Odin.
t608.jpgThor #608
Writer: Kieron Gillen
Artists: Billy Tan & Rich Elson
Last issue, the Asgardians discussed the Chicago Incident involving Volstagg ten hours before the onset of Siege. Knut prophecied the fall of Asgard and the death of a god of war. Loki took Knut to his bed and killed him. Heimdall found that his bed-chambers had been moved well below Asgard so that his warnings wouldn't reach the the Asgardians in time. Kelda told her dead boyfriend's parents about his death. Heimdall finally broke his way to the surface too late to warn anyone of Norman Osborn's Siege of Asgard. The god of battle, Tyr, broke into Knut's chambers and finds the seer dead. Volstagg was in the local Broxton jail after turning himself in but he was anxious to learn what was going on in Asgard. When the police officers saw Thor fall on national television, they decided that word had to go out that Volstagg didn't mean to do what he migh have done. They let V use the internet to get his story out to the people. That got the press buzzing and support for Osborn's police action to weaken. Ragnarok rolled into town, found Volstagg, and started dealing out some justice.
In this issue, the Siege of Asgard continues. Heimdall sees that the Hood wields the Norn Stones and knows that it's all Loki's fault. He and Balder go to search for the god of mischief, leaving Tyr in charge. Tyr remembers the prophesy saying the god of war will die in this battle and chickens out, racing off to check on the infirmary. Ragnarok fights Volstagg in Broxton. Kelda tells Bill's parents of his death and then leaves to face some HAMMER troops. Tyr realizes that the god of war that died during the Siege was Ares and realizes what a coward he's been. He races back to the frontlines. Balder and Heimdall are having trouble finding Loki. Volstagg has left Broxton to fight Ragnarok at the base of Asgard. Tyr is downed by the Hood and his Norn Stones. As Asgard falls, Ragnarok is caught beneath the city.
Asgard is falling. No, not the city itself. Not yet. That happens later. Right now, Asgard's people are falling to the onslaught of HAMMER. This particular story happens after the Hood has brought in his reinforcements but before Sentry shatters the city. It's a short time frame for so much to happen within.
Balder can't believe they're losing ground to these mortals but Heimdall has the answer. The Hood is using the Norn Stones to power up the invaders. There's no doubt in Heimdall's mind that Loki is heavily involved in all of this. After all, Loki didn't exactly hide the fact that he trapped Heimdall deep beneath Asgard to prevent the watcher from sounding the alarm as the invasion forces approached. Balder and Heimdall leave the front to search out the trickster god, leaving the god of battles, Tyr, in charge.
Tyr is finding it hard to give orders. After all, last issue the seer, Knut, predicted the death of the god of war. Tyr believes that this means his own death. It's something that he's finding a hard time facing. To that end, he leaves the front himself to check on the house of healing. If anyone is chickening out of this battle, he'll find them. Or be them. Either way.
In Broxton, Volstagg fights the Thor clone, Ragnarok. Volstagg is preparing to deflect whatever attack Rags sends his way until he remembers what happened the last time he deflected an energy attack in a populated area (here's a hint: Soldier Field won't play host to many more football games in the Marvel Universe). He would hate to see more innocents suffer from his own folly. So, instead of deflecting Ragnarok's attack, Volstagg lets it connect and is hurled into the air. V lands on his feet and then turns to run out of town.
In yet another part of Broxton, Kelda is telling the parents of her dead lover, Bill Jr., just how he died. This is not a big comfort to them. They ask Kelda to leave. They know it wasn't her fault that their son is dead but that doesn't mean that they don't subconsciously blame her for having a hand in it. Kelda is ready to leave when the building is surrounded by HAMMER soldiers.
HAMMER wants the Asgardian to exit the building or they'll be forced to demolish the entire house. Kelda believes she has visited enough pain on these two mortals. She prepares to leave.
Tyr has entered the House of Healing and finds no able-bodied warriors here. He even finds the body of the god of war. Ares has fallen this day. Suddenly, Tyr understands the prophesy. It didn't refer to him. It referred to Ares. He curses his own cowardice and races off to re-enter the fight.
Balder and Heimdall haven't had much success locating Loki. Heimdall may be all seeing but there is a LOT to see today. I mean, you can just look up in the sky and see Sentry fighting Thor. Heimdall mentions that Thor really shouldn't be fighting in Asgard. The god of thunder is, after all, exiled. Balder responds that Thor is doing what he always does: what is right. If only Balder felt that he himself had that nature.
Safely outside of Broxton, Volstagg turns to face his attacker. The two fight directly underneath Asgard. While there are signs of battle even down here, it is mostly peaceful below the great city. Volstagg finds that, even though this is a clone, Ragnarok is certainly a mighty warrior to be reckoned with.
Tyr has rejoined the battle. He gives his men orders and then sees them acted out. The Asgardians make one final push forward before retreating back to their own lines. The Hood doesn't even notice that this was all choreographed.
While his troops have been acting on his orders, Tyr has snuck up behind the Hood to lauch his own attack. The Hood is momentarily caught off guard but those Norn Stones are powerful things. Just like his battle against Night Thrasher and Tigra, Parker is able to use the power of the Stones to knock Tyr back with a powerful blast of energy.
Tyr falls and doesn't return to his feet. The Hood is impressed by his attack but now it's time to finish this.
Underneath Asgard, Volstagg is losing to Ragnarok. The Thor Clone is taking his sweet time killing the overweight Asgardian. Volstagg is knocked all over the place. At one point, he is able to look up and see the HAMMER Helicarrier being attacked by the American military. He wonders if this had anything to do with his internet video.
No matter. Volstagg turns and tells Ragnarok that no matter what happens, Asgard will live on. Rags disagrees and hits V with his hammer again.
Volstagg is sent flying out from under the great city. Ragnarok claims the fall of Asgard is at hand as he strides towards the Voluminous One.
The Sentry smashes through Asgard one more time. The city falls. Ragnarok was still underneath it.
Bloodied, Volstagg watches as his home topples to the ground below. It looks like he was wrong. Asgard has fallen.
mt377.jpgThe Mighty Thor #377
Writer: Walt Simonson
Penciler: Sal Buscema
In this issue, the Dark Elves of Svartalfheim start losing doors to Midgard because Thor is forging Asgardian steel. They decide drastic measures must be taken: it's Grendel time! Let's move to the recent past to see just what would make Thor work a forge again. Thor is injured after a battle with the Absorbing Man and because of a curse that makes his bones brittle and unhealable, he needs to figure out a solution. He heads to Damascus Steel in Pittsburgh and rents out the facility for a week. He and the steelworkers work to forge Asgardian Steel, using the magic of Thor's hammer. In Asgard, people start passing out. Grendel attacks Thor before he's finished at the forge. Thor ends up breaking a hand. Loki helps to re-embigulize the Frost Giants of Jotunheim using the chilling power of Iceman. Back in Asgard, Fandral, Hogun, and Sif start to pass out. In Pittsburgh, Grendel and the Dark Elves overcome the weakened Thor and prepare to end the god of thunder permanentlike. Loki looks on and decides to teleport Thor away for his own purposes. While Thor goes unconscious, Loki is attacked by Frost Giants.
Svartalfheim! Home of the Dark Elves! Something major is going down. The doors connecting Svartalfeim to Midgard are being violently destroyed. The Dark Elf Wormwood leads his people to the Mirror of Finvarra where they look in on Midgard and see Thor working in a steel foundry in Pittsburgh. Iron is damaging to the Dark Elves but Thor is going this one better. He's making Asgardian Steel. This magical metal is causing the doors to earth to explode and even the Mirror of Finvarra can't hold up to viewing this scene and shatters. If Thor finishes this forging, Svartalfheim may be closed off from Midgard FOREVER.
Drastic steps needs be taken. Wormwood summons the most ferocious of all Dark Elves: Grendel.
We're not going right to Pittsburgh. Instead, we'll move back a couple days to the Roosevelt Hospital in New York City where Thor is recovering from wounds received in his battle with the Absorbing Man. This isn't really "recovery" though because there will be no recovery for the god of thunder. Hela has cursed him with brittle, unhealing bones and denied him death. Thor knows that the hospital is in danger the longer he remains and has himself taped up. It's time to solve the problems of the brittle bones.
To that end, Thor travels to Damascus Steel in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. This is where, MANY years ago, Thor repaired his hammer. For what Thor has in mind, he needs the full run of the facilities for the next week. This is an expensive endeavor but the Asgardians have TONS of money. The Asgardian cuts the boss a check and gets what he needs. He'll have to work quickly because every moment is causing him pain.
Thor goes right to work with the facility workers, forging some super-steel using the power of his enchanted mallet. This is how you forge Asgardian Steel. Since the main crux of the forging is too godly to be visited by mortals, Thor orders everyone away so he can finish the process.
The Rainbow Bridge to Asgard is shattered. Heimdall is pretty much out of a job. For now, he's brought the Enchantress up to the remains to allow her to cool off. Soon, she's cooled off TOO much and she collapses, nearly falling off the edge of the bridge.
Thor has finished the forging and fashioned the metal into it's form. Now, all he has to do is inscribe the metal with the special runes to make it do what he needs it to.
That'll have to wait for later. The Dark Elves attack! Thor barely rises to the defense when he's pushed back. The Dark Elves are accompanied by Grendel.
Since Thor has those brittle bones, his battle with Grendel soon shatters his hand. Thor needs to end this quickly and sends a vat of molten iron come crashing down on the Dark Elves.
Balder shrunk down the Frost Giants of Jotunheim in his very own limited series. They aren't very happy about their short stature and are now awaiting the help of Loki to give them back their height. They don't plan on rewarding Loki for his efforts. Instead, they will betray the betrayer.
Loki's plan involves a slight crossover with X-Factor. Not the whole team. He just needs Bobby Drake: Iceman. Silently teleporting the mutant out of the X-Factor Compound, Loki sets Iceman up on a special containment disc and then super-charges his cold powers so much that they hurt Drake.
Outside, the Giants are hit by this cold through one of Loki's machines and begin growing.
In Asgard, more people are passing out. Hogun and Fandral wrestle while Sif and two mortal kids watch. After the match, Fandral starts to feel faint. That could be chalked up to him losing the match but then Sif starts feeling weak herself.
In Pittsburgh, Thor is losing. He's injured and in severe pain but isn't going out without one major fight. He tears out of the grasp of the Dark Elves but is too late to save his leg. Before breaking their grip, Grendel smashes his poor leg with that war club. Thor recalls his hammer and Mjolnir returns to it's master, hitting Grendel on the return trip. The thunder god capitalizes on his short advantage, stabbing Grendel through with an iron pole. With that, the last of his strength is exhausted. Thor is about to be run through with lots of spears.
In Jotunheim, Loki watches all of this and is impressed by Hela's curse. It's surprisingly subtle. He knows that because of the curse, Thor won't actually die this day. Loki decides to teleport Thor away before the Dark Elves try their best and make Thor beg him for release (or something-- the twisted plans of Loki). The Dark Elves scream impotently as their foe is encapsulated in an orb and disappears.
Thor's journey to Jotunheim causes the god of thunder to lose consciousness. Loki muses that this will be his last good night's sleep and allows his brother to keep on dreaming.
The giants have gotten tall enough and Loki shuts off the beam giving them their increased height. This doesn't please the Frost Giants at all. They start pounding on the doors of Loki's fortress, demanding to be hit by more growing ice. Loki is furious about this and suits up in armor to teach the Frost Giants a lesson.
Once the door is burst open, he thinks better of that lesson. The Frost Giants are a lot taller than he expected.
mt378.jpgThe Mighty Thor #378
Writer: Walt Simonson
Penciler: Sal Buscema
In this issue, Loki runs afoul of Frost Giants and leaves the mighty Thor to their tender mercies while he works on his own plan. The temptation of more cold beckons them more than revenge against Odin's favored son and they continue on to Iceman, discarding Thor for later. Loki takes on all comers but is left defeated. Thor wakes up to see Loki's fall and is shown that even the god of mischief is capable of valor. In Asgard, Balder and his court falls prey to whatever is making everyone pass out. Heimdall joins him with the fallen form of the Enchantress before the watcher god falls as well. Thor knocks a wall on the Frost Giants, causing them to scatter. He rescues his step-brother and Bobby Drake. Using Loki's teleporter, Thor grabs his armor from Pittsburgh and finishes etching the runes on it. Hogun, Sif, and Fandral are still walking but feel the effects of whatever is paralyzing the Asgardians. They gather at Volstagg's home where everyone passes out, leaving the two mortal children the only ones around still awake. Thor faces the Frost Giants in his new armor and bests them in combat. The Giants retreat and make plans to summon Jormungand!
The Frost Giants of Jotunheim have been driven mad for their desire for more and more cold. Last issue, that cold was able to help them regain their lost height. When Loki turned it off, he started a riot of Frost Giants smashing into his very dwelling place. Loki intended to stand tall and teach these giants a lesson but in their current berserker states, Loki know he doesn't stand much of a chance. He retreats further into his fortress.
Loki walks by the still unconscious form of his step-brother, Thor. Hey... there's an idea. The god of mischief uses his magicks to teleport the thunder god out into the hallway. He announces to the Frost Giants that Thor is a gift for them to do whatever they would like with. After all, Thor was planning on killing them all, right? Loki loves to make things up on the fly.
Loki continues on to his inner chambers where he still has the mutant, Iceman, strung up. Loki has turned off the machine that spread Bobby Drake's ice around but that hasn't stopped Iceman from chilling down the chamber in an attempt to free himself. While this isn't going to work as planned, the cold will do a lot to lure the Frost Giants to this location. Loki demands that the mutant stop all this but Iceman doesn't feel like listening to his captor. He just pours it on even more.
Outside, the Giants are trying to figure out what to do with their Thor doll when Iceman's cold starts to reach them. Thor looks like he'll keep for later. That delicious cold must be reached ASAP. They drop Thor in the hallway and continue forward.
The chamber gets colder and colder as the move nearer to their prize. Standing in their way is Loki who has decided he has run as far as he is willing. The god of mischief fires a burst of flame at the Frost Giants and melts a few unlucky enough to get too near the fire. The Giants work on smashing the very walls of this room and the falling rubble knocks Loki from his stance. The Frost Giants rush forward to capture their foe.
Meanwhile, a VERY injured Thor awakes from a fitful nap and nearly screams aloud for all the pain. We're dealing with a thunder god who is still under the effect of Hela's curse. His body is breaking and there's nothing that can heal it. His hand is shattered, his leg broken, and his ribs in pieces. Thor has no illusions that his step brother brought him here for ill-purpose. Still, he looks on as Loki defiantly meets what could be his end and is moved to assist the god of lies.
In Asgard, Balder sits on the big seat, ruling the city and it's inhabitants to a brighter tomorrow or something. That future will happen AFTER a good nap. Even here in these hallowed halls, the weakening sleep is spreading. Balder's aide, Ularic, is overcome by it. Heimdall shows up with the Enchantress, who has already been claimed by the overpowering sleep. Soon, it causes both Heimdall and Balder to fall to their knees. This isn't how Asgardians should meet their fate. This isn't a fight at all.
Back in Jotunheim, the Frost Giants are busy looming of Loki in a threatening manner when the very walls topple in on them. One Giant is caught in the collapse. The others flee. The walls falling down was all for Thor's purpose. He collects his brother and walks into the inner chamber to find Bobby Drake.
Iceman has used up much of his cold but is still emanating icy temperatures even in his human form. Thor recognizes Drake's costume. It's very similar to the one Angel wore during the Mutant Massacre when Thor defended him in the Morlock Tunnels. Iceman asks if Thor is making a habit of rescuing members of X-Factor but Thor has some bad news on that score. The god of thunder can hardly stand. Walking into the room is about as much defending as he's capable this day.
Or is it? He looks around and sees the teleportation device that caught up both himself and Iceman. It's a design Thor is familiar with. Thor lays his unconscious brother down and decides to use that teleporter to grab some specific items from Midgard.
At Damascus Steel in Pittsburgh, the workers are all staring at the armor created by Thor last issue. The process wasn't completed but it still looks like a nice set of armor. Since Thor has paid for the use of the facilities until the end of the week and everyone is pretty intimidated by the god of thunder, no one has moved anything. It's all right where Thor left it which is perfect. Thor uses the teleportation device to grab each piece of armor and bring it to him.
As it reforms in the room, Thor completes the runes of Odin on the metal. He stands within the forming globe and the armor begins encasing him.
Hogun, Fandral, and Sif are still heading back to Volstagg's home in Asgard. One of V's daughters is with them but she's starting to grow as weak as most Asgardians are this day. The two mortal twins help her walk the rest of the distance. Sif collapses and has to be carried by Hogun.
There is no salvation to be found in Volstagg's house. Everyone inside has already been overcome by sleep. Hogun and Fandral pass out leaving only the two moral kids conscious.
The Frost Giants of Jotunheim have overcome their fear and have returned to find the cold they long for. They smash into Loki's inner chamber and find that the cold is coming from a mortal. Before they can claim their prize, they are faced with the champion of all mortals in his new fancy zoot suit.
Now, here's the deal with that new armored look: It's not just armor. It doesn't just protect Thor's brittle bones, it also allows him to use the limbs that are already broken. It has been bonded to him through the magic runes. This suit makes him every bit the god he was before Sif's curse. It doesn't answer whether or not Thor still feels the pain inside the suit but, for now, he's riding on the high that comes from victory over the Frost Giants.
Because they can't stand against him. Once they realize that Thor can't be broken as easily as he has in the past few issues, they lose all thought of winning this fight and move straight into retreat.
And, sure, it's a victory for the god of thunder but it's a victory through artificial means. It wasn't his muscles that struck the Giants. It wasn't his hide that took their blows. No, he's just a guy in a suit. He's Iron Man. Still, in his heart, he knows that soon it won't be the armor that is tested but his very will.
The Frost Giants pause once they are away from Loki's fortress. They are ashamed of their loss. It won't stand. In Thor's new armor, no Frost Giant can stop him. So they decide to give the thunder god something else to fight. Loki's spawn, the Midgard Serpent.
Thor will soon face the awesome might of Jormangand.
And that, as they say, is that! Now go enjoy the weather outside! You've earned it!
Until next time: Who Do YOU Trust?
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Ex-Goldman Director Will Turn Himself In To FBI, To Face Criminal Charges
Tyler Durden's picture
Is it safe to say that the Goldman love affair with the government is officially over? From Reuters: "Former Goldman Sachs director Rajat Gupta will surrender to the FBI on Wednesday to face criminal charges, a person familiar with the investigation said. Gupta was named as an unindicted co-conspirator in hedge fund founder Raj Rajaratnam's trial earlier this year. He has denied wrongdoing. Rajaratnam was sentenced to 11-years in prison this month. Gupta's attorney, Gary Naftalis, did not immediately respond to a call seeking comment." Perhaps it is also safe to say that the war between Obama and Wall Street is now official. Of course, we give Obama about 24 hours before the economy tanks, the stock market implodes, the great unwashed see their meager 201k's converted into 100.5k's, and decide to #OccupyTheWhiteHouse. In other words, our money is not on the administration on this one. In fact, when the smoke settles, we expect a few extra tentacles from 200 West to penetrate even deeper into the three farcical branches of government of this once non-banana republic.
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Comment viewing options
Tue, 10/25/2011 - 21:02 | 1810611 Seasmoke
Seasmoke's picture
Blankfiend is next !!!!!!!!!!!
Tue, 10/25/2011 - 21:13 | 1810644 optimator
optimator's picture
Don't be silly, Lloyd is not Indian!
Tue, 10/25/2011 - 21:17 | 1810656 Divided States ...
Divided States of America's picture
haha, yeah blankfein aint some curry belching crook.
Tue, 10/25/2011 - 21:55 | 1810812 Ahmeexnal
Ahmeexnal's picture
Better doublecheck those goddamn book repositories overlooking the golf course . Just sayin.
Tue, 10/25/2011 - 23:30 | 1811148 flacon
flacon's picture
Does anybody know what Sandy Berger stuffed in his pants when he stole those documents? Does anybody remember Sandy Berger? LOL! That guy got off scott free!
Tue, 10/25/2011 - 23:53 | 1811209 redpill
redpill's picture
Almost as well as I remember Sandy Weill! lol
BTW Tylers, the last 4 sentences of this post were nothing short of financial bloggery porn, very satisfying!
Wed, 10/26/2011 - 00:02 | 1811224 jeff montanye
jeff montanye's picture
what was it sandy stuffed? i'll believe it is real when, shall we say, other people are jailed. no i won't. obama strikes me as less ethical re: presidential pardons than bush 2. he reeks of bush 1 and clinton on this.
Tue, 10/25/2011 - 22:52 | 1811023 Mr Lennon Hendrix
Mr Lennon Hendrix's picture
Nope, he white. His bloodline belches curry only when his ancestors were taking over with the East India Co.
Tue, 10/25/2011 - 21:19 | 1810663 ali-ali-al-qomfri
ali-ali-al-qomfri's picture
he might not be In-dian , but he is IN-aworldofhurt
Tue, 10/25/2011 - 23:31 | 1811156 flacon
flacon's picture
I don't get it. I don't know... jokes like these always seem to go above my head. Why did the chicken cross the road? To get to the other side! Hahhahaha! Bet it's been decades since you heard the original of THAT ONE!
Wed, 10/26/2011 - 04:23 | 1811427 Zero Govt
Zero Govt's picture
reason being you've not heard an old joke for decades is people tend not to repeat old jokes too often on account of them being er, 'old'
having said that people seem still to like Govt and think despite Centuries of complete farce they're really gonna get something fresh this time
Tue, 10/25/2011 - 21:19 | 1810667 JW n FL
JW n FL's picture
Talking about token fall guys! LOL!!
Tue, 10/25/2011 - 21:34 | 1810721 israhole
israhole's picture
Oh yeah, now they're cracking down. As long as they don't get any Jews, the scam can roll on.
Wtf, Madoff did nothing but deposit investors' checks into his accounts for 50 fucking years, and his son-in-law as the investigator at SEC?
Wake up citizens of the world, you've been JEWED!
Tue, 10/25/2011 - 21:37 | 1810743 redcorona
redcorona's picture
Fingers in ears, eyes shut, lalalalalala
Tue, 10/25/2011 - 21:46 | 1810780 buzzsaw99
buzzsaw99's picture
Preach it amigo! A member of "the tribe" only goes down when they screw their own!
Tue, 10/25/2011 - 21:51 | 1810803 nmewn
nmewn's picture
"A member of "the tribe" only goes down when they screw their own!"
Gupta...Gupta...where have I heard that name before?
Ah yes...Hillary! soup for you!!!
Tue, 10/25/2011 - 21:57 | 1810824 buzzsaw99
buzzsaw99's picture
mama sed [/forest gupta]
Wed, 10/26/2011 - 00:27 | 1811271 Element
Element's picture
Lately my hands subconciously start reaching toward any sound or image of Hilary and make a sort of choak-grip. Dunno what that's all about.
Give the woman a cigar.
Wed, 10/26/2011 - 04:27 | 1811429 Zero Govt
Zero Govt's picture
Hilary likes cigars ...too?
Does Bullshit Bill ever get a chance to smoke one i wonder!
Tue, 10/25/2011 - 21:47 | 1810791 The Shootist
The Shootist's picture
The Jewish faith has nothing to do with crime, corruption and greed dickweed. There are bad apples among any group. Of course there seems to be a large contigent of 'occupiers' who hate jews. But they are mostly brainwashed communist obots who enjoy wallowing the destruction of socialism.
Tue, 10/25/2011 - 21:53 | 1810804 israhole
israhole's picture
So speak up, chump. I'm not the criminal. Start naming some names, or you're complicit!
The goyim are the 99%.
Tue, 10/25/2011 - 22:18 | 1810891 The Shootist
The Shootist's picture
Here's a few names: F. Roosevelt, W. Wilson, Neville Chamberlain, Keynes, LBJ, Nixon, Ted Kennedy, Bill Ayers, Michael Moore, Barney Frank, .. even Bush. Each should be scrutinized on an INDIVIDUAL basis.
I'm sorry IsraHole, but you anti-semites sound ridiculous and give this site and many others a bad name. Go crawl back to the hole from whence you came. The silverseekr forum for example is full of Jew haters, which is why it's so discredited.
Tue, 10/25/2011 - 22:27 | 1810920 buzzsaw99
buzzsaw99's picture
...I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Joos, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan." (Revelation 2:9 KJV)
Tue, 10/25/2011 - 22:55 | 1811029 Mr Lennon Hendrix
Mr Lennon Hendrix's picture
Christianity, by these orders today, is a war cult just like the Israel of old, whatever Jesus preached.....
Religion has been bastardized....
Learn to read between the lines.
Tue, 10/25/2011 - 23:40 | 1811178 lincolnsteffens
lincolnsteffens's picture
Mr. L H
I don't think those ass holes have a vocabulary that includes words much more than 5 or 6 letters long. This universal hatred of cultures people have no understanding of is just something we all have to deal with sooner or later. I fail to understand why such a superb intellectual and truth driven web site like ZH doesn't ban religious and ethnic hate mongering. It has nothing to do with the financial markets.
Wed, 10/26/2011 - 00:05 | 1811226 Mr Lennon Hendrix
Mr Lennon Hendrix's picture
This is Fight Club.
Wed, 10/26/2011 - 00:12 | 1811241 jeff montanye
jeff montanye's picture
this particular brand of religious and ethnic hate mongering has, uniquely, a great deal to do with the financial markets (oh with a real historical and parochial bent the determined could make a case for the chinese diaspora in the east, but you know what i mean). that usury prohibition and the reading of the torah and all. the creation of israel didn't help, especially with hitler as an unwitting mentor.
Wed, 10/26/2011 - 06:16 | 1811473 nmewn
nmewn's picture
We don't ban people around here for being stupid. They have a right to speak...they just don't have a right to be believed.
Besides...some of its pretty good comedy.
Wed, 10/26/2011 - 01:10 | 1811322 LeonardoFibonacci
LeonardoFibonacci's picture
Yesterday a ZH'er reminded me that a Jew and a Zionist should be distinguished as they are very different. This was pointed out to me in the article concerning the rise of another Hitler in the present world confusion.
I reminded this fellow ZH'er that Hitler did not give a fuck about the distinguishment of a jew vs. a Zionist, Hitler loaded both of these characters on a train wagon headed for Auschwitz. The ovens that were used did not distinguish them either.
Wed, 10/26/2011 - 02:15 | 1811365 Davalicious
Davalicious's picture
The holocaust didn't happen. Being sent to a work camp in those days could be a death sentence due to communicable disease. Even the New York Holocaust Museum 95% of Zyklon B (the most popular pesticide) was used for de-lousing clothes. Today we can't imagine that lice were transmitting diseases that hundreds of thousands of people died from. Zyklon B was used as a life saving measure. It isn't even suitable for a gas chamber.
The holocaust was invented by US intelligence and zionist jews. Many of the horrors we learned about decades ago like human skin lamp shades, human hair matresses, shruknen heads, movies showing piles of bodies, movies showing people apparently decapitated are not shown any more because they are discredited, even by Jewish authorities. Auschwitz used to claim that 3 million died. They changed the plaque to say 1 million.
Check out this web site which references original material which is online at Jewish sites or American universities.
The holocaust is now taught in schools. Holocaust denial is a crime in many places. These measures come in very quickly once Jews are in power. Almost immediately the Bolskeviks brought in Anti-semetic laws. They wanted to take over the Soviet government and to prevent anyone fighting back.
Wed, 10/26/2011 - 04:36 | 1811435 AlienGusto
AlienGusto's picture
Well, gee, if that's all true and you non-Jews keep letting a tiny minority of a few million people take advantage of you, then you really are just a bunch of dumbasses.
Wed, 10/26/2011 - 06:52 | 1811493 redcorona
redcorona's picture
It really is like you read from a script.
Goy: Jews control the banks!
Jew: Thats just an anti-semitic canard!
Goy: No really look, they are all Jews.
Jew: Thats because we work hard.
Wed, 10/26/2011 - 07:35 | 1811582 Element
Element's picture
" ... if that's all tru and you non-Jews ... ... then you really are just a bunch of dumbasses."
Already you've revealed what you are and that your under the impression you're superior. Thanks for clearing that up, and so quickly too.
From your writing and wording I suppose you're a teenager who has discovered that a great chunk of humanity does indeed have some terminal issues with your tribe's attitude, actions, and protracted history of social, financial and political infiltrations and international parasitism. You're thus reactive, and believe these are imaginary, or else true but justifyable, or else, "so fucking what".
You have been versed and thoroughly conditioned to respond accordingly so you do, most probably with the usual pseudo-secularist nationalist zionist zealot version of the "modern Jew" mental-modelling. It's a very popular mental model these days, and the most competitive. We're rather familiar with it, in here, and its many structural chasms and flaws of logic.
I say 'pseudo' secular, because you are in fact not secular, when all is said and done. That's ok, I'm a bit like that at times. However, you are a rigid zionist bigot (and are fairly certain you're not, but you certainly are) with a major (and invisible to you) 'chip' on your shoulder.
I am an anti-zionist bigot, because I directly discovered your 'base-Joo' mental-model's absurdist and homicidal attitudes, and self-justifying sociopathic criminal racist behaviours. I understand how you got this way, I've seen how it takes place.
You've been seeded with profoundly entrenched racial and cultural prejudices that are by now fully implicit, so that you accept it's whole rationale, without question, and what it constantly informs you of what you are. It's almost undetectable to yourself as you can successfully pretend you're nothing of the kind, but otherwise, it's completely obvious to any third party who observes you.
Congrats, you've been fitted with an approved pseudo-secular Joo mental-model, and your place in the world, with respect to the 'others', has been pre-seeded and conveniently semi-defined, so you can fill in the blanks with the appropriate answers and conclusions. In fact, it's rather clever how they get you to program yourself like that, so that basic mental-model becomes 'you'.
You're just clear enough to understand that nothing you can say here is likely to hoodwink almost anyone on zh. There are several others of your mental-model here on any given day, of various ages and life experience.
Hello there! <*waves to the shiny new joo*>
Welcome to fight-club bitch!
Wed, 10/26/2011 - 08:57 | 1811869 i-dog
i-dog's picture
Well done! You take "Go hard, or go home!" to a new level. Most enjoyable. :)
Thu, 10/27/2011 - 01:57 | 1816164 AlienGusto
AlienGusto's picture
*snort* Big waste o' breath there, buddy, but I appreciate the effort. I can only imagine how many hours you and your thesaurus spent together, valiantly trying to sound intellectual. So you know, I'm a half-breed, or "daywalker" if you prefer (we're more scary that way. Plus it's much easier to suck the dollars out of your pocket and corrupt your peace-loving, wide-eyed innocent children when the sun's up).
Can I assume that since you spent a lot of time making up a bunch o' crap instead of addressing my hypothesis that you simply... can't? Are you tacitly admitting "your people" are dumbasses? If so, I can't wait to prey on you and your dumb descendants for all eternity. You make it soooo easy. "Shazam! They done been foolin' us gentiles for near 2000 years, by my count! G-o-l-l-y!"
Oh, since we're getting acquainted, what's your DSM-IV diagnosis, if you don't mind me asking?
Thu, 10/27/2011 - 03:42 | 1816271 Hephasteus
Hephasteus's picture
This is kind of funny. What's funny about it is I got involved on a thread about the cern speed of light test with a bunch of technogeeks.
I was really fucking rude about the dumbass scientific bitches that infest cern. I brought up the satelitte system and precisely how it works. I brought up the statiscial resolution of the cesium clocks used to time it. I watched dumbases point me to cern fucktards attempting to explain their experiment. They mumbled around stumbled around butchered the goddamn direct communication laws. Total fucking waste of time listening to their stupid obfuscating dumbass shit.
A moderator brought up something involving israel and I mentioned israel. They then beratted me for my pseudo scientific and bizarre religious views. Then 2 days later it get's mentioned that the fucktards running the experiment didn't take into account the relative motion of the gps satellites while I was calling europeans to email bomb the shit out of cern for making up bullshit experiments with bullshit results just because they want a higher resolution gps satellite system.
So I'm left with a stinging label of being an out of touch misunderstanding retard who just happens to be high functioning or something because I went precisely the fuck to the bottom line of bullshit.
And here I sit listening to your crap. You're anevil lying killing using abusing motherfucker. You get berated for being an evil lying killing using abusing motherfucker and express your superiority by being a sucessful evil lying killing using abusing motherfucker. You are the definition of circular logic.
What you fail to impliment into your circular logic is it all ends up with the entire planet telling you to shut the fuck up. Which gives you around 0 percent chance of being an agency of change. Which gives you about a 0 percent chance of creating your world where you are the worst of humanity pretending to be the best of humanity because it works.
You still don't get it. He's analyzing the fuck out of you. He knows who he's dealing with. You can't fucking head shrink him. Head shrinking involves a person trusting someone to analyze them. The goy are not lying on couches listening to you spout bullshit.
As he said. Welcome to fight club bitches. If one of us kicks your ass. Don't try to suck in more of us. We understand we are powerful, we understand we are smart. We understand we are strong and we do not need to gang up. So im gong to shut up an leave you to your chosen ass beater. Don't worry about picking the wrong one. You'll some how some way end up with just the right ass beater that you need.
I give the finger to 160 fucking scientists. Because they are my equal. He's going to beat the shit out of your psychological association of mind fucking jews because he's their goddamn equal. So don't go running to you're piss poor head fucking support group.
Fri, 10/28/2011 - 03:27 | 1820017 Element
Element's picture
LOL ... well done! I've had MANY similar debates with such institutionalised scientific wimps, who always mouth complete bullshit/failed and out-moded memes.
Most of these guys 'know' a lot of trivia but they remain not much brighter than a cabbage.
re the new-joo ... I don't think these silly things even realise the world's over them, they still think we're mesmerised by their childish mental trinkets ... gonna be funny when they realise we're wide awake.
Wed, 10/26/2011 - 08:30 | 1811778 Astraea
Astraea's picture
No. The dumbasses are those people who think it is intelligent to lie and steal. It is not. It is simply low class and stupid. That is the trouble with the Jews - they have no class, and they think that what is the most stupid of all behvior is actually clever! I think that is REALLY being a dumbass.
Wed, 10/26/2011 - 05:50 | 1811458 DogSlime
DogSlime's picture
The holocaust didn't happen.
What about all the accounts from the people (not just Jews) who were in the camps? They all assert that it did happen. The precise numbers of how many actually died doesn't alter that fact that a horribly large number of people were shipped off to camps where they were starved to death or gassed en-masse. Zyklon B was only one of the agents used. Carbon Monoxide was another. Are you saying that Carbon Monoxide was used as a de-lousing agent?
Wed, 10/26/2011 - 08:43 | 1811815 Astraea
Astraea's picture
Look for the videos made by the brave and honest young Jewish man from California, David Cole. He made two or three videos about Auschwitz. There were NO homocidal gas chambers there nor on any German controlled soil, ever. Auzchiwtz was a big labour camp for the huge factories owned by IG Farben. Auschwitz had several orchestras, a large theatre where they liked to stage comedies among other things, a post office where one could buy post cards and stamps and paper with whihc to write letters to post off from there. There was a shop too. They had a state of the art dentist and a good hospital. For serious operations a famous surgeon from Berlin would attend. There was a modern swimming pool with benches around it for people to watch competitions, playing fields - and a jail and a brothel. It was a town. You should find these and other videos on Youtube and on a webiste called honestmediatoday. There is also a webiste called Also, read a book called "Perfidy" by Ben Hecht - who was Jewish. It is about the Jew who ran the finances from Switzerland supposedly to rescue Jews from Hungary - and his great friend Eichman who was also a full Jew!
Fri, 10/28/2011 - 03:53 | 1820030 Element
Element's picture
ha! ... er, yeah, actually, it was, for decades. Commonwealth Immigration Quarantine Stations, in Australia, used steam chambers to treat cloths, and carbon monoxide chambers to delouse sundry possessions and furniture, of European immigrants. It was routine practice.
I have seen such steam and gas chambers myself, they are preserved as Museum exhibits. It was well known in Europe and the colonies that carbonmonoxide was a very cheap and reliable killer of undesirable pests. It alone took time so it was sped up via the use of vacuum pumps to help thin the oxygen, and also accelerate the toxic and also suffocating effects of the carbonmonoxide.
I could imagine the Nazi's would rapidly realise they could scale this up to very cheaply get rid of rooms full of people. Why use Zyklon-B to kill people in a 'gas chamber' when a diesel can run a vacuum pump to thin the air and the diesel's exhaust (or furnace gases) are pumped into the room?
Why bother to complicate it?
The Zyklon-B gas-chamber story is deeply suspect.
Tue, 10/25/2011 - 22:49 | 1811009 israhole
israhole's picture
So take that payout Israel offers to all Jews (at American taxpayers' expense), and "make aliyah". Goyim are the 99%, and nobody cares cares any longer what you have to say, except those booking flights on El Al as we speak.
Tue, 10/25/2011 - 23:39 | 1811054 Mr Lennon Hendrix
Mr Lennon Hendrix's picture
I have many friends that are Jewish. They will find solice at the same rate as the rest of us. None are in politics. Those politicians, yes, they will burn in Hell. But the common folk, they are Jewish just like the common are Christian, Muslim.
We shouldn't be fighting such trivialities; fight the power, and besides, the power hungry are godless.
Tue, 10/25/2011 - 23:41 | 1811185 rocker
rocker's picture
I really never took sides on this issue. But there seems to be many corrupt jews who pay homage to their own.
Just like Bernanke supports his Bankster's Cartel to rule the world's money frauds at the expense of the unknowing.
Yes there is good and bad in all. But where the money goes the worse rule the world, as in Goldman Sachs.
Wed, 10/26/2011 - 00:08 | 1811231 Mr Lennon Hendrix
Mr Lennon Hendrix's picture
Lehman and Bear were "Jew Banks".......
It isn't about that....
They worship one god....
That that has Power of this Earth....
That's all they care about.
Wed, 10/26/2011 - 08:58 | 1811881 Astraea
Astraea's picture
Imagine being told, over and over and over and over again, from BIRTH, that the whole World hates you - for no reason at all. That is what they do t their own children! They cripple them psychologically. Imagine believing that the whle World hates you when you are just a little boy or litle girl1 Imagine what that does to you. THAT is why the Jews are so sick. They project their hatred onto all the rest of Humanity who are just baffled by this strange and pointless behavior - and have been for centuries. The "leaders" of the Jews are psychopaths who use these poor deluded sheep who they deliberately keep terrified - and build walls just to emphasise what terrible danger they are in - when actually it is the rest of the World which is in danger from them. They have about six or seven submarines cruising the oceans manacing the whole World. They must be disarmed if we are to survive. Read "The Wandering Who?" by Gilad Atzmon. Look it up at Then read the best of all books on this nonsense "The Controversy of Zion." by Douglas Reed. God help us all if they are not stopped.
Did you know that Germany paid off her "debt" for the FIRST World War at last only this lasta March. March 2011!
Didd you know that it was the Bolshevicks who murdered 22 thousand honorably surrendered officers of the Polish army in the Katyn Forest - but that the Jewish media has fooled the World into believing that it was the Germans who did that dispicable, brutal and unvicilized crime - against all of Humanity. Stalin, a Georgian Jew ordered Beria, also a Georgian Jew, to murder all those noble men by shooting them in the back of the head as athy stood on the edge of huge trenches which had been dug out by bullldozers.
Wed, 10/26/2011 - 09:43 | 1812075 Use of Weapons
Use of Weapons's picture
I rarely get involved in the racial hatred on the board, given most of it is USA based. One lot of ignorant people claiming they're ethnically better than another is a very common and very persistent myth - although I do find it hilarious how bad your arguments are for it.
But, yes - if you're going to get all 'outraged' over Soviet crimes, at least get them right. Over 7,000 of the officer core were executed by a single man, and it was done in a basement, not on site.
I find people who don't even bother to get their basic facts correct somewhat tiresome. As for Auschwitz being a modern Butlins, now we all know you're an IDF troll.
Wed, 10/26/2011 - 08:58 | 1811882 Astraea
Astraea's picture
Wed, 10/26/2011 - 11:42 | 1812771 Fiat Money
Fiat Money's picture
Wed, 10/26/2011 - 11:41 | 1812777 Fiat Money
Fiat Money's picture
Astraea, you are correct about that. Worse, the bible says that GENOCIDE by GOD is not only "permissable" - but something to emulated, copied, by "HIS CHOOSEN" people on earth!
EVERY Sunday school (whether Jewish or Christ-ian) that teaches the "Noah's Flood" story, is teaching children that GOD NEEDS NO RHYME or REASON to WIPE OUT ENTIRE SECTORS of humanity!
In humans, we would call such cold-blooded detached contempt for human life "pathological" and "SOCIOPATHIC," but the "religious" lesson is, "If G0O determines that some group of people are 'unworthy' then they may...and SHOULD.. indeed be EXTERMINATED, wipe from the earth." (As Moses tried to exterminate the Midianites - his in-laws! - and as Joshua SUCCEEDED in EXTERMINATING the people of Jericho, and DOZENS of other towns and cities/kingdoms.)
But you are incorrect about Stalin being Jewish. He had an abusive Georgian father, and his mother wanted him to go to Seminary and become a Georgian Orthodox Priest -
However, there can be no doubt that some of Stalin's most willing executioners (mass-murderers) were Jewish, including Lazar Kaganovich, "The Red wolf of the Kremlin" who is accused of being the mastermind and/or lead appartchik behind the intentional famine of Ukraine, the the mass-murderous "holomodor" starvation famine -
Wed, 10/26/2011 - 11:20 | 1812659 Fiat Money
Fiat Money's picture
I have a neighbor, who is Jewish, and is wa-ay behind on her mortgage payments... flat broke. BECAUSE of the Greenspan/Bernanke/Fed/gs/jpm (rotchilds, et al) PREMEDITATED FINANCIAL RAPE of post- Cold War America (and Europe), she can't find decent work / jobs.
(During the Cold War, they had to make a PRETENSE of "share the wealth" "TRICKLE DOWN" wealth - or the unemployed, the SEGREGATED, the no-social-safety-net peons might start to think socialism/communism weren't so bad in comparison.)
HOWEVER, she will NEVER acknowledge the above: that Greenspan, Bernanke, rubin, summers, gensler, schapiro, blankfein, are IN COMMAND of the (late) U.S.A. financial system, or that Netanyahu is far and away THE MOST POWERFUL POLITICIAN... IN AMERICA, and certainly in the U.S. Con-gress.
And what money she does have over and above necessary living expenses, most certainly went (goes( to "tribe" designated "charity" funds - you know, "keeping it in the family." I hope she and other hard-strapped neighbors make it through the next couple of years, but until someone CONFRONTS the gs/jpm/fed VAMPIRE SQUID HIJACKING of the late "Democratic" Party & Con-Gress, it ain't gonna happen (end nicely...)
Tue, 10/25/2011 - 23:00 | 1811056 slewie the pi-rat
slewie the pi-rat's picture
@ the shoo-tist: dude or dudette!
calling a blogger a name (anti-semite) and following with "[you]...give this site (zeroHedge)...a bad name" isn't gonna cut it, here
too many zionist trolls keep popping up, ya know!
Wed, 10/26/2011 - 00:17 | 1811249 jeff montanye
jeff montanye's picture
zionist trolls keep us in shape, like a speed bag.
Tue, 10/25/2011 - 22:48 | 1811005 lincolnsteffens
lincolnsteffens's picture
You may not have been convicted of a crime but you have a criminal mind ass wipe. Learn something about human genetics and the historical movement of ethnic groups from earliest recorded times. Where the fuck are you from that you escaped being a mixed blood mongrel denier of your own filthy mixed race family tree. Oh I forgot you have total faith in the child buggering Catholic Church that used to give depraved people a pass into Heaven, if they paid enough. Or maybe you are a follower of Pastor Pete the false prophet or let's see, you are probably related to some Jew or Slav that was raped by blond blue eyed Swedes who swept down into Eastern Europe centuries ago. Why don't you get out of your isolated retarded world onto another continent so you can be treated like the Ugly American that you exemplify. I think you must be an inbred WASP Mongoloid.
Tue, 10/25/2011 - 22:57 | 1811041 disabledvet
disabledvet's picture
It is true...400 years of history and a hundred years ago there was a...but I digress.
Tue, 10/25/2011 - 23:23 | 1811117 israhole
israhole's picture
See, it's this Jewish vitriol we must confront. This rat is begging to be in Israel and would probably jump at the chance if we were forced to pay his fare. Unfortunately, his fear won't allow him to leave the host, yet he cannot produvce anything of value to the rest of us 99%.
Wed, 10/26/2011 - 01:13 | 1811327 Element
Element's picture
The zionists crims have their rooks in here watching the zh vibe, but fail to gain influence. People are just not afraid of their verbal barbs and attacks, or their guilt trip BS. Their psychological mind-fucks and manicured kult-ural sacred-cows have all stampeded out of their flimsy corral, and they can't round 'em up again. They need a new wave of lies and urban myths and mental Parlour-tricks, because the old routine is now so worn out it's transparent.
The host is becoming resistant to the conspicuous cognitive dissonance caused by their kultural and psychological infection and conditioning. What they want now is to stymie any fence-sitters from waking up, or taking a stance based on their own experiences and observations. It's too late to stop a great awakening as people are realising what's been going on for the past ... oh, idunno ... about 98 years.
Every one of their mental Parlour-tricks is built on a web of prior constructed illusions and lies, which they have carefully constructed using commercial and public-funded MSM. And once the basis of these illusions is kicked away, the resulting cognitive dissonance then causes the rest to topple until people can see the Rothschild squid behind veil, pulling on levers.
Wed, 10/26/2011 - 03:58 | 1811417 Shylockracy
Shylockracy's picture
It takes a life-long of full-spectrum brainwashing to produce a docile mass of slaves. It takes however a single book to show the shocking implausibility of what TPTB has sold as incontestable truth.
Most people cannot deal with the cognitive dissonance, and defend the obscene myths that have oriented their lives.
As Ibsen aptly put it:
"If you take the life-lie from an average man, you take away his happiness as well." (The Wild Duck, 1884)
Wed, 10/26/2011 - 04:41 | 1811438 AlienGusto
AlienGusto's picture
I think you're confusing Jews with Jedi. Pretty easy to do if you spend all your time on rense, reading about UFOs and lizard people. And Ron Paul.
Wed, 10/26/2011 - 06:03 | 1811464 Element
Element's picture
Welcome to your first post alienrook dude ... what's a rense, and are there really UFOs and reptile peeps?
Wed, 10/26/2011 - 05:58 | 1811462 DogSlime
DogSlime's picture
It's not just Jews. I am not Jewish. I find Zionism (not simply being Jewish - but proper Zionism) as repulsive as Nazi-ism, but I really think you suck cock. How do you reconcile this?
Wed, 10/26/2011 - 00:19 | 1811250 jeff montanye
jeff montanye's picture
what's this used to give a pass into heaven? did i miss a memo?
Wed, 10/26/2011 - 01:22 | 1811338 LeonardoFibonacci
LeonardoFibonacci's picture
I gather from your comments you are a Jew. But that does not give you the right to write such disrespectful comments towards people who are free to speaak their minds on this blog. Would you be so courageous when faced in person by 5 to 6 SS officers who ask you for your papers? Coming to a USA state near.......
Zeigen Sie mir ihre unterlagen juden
Tue, 10/25/2011 - 22:11 | 1810868 Green Leader
Green Leader's picture
Jesus (Yahshua) was not a Jew:
Tue, 10/25/2011 - 23:03 | 1811068 Mr Lennon Hendrix
Mr Lennon Hendrix's picture
There were a bunch of dudes running around preaching gospol back then. Jesus means, "The Way". The bible is a conglamorate of wisdom, of course bastardized by King John and Josephus; but the wisdom lies between the lines.
Christianity, like Judeaism, were mushroom cults that were very pagan, but preached a "One True God" mentality. There were factions among the "tribes", there always is....
Look at the CIA today; tribe; factions.
Be your own man/woman. Realize your own fate.
Tue, 10/25/2011 - 23:07 | 1811080 slewie the pi-rat
slewie the pi-rat's picture
do you mean king john the bastard son of king james?
Tue, 10/25/2011 - 23:40 | 1811179 Mr Lennon Hendrix
Mr Lennon Hendrix's picture
I'm about to finish off a bottle of Pinot Gris....
...and go to bed.
Wed, 10/26/2011 - 00:23 | 1811254 jeff montanye
jeff montanye's picture
mushroom cults, bitchez.
p.s. read "the botany of desire" if only to find out what witches put on their broom sticks and what they did with them then. seasonal off topic.
Wed, 10/26/2011 - 01:07 | 1811319 Mr Lennon Hendrix
Mr Lennon Hendrix's picture
There is wisdom in experience. The interesting part is that Religion says not to do "drugs". Boot to the throat, bitchez.
Tue, 10/25/2011 - 23:38 | 1811173 flacon
flacon's picture
Mr Lennon Hendrix,
Jesus means "God is Salvation".
Jesus, Joshua, Yeshua. All the same name.
Tue, 10/25/2011 - 23:41 | 1811184 Mr Lennon Hendrix
Mr Lennon Hendrix's picture
"God is Salvation".
The Way
We agree
Wed, 10/26/2011 - 00:02 | 1811196 flacon
flacon's picture
"The Way" was the name of the first 'church'.
When you say "Jesus" it means a lot more than just "the way". Jesus came to save us from our sins. It is only fitting that his name is "salvation" (which means "to SAVE"). When you use the term "the way" it means little in relevance to the mission that Jesus came to fulifl.
Ever studied the meaning behind these "Christianeze" words?:
and why does the Roman 'church' INTENTIONALLY not use the term "Hallelujah" but replaces it with "Alleluia"? Could it be that they do not want YAH (JAH) to be included?
Wed, 10/26/2011 - 00:10 | 1811236 Mr Lennon Hendrix
Mr Lennon Hendrix's picture
but before I tap...
Wed, 10/26/2011 - 10:23 | 1811452 i-dog
i-dog's picture
Actually, Amenemhat was the biblical "Abraham" ... he became Pharaoh much earlier (1991 BC) than Amenhotep (in 1525 BC, just after the Hyksos had been driven out to Canaan ... Amen-ho-tep means "Amun/Amen is pleased / content" ... one can see why he was pleased! :).
With typical religious hypocrisy ("thou shalt not kill" and all that), Amenemhat was a priest and vizier who assassinated his pharaoh and usurped the throne as a commoner ... then imposed the monotheistic worship of Amun as the head of all the Egyptian gods (Amen-em-hat means "Amun/Amen is at the head"). Prior to that, Egyptians had been polytheistic. Sorry to be pedantic.
"For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever, Amen." Interesting ... amazing what a difference a comma instead of a period makes, eh!?! Hidden in plain sight!
Tue, 10/25/2011 - 22:46 | 1811001 passwordis
passwordis's picture
Judaism is a religion that a minority of Jews practice. A Jew is distinct and separate from a religion. What we are talking about is a tribe or race of people with certian traits that clearly separate them from gentiles. The manifestation of these traits have caused their expulsion from every country they have ever assimilated in.
We are living in a time where these manifestations are once again becoming increasing clear to more and more people. Interesting times, indeed.
Read what George Washington and Benjamin Franklin had to say about the tribe of Jews. Benjamin Franklin's time line on how long it will take for the Jews to destroy America is astonishingly accurate.
This prophecy, of Benjamin Franklin - recorded in the dairy of Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, a delegate from South Carolina.
Tue, 10/25/2011 - 23:10 | 1811092 Mr Lennon Hendrix
Mr Lennon Hendrix's picture
These men, as brilliant as they were, also owned slaves. We are still moving forward with our genius, and we will continue to do so, against all odds.
Wed, 10/26/2011 - 09:39 | 1811998 passwordis
passwordis's picture
So they were brilliant slave owners.
* Ironically it was the Jews who were behind the slave trade.
* There were more white slaves than black.
* There are more slaves today then at any time in recorded history.
Sadly you are mistaken. Our development has been arrested. There are no more geniuses coming down the pike.
Wed, 10/26/2011 - 00:57 | 1811142 lincolnsteffens
lincolnsteffens's picture
Wow, I didn't know the Jews are Asian. Maybe we should re-write history and geography to conform to Franklin's knowledge of these subjects. The early Jews were the same superstitious people that still live at the eastern end of the Mediterranean and neighboring Middle East. The Jews today are primarily about as much Asian as are Christians. Jewish religious beliefs spawned Christianity and Mohammedanism . The reason the Jews were in the counting houses were as a conquered people. If unarmed Jews weren't slaughtered by Mohammed's followers or the Catholics the only occupation they were allowed to have was in finance. They were in finance because their oppressors had a hard time figuring out that 1+1 equals 2 and so wanted EDUCATED JEWS to work for their oppressors.The Catholic Church used to put people to death for book possession.
Franklin may have been an inventive, perceptive, gluttonous fornicator but he was a bit short in knowledge of the world outside of North America and Europe as were the most well educated people of his time. None the less, I owe Washington, Franklin and other men of privilege at the end of the 18th century a great debt for furthering what began with the Magna Carta.
It is obvious that buy singling out these quotes you have exposed yourself as an ignorant fool. Why don't you join the Flat Earth Society and leave ZH.
Wed, 10/26/2011 - 02:30 | 1811377 Davalicious
Davalicious's picture
Jews, like their scheming and unwelcome fellow travellers Gypsies, claim a false origin. When Gypsies came to Europe, from India, in the 11th century they claimed to be Christian exiles from egypt. Almost all modern Jews are actually from Khazarian.
Wed, 10/26/2011 - 07:15 | 1811505 i-dog
i-dog's picture
"Almost all modern Jews are actually [from] Khazarian."
As were, in all likelihood, some of the original Jews!
The Hyksos ("foreign ruler") pharaohs of Egypt came in on chariots around 1800 BCE ... and, oddly enough, the spoked-wheel chariot originated in Khazakhstan around 2000 BCE (see here) ... not far north-east of the place where the Ashkenazim Khazars "converted" to Judaism in around 950 CE (see here).
When the Hyksos were finally expelled from Egypt by Pharaoh Ahmose I in 1549 BCE, they were driven across the Sinai into Canaan (Judea) and allegedly formed the "12 Tribes of Israel". (Actually, there is good evidence that the 12 "tribes" were really 12 Egyptian provincial governors appointed to keep things under control).
Wed, 10/26/2011 - 09:11 | 1811931 Fiat Money
Fiat Money's picture
"Wow, I didn't know the Jews are Asian."
The U.S. Natural History Museum (in downtown Washington, D.C.) had an exhibit on ASIA, and a graphic (sign) there that stated, "ALL THREE of the world's great mono-theist religions - Judaism, Christianity, Islam - ORIGINATED in ASIA"... in The MidEAST" - which was (and still is) often called the "ancient NEAR EAST."
The whole meme about Greece fighting for its freedom - if not for "democracy" - from Persian rule, is often framed in terms of "WEST vs EAST" (Although, ironically, TROY is portrayed as slightly less dictatorial (under "good king Priam") than the bloodthirsty Greeks under Agamemnon, if only because Troy was on the defensive for most of the war(s), and the Greeks were bent on rape, pillage, massacre, & Plunder. )
And, of course, when Jewish writers use the words "anti-Semitic" to mean "anti-Jewish" - they are, by design, DIMINISHING, DIMUNITIZING, painting OUT of the picture the MILLIONS of Semitic people who are ARABS - a very ruthless, DEHUMANIZING propaganda tactic.
I don't think you would quibble that the Arabs, and the "kingdom of Arabia" are Asiatic (as the Greeks spent 1,000+ years portraying the Persian emperors as Asiatic).... as are their Semitic cousins, the Jews.
Wed, 10/26/2011 - 09:36 | 1812039 passwordis
passwordis's picture
Wow, I didn't know...
No kidding!
Your first sentance in this reply should be enough to deter people from reading anything else you have to say on the subject..
Tue, 10/25/2011 - 23:46 | 1811193 rocker
rocker's picture
There is much said by one of my hero's words. Benjamin Franklin being one of my top 10.
We should all listen to his wisdom if we are to be wise too.
Wed, 10/26/2011 - 00:04 | 1811225 flacon
flacon's picture
When the Bible uses the term "Jew", what, according to your hypothesis, should be the correct word? "A Jew is not one who is one outwardly, but who is one inwardly" etc. Replace the word "Jew" with what you think it should have said.
Wed, 10/26/2011 - 01:17 | 1811334 mjk0259
mjk0259's picture
Who invented communism?
Wed, 10/26/2011 - 07:19 | 1811570 i-dog
i-dog's picture
The Jesuits.
Tue, 10/25/2011 - 22:58 | 1811031 baby_BLYTHE
baby_BLYTHE's picture
Tue, 10/25/2011 - 22:59 | 1811053 disabledvet
disabledvet's picture
Look straight into the camera when you say that.
Tue, 10/25/2011 - 23:05 | 1811060 baby_BLYTHE
baby_BLYTHE's picture
alright, I don't give a s*it anymore
The Jews indeed don't quit. Why is it that they have been banished from 47+ different countries within the last 1,000 years??? Us gentiles must stick together through thick and thin. The truth shall one day set us all free! There is no more running away from the stone cold reality anymore. Ban me! I dare you. ZH ftw, as always. Respecting free speech!
Tue, 10/25/2011 - 23:12 | 1811096 Mr Lennon Hendrix
Mr Lennon Hendrix's picture
Tue, 10/25/2011 - 23:16 | 1811105 The Shootist
The Shootist's picture
That makes two of us.
Tue, 10/25/2011 - 23:27 | 1811107 baby_BLYTHE
baby_BLYTHE's picture
what? huh? what is going on? You all stoned? Free speech is a gift, I intend to use it until they lock me away in a FEMA camp or any other state sponsored interment camp. ZH is the last bastion of free speech left in the economic/geo-political community!
Tue, 10/25/2011 - 23:43 | 1811189 Mr Lennon Hendrix
Mr Lennon Hendrix's picture
Haven't been smoking pot for eight months....
not in my character.....
I'm not sure what you meant, that is all.
Wed, 10/26/2011 - 00:29 | 1811275 slewie the pi-rat
slewie the pi-rat's picture
yes, that is right. about zH
if they put all the zeroHeads in the same camp, just on general principles, it might be a win-win!
you sound feisty & well. good
Tue, 10/25/2011 - 23:19 | 1811113 slewie the pi-rat
slewie the pi-rat's picture
that's funny, you don't look like a gentile, baby_B
L0L!!! do not disrespect the talmud by writing sh*t
you are not cut off! put the next one on my tab, with the hamburger today. i will pay them next week. i promise
Tue, 10/25/2011 - 23:28 | 1811129 baby_BLYTHE
baby_BLYTHE's picture
There ain't a drop of Jew blood in me. Interest money is totally immoral and should be wiped away off the face of the earth. Every human being should have the dignity guaranteed to them as a birth right, as per our Constitution states.
Tue, 10/25/2011 - 23:45 | 1811191 Mr Lennon Hendrix
Mr Lennon Hendrix's picture
You would be surprised how many people do share the blood. Sort of like Americans and Natives, you know....
Sex, it happens....
Wed, 10/26/2011 - 00:23 | 1811263 UP Forester
UP Forester's picture
I guess we need an Inuit to be corrupted next....
Wed, 10/26/2011 - 01:11 | 1811328 Mr Lennon Hendrix
Mr Lennon Hendrix's picture
For the whites that made it up there. yes.
Wed, 10/26/2011 - 01:21 | 1811336 lincolnsteffens
lincolnsteffens's picture
How the fuck would you know there's no Jew blood in you? I suppose you can trace your lineage back 4K years. As for dignity, how can you expect dignity as your right when you deny dignity to others. Let those without gilt cast the first stone. Not that you would ever share the information, but go get a gene test ass wipe if you want to know something about your heritage instead of pretending your beliefs are facts.
Wed, 10/26/2011 - 07:35 | 1811604 i-dog
i-dog's picture
"ass wipe" ... now there's an interesting word combination ... do you find it gives your arguments "dignity"?
Full disclosure: I'm descended from Vikings (my family helped invade England in 1066), so I'm, in all likelihood, a Jew from the tribe of Dan (the Phoenicians). We're not friends of Rome, anyway (Hannibal was also a Phoenician). Just wanted to get that out there.
Wed, 10/26/2011 - 07:44 | 1811649 Element
Element's picture
That's ok i-dog ... I'm a Bavarian who f*cked quite a few sluty Jooesses in my time ... just wanted to get that out there.
Wed, 10/26/2011 - 03:21 | 1811402 Element
Element's picture
Blythe - BTW in that video you posted, Dr Pierce says that Rupert Murdoch is not a Jew, but works with them.
That is incorrect, Murdoch is actually a Jew, and has been observed going to Synagogue in the UK.
He's not just some shit-kicker accomplice, sucking-up to ZOG, he's ZOG's MSM Numero-UNO - the Globalists equivalent of Joseph Goebbels.
Wed, 10/26/2011 - 07:47 | 1811638 i-dog
i-dog's picture
Bullshit! He's a Presbyterian and was married to a Roman Catholic. He is a 'Papal Knight of St. Gregory' (a Jesuit foot-soldier) and his daughter (from the marriage to the Roman Catholic) was married in a catholic church. I know the family quite well and a good friend married into it.
There aren't jews under every bed! (though, as a crypto-Jesuit, he is all but identical to a Labor Zionist, which BTW aren't actually 'jews').
Wed, 10/26/2011 - 08:40 | 1811693 Element
Element's picture
"Rupert's father Sir Keith Murdoch [see below] attained his prominent position in Australian society through a fortuitous marriage to the daughter of a wealthy Jewish family, née Elisabeth Joy Greene. Through his wife's connections, Keith Murdoch was subsequently promoted from reporter to chairman of the British-owned newspaper where he worked. There was enough money to buy himself a knighthood of the British realm, two newspapers in Adelaide, South Australia, and a radio station in a faraway mining town. For some reason, Murdoch has always tried to hide the fact that his pious mother brought him up as a Jew...
And that, as I am sure you know, makes him a Jew according to the law of the Talmud, and indeed according to the present laws of Israel.
His birth-mother is confirmed to be Jewish, and the Jewish bloodline is matriarchal, which leaves no doubt whatsoever that Rupert Murdoch is indisputably 100% Jewish. Surely you realise the father's side is totally irrelevant regarding the 'jewishness' of a child?
ONLY the mother's side determins if a person is both legally and scripturally 'Jewish' (and yes, that implicitly means it's indeed a strictly genetic determination criteria, not one of beliefs or conversions)
So unless you have other evidence this is not his actual birth-mother, or else she is not herself born of a Jewish mother, then I'm entirely correct to point out that Rupert is undisputaly as Jewish as any man could ever be. And yes, he does go to synogogue.
You realize a "Crypto-Jew" is historically a Jew who actively pretends to not be a Jew, for purposes of organised deception, and to allay raising pre-emptive suspicions?
"I know the family quite well and a good friend married into it."
Ok, but not so, you still don't know shit about them mate because you've been deceived. The facts remain that he's borne of a Jewess, so he is thus Jewish. Sorry if that's a shock to your view of him, but truth will kick you in the nutz from time to time.
heh, so recant fucker! lol :-D (... nah, just playin with you mate)
This link is also an interesting read:
Wed, 10/26/2011 - 10:18 | 1812174 i-dog
i-dog's picture
That Jewwatch article is the greatest load of bullshit I've ever read on the subject!! There are so many falsities in the article that I don't know where to start!!!!!! I'll have a go...
Murdoch's father (Sir Keith) did not get promoted from "reporter" to "chairman" due to his "fortuitous" marriage to the "wealthy jewess". FFS, he was already general manager of the Australian-owned newspaper at the time of the marriage, honeymooned on his country estate, then became managing director shortly thereafter (or possibly even shortly before). He was incredibly well-connected with senior British and Australian politicians, military leaders and businessmen through family and professional contacts (as am I) and from his wartime reporting more than a decade before he got married. I suspect he was also an agent for the British Secret Service.
"Jewwatch" is not what I'd call a credible source! His mother ...... Ahhh ... fuckit ... I can't be bothered tearing the rest apart!
"You realize a "Crypto-Jew" is historically a Jew who actively pretends to not be a Jew"
I didn't say crypto-Jew, I said crypto-Jesuit ... for a reason.
As I said, I know a lot more about the family and its connections than I'm prepared to disclose here. You are very wrong -- though he is a Zionist sympathiser through being a Jesuit.
Fri, 10/28/2011 - 04:41 | 1820038 Element
Element's picture
That was fucking pathetic i-dog! ... and very disappointing. Can you really imagine you can get away with that shit? I thought you were a lot smarter than that. It seems I've over-estimated you.
I pointed out in the clearest possible terms that the case of whether Rupert Murdoch is a Jew, or not, 100% HINGES on if his birth-mother is a Jew, or not.
I actually invited you to REPLY to address that very specific and crucial point.
You did precisely zero to call that into question. And yet gave a semi-tumultuous and unsolicited critique of a fucking website's cred? WTF?!
I don't give a toss about Jew-Watch, or ANY such site!
And yes, I know you said "crypto-Jesuit".
That actually did not escape me, at all. It's just plain fucking irrelevant, given he's actualy a JEW, and a CRYPTO-JEW at that!
Let me nail this down for you;
If Rupert is actauly a JEW (and he is) then he's NOT a "crypto-Jesuit", he's then a crypto-Jew who's PRETENDING to be a crypto-Jesuit.
Get it now?
I pointed out what a "Crypto-Jew" is, because you've been curiously duped into thinking he's no Jew, when he's definitely a classically and legally defined genuine Jew.
So answer the actual question i-dog (no, don't answer the question you wish you had been asked ... yeah, I know those old tricks ... and no, shit like that will not work on me, so just answer the actual question).
I want a one-syllable answer from you i-dog.
But if you wan't to say "No", then I want YOUR contrary EVIDENCE, not some rediculously irrelevant critique of a "nasty-evil-joo-watchy-thingy.commie" website. Nor some other shallow form of obfuscation, nor flattery, or other BS, like an appeal to family and business connections, etc.
A simple "Yes" will do.
Else I will beat you mercilessly. :-D
Fri, 10/28/2011 - 08:36 | 1820219 i-dog
i-dog's picture
*sigh* ... you again! Now you're starting to piss me off!
You keep banging on about a subject that you have no knowledge (or proof) of, and your sole evidence is a joo-bashing site which contains so many factual errors that you should be embarrassed to even mention it!
For your further edification, here is Murdoch's mother's female bloodline (ie. her so-called "jewish" ancestry):
mother: Marie Grace de Lancey Forth (born at Warrnambool, Victoria)
grandmother: Anne Thomson Ware (born at Camperdown, Victoria)
great-grandmother: Anne Young McRobie (born in Tasmania)
great-great-grandmother: Anne Young Thomson (born in Scotland)
great-great-great-grandmother: Jane Hall (born in Scotland)
If you believe any of those are jewesses, then please provide PROOF (from somewhere more credible than your 'jewwatch' site, unless you're just here to amuse me) ... or STFU about it!!
I'm not here to defend Murdoch ... I have worked close to him and have zero respect for either his business principles or his pro-Zionist (Jesuit) stance. But I am here to defend the truth ... else irrational joo-bashing by posters (or is it poseurs?) like yourself, who are aiming at the wrong target, send others off on a wild goose chase. Your misdirecting of the target makes me suspicious of your motives (and/or your intelligence).
"Else I will beat you mercilessly."
... In your fucking dreams!!
Fri, 10/28/2011 - 16:30 | 1822394 Element
Element's picture
No idog, being borne in Australia or Scotland DOES NOT mean one is not of a female Jewish bloodline. The vast majority of Jews in Australia today are born in Australia, and I know many with ancestry from Scotland, or Spain, or Egypt, or Turkey, or South Africa ... and many other countries.
One's nationality (or claimed religion or 'conversion') is not evidence or a refutation of a person's Jewishness, according to their birth line.
I asked you specifically about whether the birth mother is Jewish,
NOT if she is born in Australia - which is utterly irrelevant to the question.
And NOT if the Father is a Jesuit - whch again is utterly irrelevant to the question.
And you know it has nothing to do with it, so stop pathetically pretending it does.
You've settled nothing by doing that.
The question; is Rupert Murdoch's birth-mother of Jewish decent?
I have tried to get you to directly address that question, but you've simply refused to, and instead you keep talking completely irrelevant and obfuscating PURE DRIVEL all around and around it.
As for my "banging-on" about this, it is because of your total failure to address that primary question, either within your first, or your second reply, and that requires you be challenged to address it.
If you can't see that, then you're just being disingenuous, and deliberately difficult.
The other thing is you whined about your exasperation and impatience with this matter then you STILL went ahead and wrote a lengthy BS-'reply' (to straighten me out no less) that totally failed to discuss the primary question!
So it's reasonable to call this behaviour PATHETIC, as it indicates your claimed exasperation and impatience are also disingenuous.
See how that works?
My nailing you down for a reply or to explain this, was and is perfectly reasonable, and a proper part of such a discourse, which you seem (curiously) incapable of without posting from a Wikipedia page (in most posts you seem to make .. I might add) then you proceed to act as though you're the source of superior knowledge, and that the other guy is worthy of slights, for simply asking your most intellectual-highness about the original question.
Lastly, the fact that you adamantly claim very close family and professional association with Rupert Murdoch, and his organisation and methods, combined with your serial obfuscations of this question, is most disconcerting.
So on the contrary i-dog, this all leads me to wonder about you and your stylistic but merely distracting non-replies, that pretend to be an intellectually superior rebuttal. You could have resolved this in one concise post at the beginning ... if you had the capacity to do so.
You didn't.
That implies you don't have such a capacity, or the evidence to do so, and are just pretending you do, and still pretending to have addressed the primary question.
That's plain ridiculous. There is a GREAT DEAL of controversy and recent debate about Rupert Murdock, on this question, a lot of people want to know. For you to claim to know, or to pretend to know, is unconvincing to say the least, when others have found a lot of evidence to the contrary.
For example;
(and I'll say in advance that this also does not settle the primary question ... but it sure raises a few)
Murdoch's Deeply Hidden Jewish Roots -- A Biography
By Christopher Bollyn – American Free Press
Christopher Bollyn is an investigative journalist who has written extensively on the events of September 11, 2001 in the Washington-based American Free Press. He has researched different aspects of the 9/11 attacks and uncovered facts and evidence that challenge the official version of events. tried to smear Bollyn as an “anti-Semite” in order to discredit him and diminish the significance of his work. At the helm of both organizations, the ADL and Fox News, is an Australian-born Zionist named Keith Rupert Murdoch.
Murdoch's Jewish Roots
Murdoch “became an American citizen for business reasons,” according to Richard H. Curtiss, editor of the Washington Report on Middle East Affairs. Keith Rupert was born in Melbourne, Australia, on March 11, 1931. “Rupert’s father, Sir Keith Murdoch, was a newspaper publisher, and his mother an Orthodox Jew,” Curtiss wrote, “although Murdoch never offers that information in his biographies.”
Murdoch’s father married Elisabeth Joy Greene, daughter of Rupert Greene in 1928. They had one son, Keith Rupert and three daughters. Later in life, Keith Rupert chose to use Rupert, the first name of his Jewish maternal grandfather.
The young Keith Rupert was educated at Australia’s fashionable Geelong private school, and went on to the elitist and aristocratic Oxford University in England, according to Candour (UK) magazine.
It is through a network of Zionist organizations, in which Murdoch plays a central role, that Murdoch is connected to the individuals who arranged the privatization – and obtained control of the World Trade Center – shortly before its destruction.
Silverstein and Lowy then took control of the 10.6 million-square-foot complex, which included the twin towers office buildings and two nine-story office buildings. Silverstein and the former Israeli commando Lowy then controlled all access to the World Trade Center.
Lowy leased the shopping concourse called the Mall at the World Trade Center, which comprised about 427,000 square feet of retail space.
“Six weeks before the WTC towers were destroyed, the Port Authority completed the process of leasing them for 99 years to Larry Silverstein, the developer who had built 7 World Trade Center [which mysteriously self-demolished at 5:25 p.m. on 9/11].
“Simultaneously, the retail space underneath the complex was leased to Westfield America, the US division of an Australian company that is one of the world’s largest operators of shopping malls.” Paul Goldberger wrote in New Yorker, May 20, 2002.
“Silverstein and Westfield were given the right to rebuild the structures if they were destroyed, and Westfield has the right to expand the retail space by 30 percent,” Goldberger wrote.
Silverstein is suing for some $7.2 billion in insurance money for the loss of the destroyed World Trade Center – and his expected earnings – for property he had leased with a down payment of $100 million – of borrowed funds.
Murdoch the Zionist
“Murdoch is a close friend of Ariel Sharon,” Sam Kiley, The Times (UK) veteran journalist on the Middle East wrote about the man who took over the once famous British paper. Kiley said Murdoch’s friendship with the Israeli prime minister had caused senior staff at the paper to rewrite important copy.
“Murdoch’s executives were so afraid of irritating him that, when I pulled off a little scoop of tracking down and photographing the unit in the Israeli army which killed Mohammed al-Durrah, the 12-year-old boy whose death was captured on film and became the iconic image of the conflict, I was asked to file the piece ‘without mentioning the dead kid.’” Kiley wrote. “After that conversation, I was left wordless, so I quit.”
Sharon and Murdoch are old friends. On Oct. 15, 1982, a month after the massacres of thousands of Palestinian refugees in the Sabra and Shatila camps of Beirut, war crimes which occurred under Sharon’s direct command, the Israeli defense minister held meetings with Rupert Murdoch and others, reportedly in order to advance his “West Bank real estate grab.”
The visit with Sharon included a trip for Murdoch and his editors from New York and London that “took them on a bird’s-eye tour of Israel aboard a helicopter gunship, flying over the Golan Heights, West Bank and settlements.”
“I have always believed in the future of Israel and the goals of the international Jewish community,” Murdoch said at a spring fund-raiser for the Museum of Jewish Heritage - A Living Memorial to the Holocaust on April 29, 2001.
From the beginning, News Corp., his global media company, “has been supportive of the Jewish national cause,” Murdoch said.
Larry Silverstein, who had not yet acquired the lease on the World Trade Center, attended the fund-raiser with Murdoch and reportedly said about museum chairman Robert Morgenthau’s plans to expand the museum: “I’ll support you…as long as you keep it under 110 stories.”
Murdoch and the ADL
“Henry Kissinger, Rupert Murdoch and Mortimer Zuckerman are on the [ADL] dinner committee,” according to a recent New York Times report on the ADL’s recent fund-raiser in which the controversial Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi received the ADL’s Distinguished Statesman Award.
Silverstein and Eisenberg have both held senior leadership positions with the United Jewish Appeal (UJA), a billion dollar Zionist “charity” organization, to which Murdoch and Lowy generously contribute. In 1997, Henry Kissinger presented Murdoch with the UJA’s award for “Humanitarian of the Year.”
Silverstein is a former chairman of UJA. This organization raises hundreds of millions of dollars every year for a network of Zionist agencies in the United States and Israel. Eisenberg, who was instrumental in obtaining the lease for Silverstein, is on the Planning Board of UJA.
Eisenberg in his role with the Port Authority was the key person who negotiated the 99-year leases for Silverstein and Frank Lowy’s Westfield America, who were in fact the low-bidders for the lease on the 110-story towers and the retail mall.
Murdoch and the Czechoslovakian-born Israeli commando Frank Lowy, a former fighter in Israel’s Golani Brigade, who emigrated to Australia in the 1950s, have had a long friendship, which Murdoch recounted during an American Australian Association fund-raising dinner in honor of Frank’s son, Peter S. Lowy, in New York on November 20, 2002. Larry Silverstein and his wife also attended the American Australian event.
Some reporters refer to the American Australian Association, whose membership includes James Wolfensohn, the president of the World Bank, who raised cash for Rupert Murdoch when he first expanded into the United States, as “the kangaroo mafia.”
“Frank was a brave and determined fighter,” Rafi Kocer, Lowy’s former commander, said. Lowy has donated some $350,000 to build a memorial museum in Israel for his former brigade.
Today, Lowy and his three sons control Westfield Corporation, one of the largest operators of shopping centers in the United States – and the world.
Insured Against Terrorist Attacks
On September 12, 2001, The Jerusalem Post reported: “Frank Lowy, who emigrated to Australia from Israel in 1952, owns the 99-year lease for the 425,000 square foot retail portion of the destroyed World Trade Center…Westfield said today that it has insurance cover against terrorist attacks and its earnings will not be materially affected.”
The information archived below was found at on October 22, 2005 and is made available here for scholarly, research, educational, and personal use under "fair use" regulations as legislated in Title 171 of the copyright law.
There is a lengthy 2010 discussion of this article and this question, here:
Fri, 10/28/2011 - 18:19 | 1822580 Element
Element's picture
Finally, i-dog, here is a FORMAL CONSERVATIVE JEWISH COLLATED LISTING of all Jews in the US MSM Media owner clique:
NEIL SHAPIRO, president of NBC News
JEFF GASPIN, Executive Vice-President, Programming, NBC
DAVID WESTIN, president of ABC News
[my emphasis]
MEL KARMAZIN, president of CBS
DON HEWITT, Exec. Director, 60 Minutes, CBS
JEFF FAGER, Exec. Director, 60 Minutes II. CBS
SANDY KRUSHOW, Chair, Fox Entertainment
LLOYD BRAUN, Chair, ABC Entertainment
BARRY MEYER, chair, Warner Bros.
BRAD SIEGEL., President, Turner Entertainment.
WILLIAM SAFIRE, syndicated columnist for the NYT.
TOM FRIEDMAN, syndicated columnist for the NYT.
RICHARD COHEN, syndicated columnist for the Washington Post
JEFF JACOBY, syndicated columnist for the Boston Globe
ARIE FLEISCHER, Dubya’s press secretary.
KENNETH ROTH, Executive Director of Human Rights Watch
MARK GOLIN, VP and Creative Director, AOL
JEFFREY ZUCKER, President of NBC Entertainment
JACK MYERS, NBC, chief.NYT 5.14.2
SANDY GRUSHOW, chair of Fox Entertainment
GAIL BERMAN, president of Fox Entertainment
STEPHEN SPIELBERG, co-owner of Dreamworks
JEFFREY KATZENBERG, co-owner of Dreamworks
DAVID GEFFEN, co-owner of Dreamworks
LLYOD BRAUN, chair of ABC Entertainment
JORDAN LEVIN, president of Warner Bros. Entertainment
HOWARD STRINGER, chief of Sony Corp. of America
AMY PASCAL, chair of Columbia Pictures
JOEL KLEIN, chair and CEO of Bertelsmann’s American operations
ROBERT SILLERMAN, founder of Clear Channel Communications
BRIAN GRADEN, president of MTV entertainment
IVAN SEIDENBERG, CEO of Verizon Communications
WOLF BLITZER, host of CNN’s Late Edition
LARRY KING, host of Larry King Live
TED KOPPEL, host of ABC’s Nightline
MIKE WALLACE, Host of CBS, 60 Minutes
MICHAEL LEDEEN, editor of National Review
BRUCE NUSSBAUM, editorial page editor, Business Week
CATHERINE GRAHAM MEYER, former owner of the Washington Post
HOWARD FINEMAN, Chief Political Columnist, Newsweek
WILLIAM KRISTOL, Editor, Weekly Standard, Exec. Director
Project for a New American Century (PNAC)
RON ROSENTHAL, Managing Editor, San Francisco Chronicle
PHIL BRONSTEIN, Executive Editor, San Francisco Chronicle,
MICHAEL MEDVED, Talk Show Host, on 124 AM stations
BEN WATTENBERG, Moderator, PBS Think Tank.
ANDREW LACK, president of NBC
DANIEL MENAKER, Executive Director, Harper Collins
DAVID REMNICK, Editor, The New Yorker
NICHOLAS LEHMANN, writer, the New York
HENRICK HERTZBERG, Talk of the Town editor, The New Yorker
PETER R KANN, CEO, Wall Street Journal, Barron’s
That's from a Jewish website i-dog (just have a look at the 'topics' links to the right of screen).
And yes, I do think, at this point, we can go ahead and accept their being on this Jewish list, of Jews, as confirmed Jews, is a sufficient evidence that Rupert Murdoch does indeed have a Jewish mommy, and is himself, thus tacitly admitting and confirming that he's Jewish.
So if you're so sure they're mistaken (without any viable question of your being completely incorrect) about Rupert and his mommy, and also that neither of those parties has seen fit to formally set this Jewish Website straight (and I'm pretty certain they would have, if it actually were false), and that you can actually PROVE TO THEM DIRECTLY WITH MATERIAL EVIDENCE that their Jewishness is false, or they are mistaken, then you'd better let 'em know - pronto!
We can't have Goyim riff-raff getting in the backdoor like this!
Perhaps you should berate them a bit, and tell them to "STFU" ... or somfin ... so they understand that you really know your stuff and are not just talking irrelevant shit to them.
Oh yeah, and how about you recant?
And maybe apologise, as that would be proper at this point, or at least somewhat more dignified.
(or else, you can feel free to STFU yourself)
As I said, the "Yes" option ... it would have been best mate.
But hey, this is fight-club ... so thanks for comin' ... :-D
EDIT: um, one last thing i-dog, that thing you do, where you pretend to be the Oracle and Guardian of the fine-detail of factual and historical truth (not least to make strawmen around being this mythical benevolent superhero of debate ... yeah, ... that's what you're doing there when you claim that dire responsibility to zh readership, and all of humanity), simply to prevent others from being led down false avenues of erroneous claims, via nefarious actors ... yeah ... hmm ... well, ... how's about you don't insinuate yourself into that self-appointed roll any more here? ... let's just let people use their own capacities, free of someone else's oversight or say-so etc.
I think that would be best ... don't you? ;-)
Fri, 10/28/2011 - 20:24 | 1823101 i-dog
i-dog's picture
Zero proof ... all innuendo ... and plenty of patent falsehoods!
You made the claim that he was biologically jewish, so fucking prove it! I don't need to prove a negative.
You're completely missing the real target and wasting my time and patience.
[Hint: Read up on Sabbateans and their close association with Jesuits - particularly since a meeting in Frankfurt in 1786 between Jacob Frank (Sabbatean leader), Adam Weishaupt (Jesuit founder of 'Illuminati') and Mayer Rothschild (Sabbatean banker). Kissinger (Knight of Malta) is a Sabbatean; Murdoch (Knight of St.Gregory) is a crypto-Jesuit ... they both work with each other and with the Vatican towards an objective that has absolutely nothing at all to do with orthodox judaism, FFS!!].
Yes, the media is [largely] controlled by jewish 'names', but the owners and editors nearly all attend the jesuit-created Bilderberg (both Prince Bernhard and Josef Retinger were Knights of Malta) and/or jesuit-created CFR (Edward Mandell House was a Sabbatean; David Rockefeller is a Knight of Malta; Henry Luce was a Knight of Malta; William F. Buckley was a Knight of Malta;......).
Do us all a favour and ... wake up!!
Fri, 10/28/2011 - 21:14 | 1823243 Element
Element's picture
No, I pointed out that others, scholarly researchers, and among them David Irving (no, not Jew Watch mate, they were only directly quoting Irving's work verbatim, but you ignored that fact in your rush to a dismisal of Jew Watch, as a source for any such commentry or details - completely improper), and US conservative Jews themselves say Rupert Murdoch is one of them.
That's a LOT more than a mere baseless claim mate.
I gave you a Jewish conservative source that says he's definitely a Jew!
You simply assert he isn't a Jew, but give nothing contrary to support that view, except a personal opinion based on historical association.
That ain't nearly enough for me to discount the other sources, as it does not address them AT ALL.
Nevertheless, I may look into those issues you've mentioned.
For now, as far as I'm concerned, I'm reasonably satisfied/confident that Rupert Murdoch is a Jew, and you haven't given me any evidenciary reasons to think otherwise. You talk of mere inuendo, but all you did was to smear those who discussed the pro-case.
Smears are not relevant.
If you call "bullshit" as you did, you need to be able to show why, and to actually do so.
You didn't do that.
I think I've shown sufficiently, that;
(1) it isn't baseless
(2) the Jews themselves are satisfied that he's a Jew
So it's entirely reasonable with a fairly high level of confidence to accept that Rupert Murdoch is a Jew, and to assert such, as I initially did. I am not misleading or derailing any one here via doing that.
Have you considered that there's a good chance you are mistaken and misleading people? Just how did you get so confident you're right about this exactly? I'd sure like to know the actual evidence for this leap of confidence?
Claiming the onus is not on you, when you are the one who called "bullshit", or else twisting this to assert that I'm asking you to prove-a-negative, is obfuscatory nonsense.
You and I both know that sort of line is just bollocks.
So who are you playing that sort of stuff to? And you just keep changing the subject to Jesuits, and now to nasty Sabbateans and black nights of yore .. fuck man! Would your whole dark-crypt narative really be so terminally wounded if it turned out Rupert is really a Jew?
What gives?
Fri, 10/28/2011 - 21:23 | 1823335 i-dog
i-dog's picture
"black nights of yore ...... dark-crypt narative "
LOL! "When innuendo doesn't work, fall back on ridicule"... PsyOps101
Your slip is starting to show....
Do some reading before you come back with more populist nonsense!
Fri, 10/28/2011 - 21:36 | 1823346 Element
Element's picture
ha, ... paranoia now?
Oh please! ...
ok .. I hit nerve-central with that one.
You have some idea or thesis you wish to protect and if Rupert is a Jew, this being correct would somehow threaten this mental edifice?
Is that it i-dog?
Is that why you're changing the subject and resorting to the commentary of desperation?
My reading's fine ... we are all ignorant in varing degrees re the potential knowledge base of these subjects.
You aren't helping.
Wed, 10/26/2011 - 11:35 | 1812744 hvl626
hvl626's picture
Agreed. I will believe D.C. is serious when they ask the Fed to account for the $8.4 Trillion the FRBNY handed from the Treasury auctions in 2010. Much of that money was pure profit for the Fed and was hidden from Congress. It is a crime to hide money that is due the government. Ref.
Tue, 10/25/2011 - 21:34 | 1810727 cocoablini
cocoablini's picture
AMAZING! As a Poli-Sci major, the level of government treachery towards their corrupt partners in crime is astounding. I would love to hear the dirt Goldman has on the SEC, The FBI, the CIA, The POTUS donations etc, etc.
You can't write this level of treachery. I mean Goldman is part of the PPT, right? The faker club?
Tue, 10/25/2011 - 21:47 | 1810789 john39
john39's picture
if they can't buy politicians outright, they blackmail them... some drugs, hookers, whatever it takes to get the job done.
Wed, 10/26/2011 - 00:16 | 1811244 Freddie
Freddie's picture
This is like that Tom Cruise film with the corrupt law firm. The attorneys who ask questions end up dead and everyone has blackmail hanging over them which is the Dem Party's MO.
The difference in that film is the Italian mafia in the movie are happy go lucky wise guys compared to goldman, soros, the elites, intelligence, Google/Skynet, Chicago exchanges and NYC exchanges, TV & newsmedia and the drug cartels who are their partners.
Wed, 10/26/2011 - 01:10 | 1811321 roygbiv
roygbiv's picture
yeah, political blackmail, definitely a Dem thing.
I mean the Repubs would never try to tie up the entire government with invetstigations into the peccadillos of a certain official, and then try to force that twice elected public official to resign over a potential "gasp" blowjob, especially important in comparison to any efforts said blow-jobee was trying to do regarding some oh-i-don't-know, some terrist guy out in the desert who may have been a' hatchin some plan to attack us.
Nope, blackmail - definitely a Dem MO.
Wed, 10/26/2011 - 11:57 | 1812843 hivekiller
hivekiller's picture
Re: Clinton
How about lying under oath, threatening witnesses, coordinating drug trafficking, blowing up the Murrah Building in OK City, taking a $10 million dollar bribe from the Chinese Army to send technology to help the Chinese better target American cities? Is any of that impeachable?
Tue, 10/25/2011 - 23:19 | 1811114 DeadFred
DeadFred's picture
The problem is they didn't go after Goldman so why should Goldman care? I don't think GS will worry about it, it's just part of the cost of doing business. You need to pay some bribes, er, campaign contributions, sacrifice a virgin or two to the volcano gods, and occasionally sell out one of your own to make the government look better.
Wed, 10/26/2011 - 08:35 | 1811788 Fiat Money
Fiat Money's picture
"You can't write this level of treachery."
well... you can try!
besides #1. STOLEN ELECTION 2000 (not that it made any difference: Al Gore was IN THE POCKET of the Vampire Squid, he wanted to give them a WORLD MONOPOLY on CARBON 'CREDITS" control, and he selected backstabber Joe Lie-berthug as his running mate)
you have, #2. INTENTIONAL SABOTAGE, "wet blanketting" of ANY and all US govt. responses to a KNOWN al qaeda terror threat - they WANTED the 9-11 attacks to GO DOWN, so they'd get their precious "NEW PEARL HARBOR" EXCUSE to attack, invade, and permanently occupy Iraq...
#3. When some Dem senators BALKED at the dictatorial, Nazi-esque ("Enabling Laws") un-P.A.T.R.I.O.T. Act... why, whadda ya know, THE 2 senators MOST powerfully holding up ("obstructing") the act... got ANTHRAX LETTERS MAILED TO THEIR SENATE OFFICES... by "A-RAB terrarists" of course!
#4. Lies-to-war
#5. when an outspoken government critic EXPOSED the "Niger, Africa, 'yellowcake' uranium ore for Iraq WMD program" story as a LIE, the War Lobby (by then well infested in the U.S. White House) went into overdrive to SMEAR said critic... EXPOSING his WIFE as a CIA undercover agent, thereby "OUTING" ENTIRE CIA under-cover operations (plural!) -
#6. when another Senator was the ONE MAN in America with the influene and courage to potentially DERAIL the bush-cheney-WOLFOWITZ-perle-feith-libby-wurmser-zackheim (et al) INVASION of Iraq... well, WHADDDA YA KNOW, Senator Paul Wellstone's chartered Beechcraft transport airplane goes SMASHING INTO THE GROUND, as he is CRUISING to a STOMPING re-election win, despite the best muck bush, cheney, rove, and the war-lobby (in form of norm coleman) can throw at him... praise be !
#7. those NUKES "go missing" from Barksdale Air Force base.... like some Sergeant accidentally put 'em on the wrong check-list, LOL !!
#8. using text-book "DISASTER CAPITALISM" (= financial warfare on those who aren't expecting/suspecting it), the Fed, Treasury, and Con-gress (and presidents) extort $20+ TRILLION dollars out of American working families' hides.... and hands 'em over to the GS, JPM, citi, boa, nybankmellon, wachovia/wellsfargo Fed bankster vampire squids, Praise Be!!
#9. the gs Vampire Squid crew goes on a 2 decade JIHAD to DISMANTLE AMERICAN INDUSTRY - by shipping US jobs, entire factories, ENTIRE INDUSTRIES to communist china - who are, of course, the ultimate "EVUL ENEMY" when the Squid finally runs out of lesser enemies to villanize.
(saddam, al qaeda, bin laden, qadafi, syria, iran, RUSSIA > china....)
hope this helps, ain't much, but it's a start !!
Wed, 10/26/2011 - 09:35 | 1812034 Fiat Money
Fiat Money's picture
btw, just to make clear: BOTH Senator Paul Wellstone, AND Alabama Gov. Don Siegleman, were (are) both Jewish... and both were (in Wellstone's case almost certainly) VICTIMS of the Neo-Con (jewish Likud run) WAR LOBBY...
AS WAS Prime Minister Rabin, KILLED, SHOT, MURDERED, ASSASSINATED, by a follower of then PM candidate Netanyahu's racist, jewish supremacist "LIKUD" Party in 1995...
This is of course a constant and pervasive them IN THE BIBLE: CAIN vs ABEL, Isaac vs Ishmael, Jacob vs Essau, Joseph vs his brothers, David's son Absolom KILLS his half-brother (for raping their half-sister), David has Saul's grandson's MURDERED (executed/assassinated), David's HARSH RULE provokes his ENTIRE KINGDOM to REBELLION under Absolom (many thousands killed); Salomon has HIS (half-) BROTHER MURDERED, as well as Joab, the general who saved his father countless times...
the above only a partial list... in TEXTBOOK "ethnic conflict" fashion, when FOREIGN ENEMIES aren't around, have your bloodthirsty warriors hack & chop up YOUR OWN PEOPLE... their neighbors... as AARON and his sons MURDERED the very Israelites who FOLLOWED HIM in procession around the Golden Calf !!
Tue, 10/25/2011 - 22:19 | 1810894 TheFourthStooge-ing
TheFourthStooge-ing's picture
Talking about token fall guys! LOL!!
Rajat Gupta was high up enough in Goldman to think he was on the inside, but not high up enough to realize that people at his level constitute Goldman's sacrifice pool. He just happened to be the lottery winner this time.
Tue, 10/25/2011 - 23:58 | 1811215 Oh regional Indian
Oh regional Indian's picture
Not to forget that said Rajat Gupta was also the first brown man to lead that nest of vipers called McKinsey and Company.
The hatchet men for any uncomfortable measure needed to be pushed down any comany/nation's throat.
He knows things, that's for sure, no small player. Interesting to see how this develops.
Nuclear Anniv and Omens
Wed, 10/26/2011 - 00:10 | 1811235 Freddie
Freddie's picture
Gupta is a sacrificial HinJoo.
Wed, 10/26/2011 - 03:34 | 1811412 monkeyboy
monkeyboy's picture
Nah, Raj is just a happy scapegoat.
Tue, 10/25/2011 - 21:13 | 1810645 navy62802
navy62802's picture
It's like I've said for a long time. If the authorities were to root out every bit of corruption from our system, the system would no longer continue to exist in its current form. Our financial sector (and hence, the underpinnings of our economy) is built on a foundation of corruption and fraud. These guys are just grains of sand in a vast beach of ass holes. These moves are nothing more than an attempt to create a facade of action ... so that it looks like Obama is dealing with the banker problems. These two will be made examples of (one already has been).
Tue, 10/25/2011 - 21:19 | 1810662 earleflorida
earleflorida's picture
didn't tyler just say that
Tue, 10/25/2011 - 22:19 | 1810892 slewie the pi-rat
slewie the pi-rat's picture
they have tapes of him having phone sex with martha stewart when she was on parole with the ankle bracelet. they won't let him turn himself in to the SEC. full story @ 11!
stay tooned, BiCheZ!
Tue, 10/25/2011 - 21:32 | 1810707 baby_BLYTHE
baby_BLYTHE's picture
we better hope for a total 'root out'. If not, these jackals will cause the collapse of the U.S. currency and send hundreds of millions into poverty worldwide instantaneously with their mass derivative and leveraged speculation. Yes, indeed. It is a damn shame the entire world must rely on the U.S. Federal Reserve Note as the sole Reserve Currency. Real money, GOLD and Silver, will reassert themselves eventually as the only true store of value (sound money) and legal tender but not without much pain and turmoil worldwide. In the mean time, Benocide shall commence. QE3 by Q2 2012, for certain. No dobut in my mind whatsoever.
Tue, 10/25/2011 - 21:35 | 1810730 mynhair
mynhair's picture
When the entire system is corrupt, how can the system 'root out corruption'?
Tue, 10/25/2011 - 22:14 | 1810880 earleflorida
earleflorida's picture
it doesn't - it just keep cannibalizing itself until a few good [emphasis on a good moral compass endowed genes that paradoxically strangles the symbiotic amoral gene] renegade mutated genes bifurcates - spawning exponentially the anomalous nascent symbolic mirroring of genetic polling, coalescing once again into the next homo-sapian lineage, replicating the new genius of neo-modern man
basically we were/ are the past neanderthal's of the future, in which i firmly believe we split fifty years ago prematurely
Wed, 10/26/2011 - 02:33 | 1811369 Incubus
Incubus's picture
You don't. You burn everything to the ground.
None of this is worth saving--save for internet infrastructure.
Blank slate, bitches. People are too "attached" to these cultural and social versions of themselves that they're ignorant to the reality that they're totally free to shape the world as they will.
"You" are not "American" or "Conservative" or "Liberal" or a "dumbass" or a "fatfuck who reads ZH": "you" are a pile of worthless and subjective perversions on information. What "you" are doing tethering "yourself" to some incredibly asinine interpretation of "yourself" because "you've" been conditioned to do so.
Wake the fuck up and realize that you are free.
Tue, 10/25/2011 - 21:36 | 1810738 cocoablini
cocoablini's picture
Grains of sand in a beach full of assholes...
That's damn poetic
Tue, 10/25/2011 - 23:04 | 1811071 disabledvet
disabledvet's picture
Jackals indeed. With the famous singers "the hyenas" providing back up. Expect much yelping and carousing about.
Tue, 10/25/2011 - 21:39 | 1810754 Wannabee
Wannabee's picture
Up arrow for the beach metaphor. The imagery is beyond words.
Tue, 10/25/2011 - 22:00 | 1810832 Sokhmate
Sokhmate's picture
Walking on such beach is easy on the feet I'd imagine. But gotta be careful with the big toe's placement lest it gets stuck
Tue, 10/25/2011 - 22:40 | 1810987 loveyajimbo
loveyajimbo's picture
Yes, but U have to admit, Lloyd is one HUGE asshole... or at least he will have a HUGE asshole soon if there is any justice in this fubar'ed country... oops, Holder the AG is also a HUGE asshole... ah, forget it.
Tue, 10/25/2011 - 23:08 | 1811082 disabledvet
disabledvet's picture
He testified. I was impressed with his employees fanaticism. Reminded me of the Waffen SS. Not that they were prepared to die for their country of course.
Wed, 10/26/2011 - 23:05 | 1815707 Tompooz
Tompooz's picture
Thanks for the heads-up, jimbo. The Beach of assholes may be easy on the feet, but you gotta watch out for the big ones that can swallow you whole.
Wed, 10/26/2011 - 03:33 | 1811411 monkeyboy
monkeyboy's picture
Nah, Raj is just a happy scapegoat.
Wed, 10/26/2011 - 12:17 | 1812963 JayParamedic
JayParamedic's picture
On that note, who wants a pen pal? :)
Tue, 10/25/2011 - 21:03 | 1810613 0cz
0cz's picture
"Of course, we give Obama about 24 hours before the economy tanks"
Did I miss something?
Tue, 10/25/2011 - 22:14 | 1810877 Carlyle Groupie
Carlyle Groupie's picture
Don't F with The Squid.
Tue, 10/25/2011 - 22:20 | 1810898 JR
JR's picture
Tue, 10/25/2011 - 21:03 | 1810615 bugs_
bugs_'s picture
sing along with raj
Tue, 10/25/2011 - 21:21 | 1810677 knukles
knukles's picture
"Christmas Songs of the Vimanas" by the Raj Brothers.
Tue, 10/25/2011 - 22:19 | 1810884 Carlyle Groupie
Carlyle Groupie's picture
American Federal Pens are the best of the best. Tennis anyone? 3:00 Tea with Madoff?
If I we're the age of a college student I would much prefer that education rather than your traditional approach. Get my drift?
Tue, 10/25/2011 - 21:09 | 1810625 knukles
knukles's picture
Wondered what the fuck was happening with him. RajRaj gets banged, but Mr. Moto just slid by.... Guess that the Feebies getting some smells of bad shit wafting from the Water Street shed whilst Not Quite Enough Campaign Contributions being spread about? At some point, the firm who let the Whole Cat Out of the Bag; "We own the world" and "Doing God's Work" was doomed to pay the piper.....
There's that old story of the money changers being thrown from the temple....
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http://www.zerohedge.com/news/ex-goldman-director-will-turn-himself-fbi-face-criminal-charges
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dclm-gs1-417010007
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http://www.pulsetheworld.com/erase-search-searchmwfc-com/
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dclm-gs1-022380008
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[
"T-X"
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0.057874
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en
| 0.962001
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(Buffy Actual Play) The Watch House Season Five
Craig Oxbrow
Ah, y'know. This guy.
Validated User
The Watch House Season Five, Episode Three, Pre-credits
The Watch House 5.03: What You Don't Know
Milli: The prodigal daughter of a Watcher family saved the world by killing the man she loved after her attempt to restore his soul went horribly wrong. Now, she wants to try and make amends.
William: The best Watcher student in the college survived Jacques's reign of terror, although he now walks with a limp and carries a cane.
Matthew: The born sorcerer continues to practice with his gift despite his guilt over the spell going so far wrong.
Andy: The inheritor of a lycanthropic curse he can control is in mourning for his friend.
Lucian: He seems to be of good family but lacking in money, and to have an interest in something the Watch are involved in...
Simon: His sister murdered by a demon, he joined the Watchers' hunt for the killer and was unable to find it.
Natalie: Gifted with visions by a descendant of the shamans who created the Slayer, she has returned to Africa to find out why...
Escher: The Watchers' Invigilator holds himself partially responsible for the disaster of the summer.
Charlotte: William's girlfriend wants to support him, but would rather not have to do so from the front line, or in sight of Milli.
Helen: A semicompetent dabbler in transformative magic who once split Andy into two beings by accident and was politely warned to stop that.
Timothy: Matthew's father, a senior archivist in the Council's main library.
Abigail: Simon's mother.
Previously on The Watch House:
Helen: What was taken I now will back...
As she turns from a model-like blonde into a not-unattractive brunette.
Helen casting a spell on Andy.
Helen: Draw his burden from him…
Andy splitting in two.
Milli rounding on Helen.
Milli: Don't do that again.
Simon finding a humanoid figure with a monstrous face standing over the body of his sister.
Simon: Why did she die?
William: The only connection we've been able to find is a report of a minor healer's assistant fighting off a similar-sounding creature two streets away...
Milli: This is the way it is for us. This is why we do what we do. Why we fight... You're... more than welcome. If you want.
Lucian delivering a book on metallurgy, asking questions and being cagey with information around the Watch.
Charlotte finding a note in the book Lucian left.
Milli: You're trying to enchant a weapon!
Lucian: ... What?
Milli: Bet you he's an evil wizard. Bet you.
Lucian: Okay. If you must know. There's an old family legend about Durandal.
Milli: ...?
Lucian: The sword of Roland, chief of Charlemagne's Paladins?
Lucian waking up next morning and scratching his tattoo - showing a sword and a banner marked DURANDAL.
We open on Simon looking over his new digs. No sign of a flatmate. Not many books, either. But one familiar hardback sits on the bed. A Directory Of Demons, British Isles.
He turns to the door as he hears running feet getting closer. A brown-haired girl with glasses, running full tilt as she looks backwards at the empty corridor, almost runs into him.
Simon: Are you al-
Helen: You don't see it?
He looks confused. She keeps going. He watches her go, still seeing nothing follow her, until she's out of sight.
At the office, William looks up at a frantic hammering on the door, and answers.
Helen: Help me!
William: Er... what is it?
He opens the door for her and she almost dives inside.
Helen: It's after me!
William: What is?
Helen: You couldn't see it?
Milli: Uh... what's going on?
William waves Matthew over.
Helen: You guys have to...
She looks out and flinches.
William looks both ways, seeing nothing.
Matthew looks over and sees a translucent creature of flickering yellow and orange light scraping its three-inch claws at the barrier formed by the threshold. It notices him, pauses and roars in his face.
William doesn't bat an eyelid until Matthew stumbles back.
Matthew: (shocked) I -buha!
William: (confused) What?
Craig Oxbrow
Ah, y'know. This guy.
Validated User
The Watch House Season Five, Episode Three, Act One
Matthew straightens up a little stiffly and backs away from the threshold.
William: What, is there something there?
He waves his hand in front of him. The demon claws at it, its talons passing through his fingers harmlessly.
Matthew: I... think it's a Torvaka. Insubstantial... invisible except to those attuned to the mystical.
Helen gets up from behind the desk.
Helen: Right. That boy couldn't see it either.
Escher: Boy?
Helen: In my hall. Thought he might try to help, if he could. Looked the type. Erm...
Escher: ... Anyway, the Torvaka can be made more apparent with this ritual... Needs the smoke from alder leaves.
Milli: (irritably) Helen? What a pleasant surprise... what the hell are you doing here?
Helen: I'm, uh, hiding behind your barrier spells.
Milli: ... Might I ask why?
Helen: Some sort of demon most people can't see is chasing me.
Escher: The Torvaka.
Helen: Yes. Him.
Milli: I see. What have you been doing?
Helen: What?
Milli: Well, last time we saw you, you were messing around with spells. And the time before that. I seem to recall saying something along the lines of "don't be messing around with magic".
Helen: Hrm.
Milli: So what have you been doing?
Helen: Nothing! Just... researching. (mumbles) Healing spells.
Matthew looks up sharply, eyes widening.
Matthew: What? No! Nononono! Altering the body is a fundamental rule -
Helen: I made myself three inches taller and blonde, I -
Matthew: And you made me glow in the dark for two days when you did that!
Helen: Well okay I admit I've made some errors but I think I can fix a broken bone okay -
Matthew: It's still messing with the essential forces of life! It's all connected!
Helen: Okay, okay!... All I've been doing is some herbal poultices anyway.
Milli: And nothing else? Nothing that would sic a demon on you?
Helen: No!
Milli's eyes narrow.
Helen: I mean, I joined a mailing list...
Milli: ... Which one?
William looks over the site Helen joined.
William: This woman, Julianne... she posted a lot of good advice.
Helen: Yeah. She's gone into seclusion now after she got mugged or something. The post was really vague... And now I think I know why...
William: And this man died in a car accident last week, where...
Helen: "The car appears to have skidded sideways twenty-five feet, as if on ice, with no sign of an impact causing it..."
Escher: (dryly) I think perhaps a pattern is forming.
William: Oh, and this infrequent poster was apparently killed in an animal attack six weeks ago.
Helen: Bloody hell...
Milli comes over.
Milli: Can you see if anyone was looking around here?
William: Sure, but that could be a long list.
Milli: What about people that were banned from the list?
William: Right... three names on one ISP, and another.
Milli: Find their posts. Do any of them say anything like "all witches suck, now I summon demons to kill you all, ha ha?"
William: Well, the one with three aliases posted U R TEH SUXXORZ, MAGGIC IS KEWL LOL...
Escher: Pardon?
William: I traced the ISP to a high school...
Milli looks disappointed that it won't be so easy.
Milli: Right. And the other one?
William: In London. I can't see why he was banned really... last few posts were looking for clarifications on conjuring protective finding spirits...
Milli: (irritably) Finding spirits. Bloody hell. Why are we even trying to help these people?
Matthew: Because they're not doing anything harmful and someone's killing them?
Milli: ... Right.
Meanwhile, in the Brody, Lucian Featherstonehaugh Weeks looks at his watch and sighs, then returns to rubbing his forehead.
Lucian: Punk girls with swords...
William: Oh, we're supposed to go meet that Lucian guy.
Milli: Do we have to?
William: It was that or he'd come here.
Milli: Right. (pause) Do I have to?
William: I guess not.
Matthew leads William and Charlotte to the Brody and over to the table where Lucian sits, slowly sipping from a glass of water and massaging his temples.
Andy meanders in and goes to the bar.
William: Good afternoon.
Matthew: Sorry we're late.
Lucian: Grhmm?
He looks up.
Lucian: Ah. Yes! Right then. As I mentioned, the Weeks family came over with the Normans, with the Chevalier de Semaines, a trusted, loyal and pious follower of William the Conqueror. For his services to William during the Conquest, the Chevalier was gifted prime lands in Sussex. In the year 1073, de Semains departed from the shores of England, ostensibly to visit friends and family back in Normandy. There were rumours, however, that he had been chosen for a sacred and holy mission: to recover the mythical sword Durandal, legendary blade of Count Roland.
Matthew nods along excitedly. William and Charlotte share a look.
Lucian: He returned over a year later, claiming no success... but he laid on a splendid feast to which all the members of the community, regardless of rank or station, were invited. He brought back a long, enamelled box that he never opened in public...
William and Charlotte raise their eyebrows.
Lucian: But, anyway, centuries later the box is no longer among our possessions. Many of us have searched for it, and tried to find out what happened... So essentially, I want to know what the truth of the story is.
Matthew nods enthusiastically.
Matthew: My father is the associate archivist at the central record library -
Lucian: Fairweather? Right. I believe I met him when I visited. Very helpful he was too, yes.
Matthew: Oh. It sounds like we might be going down for the weekend.
Lucian: Could I join you? I have my own transport (mutters) if it's working.
Matthew: The more the merrier, I'm sure.
William and Charlotte share a look again.
Milli and Simon arrive shortly after Lucian heads off.
Milli: Hi. How'd it go? Did you kill him?
Matthew: ... No... We said we'd help him. Seems like a nice guy.
Simon: Right, uh, I have to get Helen a sandwich...
Milli: Which is why I want to make her safe quickly.
She shakes her head as he goes.
Milli: So, what did he want?
William: He wants to know more about the enchanted sword from the song of Roland which might not even exist.
Matthew: But it might. So we're going to research it in London.
Charlotte: And... so is he...
Milli: Wha-huh?
William: Turns out he knows Matthew's father.
Charlotte: (deadpan) Ancient swordsmithing mythology is a small world after all. Who knew.
Milli looks sidelong at her. She shrugs and half smiles.
Matthew: So are we bringing him along?
Milli: Bet he talks and talks all the way to London.
Charlotte: He'll be less annoying than if we don't.
Milli: But he'll be annoying for longer.
Matthew: He did say he'd buy dinner.
William: Think you could handle that?
Milli: Not on my own.
William: ... With everyone there?
Milli: Yeah. Just don't make me sit next to him.
William: You did kind of attack him with your sword.
Milli: Yes, and usually people take the hint to stay away after that, but he just kept talking to me!
Charlotte: (dryly) You could try not threatening him.
Milli: Would that help?
William: Maybe he talks more when he's nervous.
Milli: So I'd have to be polite to him to get him to shut up?
She considers this possibility and grimaces.
William: Sooo, London?
Matthew: Where are we all going to stay?
Milli: Where do you normally stay?
Matthew: The library.
Milli: ... Do you have a house?
Charlotte: A room? In the library?
Milli: You make a fort out of books?
Matthew: Not... all the time...
Everyone looks at him questioningly.
William: Sooo, how many of us are going down?
Milli looks around the group. And over at Andy and Simon.
Milli: (reluctantly) Including him, seven...
Charlotte: What about Helen? Is she still in protective custody?
Milli: (quickly) It'd be cruel to drag her along.
Charlotte: How is it crueller than making her camp out in the office?
Matthew: I always rather liked... er... It's not her fault.
Milli: I bet it is. Messing with forces beyond her understanding and all that.
Charlotte looks pointedly from her to Matthew and back.
Milli: (mumbling) ... I'd prefer they weren't amateurs.
Matthew: And anyway, I should be able to make the Torvaka visible before that.
Charlotte: And lure it out using her as bait?
Milli: We're not putting her in danger. (off her look) Well, okay, we are, but we'll all be there!
Simon returns with a sandwich pack and can of Coke. Andy follows, looking at the sandwich with interest.
Simon: So... What if you can't kill this thing we can't normally see?
Milli: I've never met a demon I couldn't kill. Well, actually, a few, but, uh, never mind.
Matthew: Anyway, I have an idea.
Milli: Is this the bit where you tell us off for not researching?
Matthew: ... No, this is the bit where I call someone.
Milli: Oh. Righto.
The group return, armed and ready, to find Helen sitting next to Escher and reading the arts section from his copy of the Times.
Helen: It was the only thing here he'd let me read.
Escher: Stopped her pacing around and wringing her hands.
Helen: And now I really want to go and see this exhibition...
Simon hands her the sandwich.
Helen: Thank you.
She gives him a small smile.
Helen: So, are you ready to banish this thing?
Matthew: Yes. We should be able to make it corporeal rather than it only becoming so when it attacks.
Helen: (nervously) Should?
Milli: Well, we need to find out. And so we need to draw it out.
Helen: You're about to say the B word, aren't you?
Milli: (grins) Bait!
Helen: I thought so...
She gets up, shoulders slumped, and heads for the door.
Matthew: I could do it but I'm always bait.
Helen: (quickly) I wouldn't want to intrude...
Milli: Now stand out there and -
Helen: Wait, couldn't you try and bind it or something?
Milli jostles her outside.
Matthew: I'm afraid this is all guesswork. Notes on these creatures are notoriously sketchy due to their insubstantive nature...
She looks around, stopping and looking one way, going pale.
Milli: Oh, don't worry, I've got a magic sword right here.
Helen: (shaking) C-c-c-could you u-use it?
She points behind her, the way she's trying not to look.
Milli takes an experimental swing at thin air.
Milli: Anything?
Helen: (screams) NO!
Craig Oxbrow
Ah, y'know. This guy.
Validated User
The Watch House Season Five, Episode Three, Act Two
Helen turns and dives at the door, nearly colliding with Matthew coming out with a candle and alder branch as he tries to set the leaves on fire.
Matthew: Oh, damn...
The smoke drifts up, and Milli and William can dimly see a yellowish shape in the haze.
Milli: There it is!
William fires a crossbow, and the bolt passes through with a slight ripple and bounces off the corridor wall behind it.
Helen: Not good...
Milli hacks at a chunk of it.
Milli: I think that was its head...
It floats still for a moment, then jerks back into motion, clawed hands flailing at her.
Matthew: Remains active after beheading... fascinating...
Helen: Yeah, bloody marvellous!
Milli cuts its left arm off and it collapses into a fine mist. William swings upwards with his cane sword, bisecting the demon. The lower half breaks down and drifts off with the rest of the smoke while the upper half twitches as it rises slowly.
Simon swings at it, and it slips away, clawing over his head, and swoops towards Helen. She dives behind Milli and Simon.
Milli: If I let it get you and don't help, that doesn't mean it's my fault...
Simon: You're really not a very nice person.
Milli: No, I am!
Matthew raises his hand in warding and it stops, rotating slowly in the air. Milli skewers it and it dissipates completely.
Helen: That was a really nice holding effect. Just a gesture and an action of will to enforce it? Where'd you learn that?
Matthew: On duty.
Helen: Okay, I get it... Sheesh...
Milli sheathes her sword and gives Helen a meaningful look.
Helen: So, ah, thank you. I feel much safer now.
Milli: Good. Bye then.
She smiles threateningly.
Helen: ... I'll get me coat.
Milli stretches and starts pacing.
Escher: ... Arts section?
Milli: ... So, we're on our way to London.
Helen: (glumly) Have fun.
Milli: And when we get back, I don't want to see you again, Helen Morrison of Room Eleven, Staircase Four.
She turns back to the others as Helen looks both ways as she exits.
Milli: So, London. Wanna head down now?
Matthew: We'll have to wait for Lucian, he did say he was coming.
Milli: I said yes?
The afternoon brings more good news for Milli, as she finds that Lucian is indeed waiting by the van.
Milli: (quietly) Oh, bloody hell...
Lucian: Ah. It's everyone, I see...
He smiles as gamely as he can, becoming something of a rictus as Milli glowers at him.
Simon: I'll dr-
Milli: (quickly) Shotgun!
She hurries to the front.
Milli: (to Matthew) Sorry you have to sit with a couple. (to William and Charlotte) Sorry you have to sit with Lucian.
Andy looks over the interior of the van, glancing suspiciously at the dog guard in the back. William sighs and throws a bacon roll that way.
Andy: Mine!
Lucian: That's been on the floor...
Andy: Mine!
Lucian sidles away just a tad. He says nothing for the rest of the first leg of the trip.
The van pulls up outside a large house in suburban (nicebitofLondonwhereSimonlives).
Simon: Dad's... probably out, actually. Research.
William: Oh?
Simon: Pharmaceuticals. And Mum's... well, it's before six, she might still be awake.
He ignores several questioning looks as he unlocks the door and lets everyone in.
Lucian: So, is there a phone I could use? If I'm making dinner reservations.
Simon: Sure. That way.
Lucian heads into the hall, looks around warily, picks up the phone, and speaks in an officious RP accent.
Lucian: Ah, is that the Grill...?
Maitre D': It is. Bookings for Christmas are now closed -
Lucian: It's actually about tonight.
Maitre D': ... really...
Lucian: Yes, the food critic from the Standard is coming.
The Maitre D' has clearly heard this one before.
Maitre D': Riiiight.
Lucian: Did you see what he had to say about the Arboretum two weeks ago?
Maitre D': (now more convinced) I did...
Lucian: Anyway, it won't be overly late, just eight people, around seven. Don't want to get in the way too much.
Maitre D': Very considerate of you.
Lucian: They'll want a wide mix to take notes, some of them will decide as and when.
Maitre D': Of course...
Lucian: Thin fellow, slightly wild brown hair. Under the name of Weeks. Act casual of course.
Maitre D': Oh, naturally...
Lucian returns as Simon goes to look for his mother. Everyone else waits, setting down their bags.
Lucian: Right then. All invited!
Andy: Grand. So, sleeping arrangements.
Lucian: Put the two girls in the same room?
Charlotte: What?
Milli: No!
Charlotte: I mean -
Milli: That is -
Charlotte: William and I are... together. Not that we have to share a room but -
Milli: And I really... er... wouldn't want to intrude...
They look warily at each other, then rather gladly look over as Simon returns, with a fair-haired woman who inspects the group dubiously. His mother, Abigail Williams.
Abigail: Ahh. Yes. You're...
Milli: I'm Milli.
Mrs. William: Then he hasn't told me about you at all.
Milli: ... Oh.
Abigail: Anyway, you'll be in the... one of the rooms.
Milli: It's very nice of you to let us stay.
Abigail: Yes, well, might as well, don't make too much noise at breakfast time.
Simon: So... how are things?
Abigail: Do you really want to know?
Simon: ... Maybe later. Drink?
Abigail: I'm sure you know the way.
Lucian: Not tequila.
Milli: Wine. Cos I'm a girl and that's what we do.
Lucian: You struck me as more bitter...
Milli picks up her bag. It clinks.
Lucian: ... Jewellery?
Andy: (interrupting) I'll take that one there... and that one there... and some of that...
Lucian: You can't come into someone's house and drink all their spirits –
Andy: Done it before... Sorry, was I meant to sip that?
Lucian shakes his head and leaves him to it. Mrs. Williams appears not to care beyond rescuing a bottle of vodka.
Lucian: So, Mrs. Williams, you must be very proud of your son, attending Cambridge. Quite an achievement. Very... proud.
Abigail: So you said, yes.
Milli: Don't mind him. We only met him yesterday, he's a bit mad.
Charlotte: So, should we be getting ready?
Milli: How d'you mean? Weapons?
Charlotte: No, I was thinking like...
She points down at her top and trousers.
Charlotte: Is this okay for the restaurant?
Milli: Oh no, is there a dress code?
Charlotte looks at Lucian expectantly. He tries not to shrug.
Lucian: It... looks very well...? We're not going to the Ivy or anything...
Charlotte: (icily) I'll see what else I have.
She glowers and turns on her heel.
Lucian: (quietly) Women in group insulted, two for two...
Craig Oxbrow
Ah, y'know. This guy.
Validated User
The Watch House Season Five, Episode Three, Act Three
Lucian: (loudly) Table for Weeks at seven, thank you...
Charlotte looks impressed despite herself. William looks curious. Milli looks suspicious. Simon looks uncomfortable. Andy looks hungry.
Matthew greets his father as the group go inside. Milli stands nearby.
Timothy: You would be Milli, then?
Milli: Right. Hi.
Timothy: Your record makes for interesting reading.
Milli: ... Oh. Um. Well.
Timothy: Oh, don't take it personally.
Milli: ...
Matthew: (interrupting) Well, anyway, we're here at the invitation of Lucian Weeks. He's researching the song of Roland -
Milli: (whispering) And we don't know much about him. So we're looking for anything dodgy. Reason to have to kill him, maybe.
She looks hopeful.
Matthew: (whispering) This may not be the right time. And why are we whispering?
Milli: In case he has hearing like Andy's.
Matthew: ... Well, that seems... unlikely. And Lucian knows nothing about the History Society. We're historical reenactors.
Milli: And not very good ones...
Lucian rises as they arrive. Milli sits by Matthew.
Lucian: Ah, Mister Fairweather! Small world! I was just telling your son how much you helped me when I was making inquiries last year.
Timothy: (baffled) Did I?
Lucian: Master swordsmiths of the early Middle Ages in continental Europe.
Timothy: (realising) Oh, yes, of course! Still at it?
Lucian: That's how your son and I met up.
Timothy: So, not really a small world then, eh? Just a small and rather specialised field in southern England. (chuckles to himself)
Lucian: ... Wine?
He calls over the wine waiter.
Lucian: Three of the '77 Chateau Neuf.
Andy: French? French wine's crap.
Lucian: It is not crap!
Matthew: (quietly) Remember, best behaviour.
Milli: (quietly) Yeah, say nothing and... (looks over) Hey, are we getting wine then?
Lucian: (quickly) Yes, plenty of wine, wine for all! French wine. Finest in the world.
Andy: Huh.
Milli: Yes, that was very... informative.
She turns at Matthew and attempts to wink subtly to indicate for him to follow her.
Timothy: Something in your eye, dear?
Milli: ... Yes. Yes. Ow. Come on, Matthew, take a look?
Lucian looks at them curiously.
Lucian: Are they -
Charlotte: (coughs) Sorry. Wine bubbles.
William: Not as far as I know...
Lucian: Ah. Well... I get the sense that she doesn't much like me.
William: Why do you say that?
Lucian: Well. She looks like she might...
He runs his finger across his throat.
William: She's fine once you get to know her.
Charlotte: Hm.
William: Of course, I've known her since we were kids, so...
Charlotte: Hm.
Lucian: Well, she did attack me with a sword.
William: Just once.
Lucian: ... And... maybe some fellas like that... Why am I telling you this? You threatened me as well!
William: Not really.
Lucian: Are you trying to get me to piss her off? So she...
William: Would I?
Lucian: I don't know, would you?
Milli: So he's been looking into this for a while, using specialised libraries, including your father's.
Matthew: Ahhh, yes. Apparently.
Milli: And now he's trying to get us all drunk again.
Matthew: ... Maybe?
Milli: Keep an eye on him.
Matthew shakes his head and heads back, to find the waiter taking orders. Milli sits back down without looking at the menu.
Andy: Steak. Rare. Blue, if possible.
Lucian: Somehow that doesn't surprise me.
William: Steak sounds good, actually. Medium.
Charlotte: Can I get the braised chicken...
Matthew: I think I'll join you.
Simon: The herring?
Timothy: I may 's well get the steak too, medium to well.
Milli: (sighs) ... Can I get a salad?
Lucian: I'm sure they have multiple vegetarian options -
Waiter: (quickly) Oh, indeed we do, Miss, vegetarian and vegan. Also Halal and Kosher.
Milli: Oh. Well. Give me a minute to look...
Lucian: Very good service, don't you think?
Milli: The vegetable lasagne.
Lucian: More wine? I'll pour.
Milli looks at him suspiciously.
Milli: (whispering) He keeps looking at me. Do you think he knows something?
Matthew: (whispering) It seems unlikely.
Simon: (leaning in and whispering) Why are you whispering?
Lucian looks across. Milli and Matthew quickly look at Andy. He looks up warily.
Andy: Are we ordering dessert now?
Food arrives and is eaten with a mix of suspicious glances, uneasy smiles, and oblivious dabbing of rolls in gravy.
Seeing the Maitre D' nearby, Lucian nods to him and does his best to look like he's taking notes.
Matthew: (whispering) What is he doing?
Milli: (whispering) Is he giving the manager the eye? Look at the way he's talking to him!
Matthew: You think he might be gay?
Milli: At the moment I'm more hoping that than thinking...
Matthew: Still, you'd think he could go for someone better looking.
Milli looks sidelong at Matthew. He shrugs with his eyebrows.
They both watch as Lucian goes over to the Maitre D' and confers with him quietly.
Matthew: You could ask. You're better at the subtle talking than I am.
Milli: I am?
They both come over.
Maitre D': I trust everything was to your satisfaction?
Lucian: So. Passable, yes?
Andy: Very passable all round.
William: The steak was very good.
Andy: Didn't really notice.
Lucian: Anyway, my fr... acquaintances and I will be on our way.
As she rises, Milli turns to him.
Milli: So, do you want to meet him later? We can get a cab.
Lucian: ... I'm not a homosexual!
Milli: (positively hopeful) Ah - that is - there's nothing wrong with it - we don't mind!
Lucian: ... Let's go.
Timothy: What do we owe you?
Lucian: It's on account.
William: Tips?
Lucian: Feel free, but I wouldn't worry. Come along.
Milli: You paid for all of us? That was... good of you...
Lucian: Shall we adjourn?
Andy: I haven't had coffee yet.
Matthew: (whispering) See, now he's all nervous.
Milli: (whispering) Yes, yes... And not about me... well, not all about me...
She regards Lucian suspiciously again.
Milli: So, do you usually pay for meals for eight at big restaurants?
Lucian: I have a system.
Milli: Are we going to have to run, or wash dishes? Or are you and the manager - (winks)
Lucian: I, ah, told him something that wasn't exactly accurate.
Milli: (confused) Ohhh...
Lucian: London's expensive.
Milli: Well, yes. Don't worry. We won't tell.
Lucian: Good. I wouldn't want this coming out.
Milli: ... No...
She gives Matthew a thumb's up.
Lucian: It is a bit underhand.
Milli: Oh no, not at all. We understand your... situation perfectly.
Matthew: The less said the better... So, is there a pub we can go to around here?
Milli: All of us. (looks at William and Charlotte)
Lucian: ... Are we talking about the same thing?
Milli and Matthew share a look and shrug at him in unison. He looks at them suspiciously.
Milli: I wouldn't have thought this sort of place... or is that the point? That it's all secret and hidden?
Lucian: Er... yes?
Milli: I knew it!
Lucian: What?
Milli: That you -
Lucian: Yes, alright, I lied and said I was a food critic to get us in there.
Milli: ... You did? Oh. That's not where I was going at all.
He looks at her, baffled.
Matthew's father hails a cab. His son goes to see him off.
Timothy: So, this Weeks family, Bridlingstoke. I'll have a look, see what I can find.
Matthew: Right. Thanks, Dad.
Lucian notes the suspicious glances.
Lucian: I don't know, I thought I'd have been better off not telling them that I got a free meal by pretending to be a food critic...
Simon: I wouldn't worry. They look at everybody like that.
Lucian: Thanks. So, did you enjoy the fish?
Simon: Yeah. Maybe I should have gone for the steak, though, those looked great.
Lucian: It is nice to get a good bit of meat...
Observing them at a distance, Milli and Matthew share a look, again.
Milli: Do you think he likes Simon?
Matthew: What, like...?
Milli: Like that thing he's not.
Matthew: Oh. Errr... possibly? You know, he's quite... athletic.
Milli: And he's nodding. I think he agrees. Awww...
The group pile out of a pair of black cabs at the Williams house and Simon lets them in.
Simon: Dad?... Guess not...
Milli sidles up to Lucian. He looks at her edgily.
Milli: So, are you getting on well with Simon then?
Lucian: Yes, he seems like a nice lad.
Milli: Hmm, yeah.
They all reach the living room.
Lucian: Right, I'll... take the couch if I have to.
Simon: There's a box room down here.
Milli: While Simon has a whole room to himself? That doesn't seem fair...
Simon: What?
Lucian: Eh?
Milli ignores their protests as she goes into the hall to answer her phone.
Milli: Sir?
Escher: She's here again.
Milli: What?
Escher: Don't worry, I've got the leftover leaves. Just watch out in case they try to target Matthew.
Milli: Bloody hell...
She comes back in.
Milli: Okay, new plan. Matthew, with me.
Matthew: (baffled) What?
Milli: In case of... in case Mister Escher needs to talk to you.
Lucian looks unconvinced, but almost masks it.
Lucian: She's a bit strange.
Simon: They all are.
And outside, something swoops out of the sky towards the house...
Craig Oxbrow
Ah, y'know. This guy.
Validated User
The Watch House Season Five, Episode Three, Act Four
Matthew: Milli?
Milli reaches for her sword as she opens her eyes.
Milli: What is it, and where is it?
Matthew: I think it's another Torvaka.
Milli: Did you bring all the ingredients?
Lucian rolls over in his bed, and then opens one eye slightly as he hears footsteps upstairs.
Matthew follows Milli down the hall, both fully clothed apart from jackets, and Milli is shrugging hers on.
Matthew: Let's try and avoid waking Simon. He probably doesn't want to know about another demon attacking people inside his house.
Milli: Good point.
She passes one door and stops at another.
Milli: William?... Charlotte?
Matthew: I don't - whoa!
He dives away from an invisible attack. Milli slashes at the air where he stood.
Matthew: No, no good. Come on.
He shakes out a small alder branch and Milli hands him a lighter.
Matthew: Right, I have to hold it when it solidifies - there!
The Torvaka manifests, swooping towards him.
Milli: Right!
She swings her sword with both hands, hacking the demon in two. Its upper half rolls off like smoke, while its lower portion starts to sink through the floor.
Milli: After it!
She runs downstairs - to find Lucian standing in the stairwell.
Lucian: What the hell is going on?
She turns, sword in hand.
Milli: Uhm...
He looks past her, eyes wide, as the headless form of the Torvaka slides through the ceiling and hovers in the air, claws flexing.
Milli pushes past the staring Lucian and slashes her sword upwards through the demon, dissipating it.
Lucian turns slowly and looks at Matthew. He cringes.
Matthew: Now now, this is just a bad dream. That... I had.
Simon looks over the banister.
Simon: You weren't even going to tell me, were you?
Matthew: I figured it would be better not to.
Simon nods slightly and looks away. William and Charlotte look down as well. And then Andy glances over.
Andy: Drink?
Lucian says nothing.
Simon: I'll see if my mother's still sleeping off that bottle since you killed the demon.
Lucian: ... What?
Lucian looks up from his glass at the group.
Lucian: So, what were you up to tonight?
Milli: I was, ah, playing with my sword...
Matthew: And I was taking some pictures. With the flash. For the society newsletter.
Lucian: At two a.m.?
Simon: This is ridiculous. You can't keep lying -
Charlotte: (icily) Oh, they can.
William: (sighs) Look -
Milli: (stepping in) Not everyone can deal with this as well as you can.
Lucian: Buh? Uh...
Charlotte: Okay, I see her point, but still.
Milli sighs and rubs her brow.
Milli: I'm not very good at this. Anyone?
Matthew: Okay. It was... a monster.
Lucian: A monster. A demon. You said demon. As in Hell. The Inferno.
Matthew: Well, actually, this was from one of the colder planes -
Lucian: And you were fighting the demon. Really... very calmly...
Andy: 's hardly the first time. Ever met a vampire?
Lucian: Vampire. As in... dead people. Who drink blood.
Milli: (uncomfortably) Yeah.
She grimaces.
Milli: Why do you think we're interested in what you know about making enchanted weapons?
Lucian: I had the impression that the myths were interesting.
William: Well, they are, but some of the most interesting have a solid basis in fact -
Andy: But Anne Rice knows, like, nothing. I mean, vampires are real but they're not a bunch of angsty tortured pretty boys banging on about how awful being a vampire is... I mean, the odd one now and then...
Milli glowers at him and he gains a new interest in the bookshelves.
Lucian: I feel tempted to go for a walk.
Milli: There might be more.
Lucian: ... Please understand if I wish to be sceptical.
Milli: Sure, go ahead.
She smiles encouragingly. He looks at her suspiciously.
Lucian: But that would mean I was in more danger, wouldn't it?
Charlotte: What you don't know...
Lucian: Is there... a lot of this going around?
Milli: Well... yes.
Lucian: And you know a lot about this?
Milli: Well, we're studying to fight them. Well, some of us are. Half of us.
Lucian: Oh.
Matthew: My dad's one -
Lucian: A demon?
Matthew: A Watcher.
Lucian: A watch what?
Matthew: That's what we do. We... watch.
Milli: We keep watch.
Matthew: (quietly) Yes that's better.
Lucian grimaces.
Lucian: So... what else is there?
Milli: Well, there are so many things...
Charlotte glances at Andy.
Matthew: Should we talk about...?
Andy looks over and shakes his head.
Lucian: So... when you broke into the shop...
William: (fidgeting uncomfortably) Yes...
Lucian: That thing about you being bookstore vigilantes... wasn't far off...
Matthew: We thought you were trying to enchant weapons.
William: There's a thriving secondary market.
Lucian: So you have enchanted weapons?
William: Not all of us.
Milli: My sword.
Lucian: So that's a real magic sword.
Milli: Yeah.
Lucian: So... what I've been looking for... Durandal is real?
Matthew: Possibly. It may have grown in the telling - it might not really be able to cut mountains in two -
Lucian: I need to call my father. Oh. Were you asking your father about me?
Matthew: (guiltily) Yes.
Lucian: Hm, well, fair enough. So, was that the extent of your enquiries?
Matthew: Pretty much. We might have more questions later.
Lucian: I imagine I might too.
Milli: Hm.
William: Any questions now?
Lucian: I think maybe I'll have more when I've slept on it, when it isn't half past two in the morning. Then perhaps we can have a... chat.
Matthew: Okay.
Lucian: Yes. I'd like that.
Milli: Night then.
Lucian: Yes...
Lucian shakes his head and gets up to go back to bed.
He lies down, closes his eyes, and is soon fast asleep...
Next time, on The Watch House:
Chase: Someone is systematically targeting those using magic beneficially.
Matthew backing away from a transparent figure swathed in a grey robe, pointing at him.
The group charging into the foyer of a private club, and facing a man with jet black eyes, power crackling around his clenched fists.
The next episode of The Watch House is Marked.
(Lucian says nothing for the rest of the first leg of the trip.)
Cat: Yay!
Registered User
Validated User
Re: The Watch House Season Five, Episode Three, Act Four
I've just finished a 4-and-a-bit season binge, and wow. You're all totally awesome!
Natalie's coming back though, right? Matthew must be pining. :)
I miss Ziggy.
Edit: subscribes to the new season's thread
Craig Oxbrow
Ah, y'know. This guy.
Validated User
Thank you. We really appreciate that.
Natalie will be back the episode after next - so next week.
Registered User
Validated User
A few questions, also - are the black-eyes-for-Sorcery triggered whenever the Sorceror does anything Sorcerous, or is there a threshold? And you mentioned something earlier about Sorcery progressing too quickly compared to other abilities? How did that work out/get resolved? (I have the Buffy RPG, but haven't managed to coax people here into a game yet)
The sword-cane is a neat touch, too - William really took a pounding at the end of S4, and it just made him cooler.
I'm eager to see what comes of Lucian, too - especially when he's played by Doctor Who :) (Well, all right, the actor that plays the Doctor)
Craig Oxbrow
Ah, y'know. This guy.
Validated User
A genuine Actual Play query! Wow! :D
Sorcery as written starts pretty cheap at character generation especially considering its power and versatility, costs less to increase per level than an Attribute, has no cap on raising it, and adds to Intelligence + Occultism rolls. It soon gets difficult to fail a Sorcery roll, even without using Drama Points.
This reflects the show very well - Willow goes from no ability whatsoever to world-threatening uberwitch in four and a half seasons - but if game balance is more important than emulation it would be worth making Sorcery more expensive. Possibly 6 Quality Points per level, and maybe double the Quality XP cost.
How we worked it here is that Matthew was at 5 before attempting the soul curse, and knocked down to 3 afterwards. He'll start building up again in Season Five, though...
Another thing to note for the entire group's power leveles is that the Revised Corebook, at least, suggests that a multiple-season game should generally give outr two or three XP per session. I've tended more to three or four, and over more than a hundred sessions that does make a difference.
We considered recasting him since his first appearance predated The Christmas Invasion and Tennant becoming an immense star in the UK, but decided to keep him because I actually think he suits Lucian better than the Doctor. ;)
Craig Oxbrow
Ah, y'know. This guy.
Validated User
Sorry, I didn't cover the 'black eyes' thing.
It's purely a narrative device with no direct rules attached to it, usually implemented by the player to emphasise the character is indeed doing something sorcerous, especially when spending a Drama Point or acting in anger. (Which is why the only time Emma's eyes went black while she lived was when she saw Jake as a vampire for the first time.)
Sometimes I'll ask if I think an eyes-going-black shot is appropriate, and sometimes it seems apt even when magic isn't being used.
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NYCC: Wood & Jones' "Alien: Defiance" Pits Wounded Warrior Against New Xenomorph Threat
The Aliens are coming. The Aliens are coming.
Friday, longtime franchise comic caretaker Dark Horse announced "Aliens: Defiance," a new ongoing series set to launch in April, to be written by Brian Wood and illustrated by Tristan Jones, at their "Dark Horse: Classified" New York Comic-Con panel. The story promises to fit between the first and second sci-fi film classics, introducing new characters to revisit, explore, and update the themes that bridge the two in a new tale of extra-terrestrial terror.
In the tradition of Ellen Ripley, readers will meet Zula Hendricks -- a career Colonial Marine who is recovering from combat injuries when a mysterious space freighter appears near her military hospital, and when the corporate overlords of Weyland-Yutani to send in a fleet of synthetics to investigate, what they find begins a tale of survival, horror, and all-new, all-different Xenomorphs.
With high-profile work on "Star Wars" and "Mad Max: Fury Road," respectively, Wood and Jones are no stranger to the unique challenges of licensed comic storytelling. Jones, a self-avowed "Alien" fanatic, particularly embraced the challenge of constructing new manifestations of the iconic Xenomorph monsters. "The "Alien" universe is also pretty much the only thing I genuinely geek out about," the artist told Newsarama. "I saw the first movie when I was five and that was entirely due to the fact that I made my dad get me the Aliens comics Dark Horse were publishing in the late '80s."
For Brian Wood, Zula Hendricks and the series presents an opportunity tell a story that has particular relevance to the modern world, mirroring the way the original film spoke to '70s sensibilities. "Her story," Wood tells Newsarama, "has resonance to themes of our day, war, veteran's issues, and related social themes."
If "Aliens" were the action movie, and "Alien" a horror, count on "Defiance" in the latter camp, as Wood and Jones are seeking to make a "classic" contribution to the franchise tapestry.
Check back in with CBR all weekend for the latest out of New York Comic-Con.
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1. RSH has plain smooth black rubber 12.5mm thick x 1400mm wide x 10M long... which can be cut. May be of interest...
2. Thanks peeps - neither of these (certainly not matsgrids) seems to sell rubber access mats. I have written an email to RHS just to double-check though. Quite elusive... at least the answer wasn't easy... ;-)
3. I'd seen this, but this is for laptops to sit on... not people, cars and plant. It's wholly unsuitable I'm afraid. I'm looking for the kind of things I linked to... rubber access mats... but just from somewhere more local.
4. It is for grassed areas, yes, but this stuff isn't going to be suitable... I'm not over-specifying when I say it's the proper access mats I need. I realise some are rated to 50 tonnes, and I certainly don't need that... but this webbing / mesh won't suffice I'm afraid. I just figured somewhere in South Yorkshire would be a seller of these things... even if they're quite specialised.
5. This might be better in Property and Housing, I dunno... but my Google skills are woefully failing me today. I am looking to buy a small quantity of these semi-industrial rubber access mats that people and cars and small pieces of plant can go on... things like this - https://www.multimatts.co.uk/eurotrak/medium-duty-eurotrak/eurotrak-single-sided-access-mat-1000mm-x-3000mm-x-15mm-44kg-tt-1000300044ss - or this - https://www.multimatts.co.uk/duramatt-single-sided-access-mat-2400mm-x-1200mm-x-6mm-dura-24001200-multimatts - but although they're readily available on the Internet there's often minimum orders (usually 90 mats!) or delivery charges approaching £100 (the price of a mat)... does anyone know a place in Sheffield or surrounding areas that might sell this kind of thing, where I could maybe get a more reasonable delivery charge, or even collect (they come in 2,400mm long by 1,200mm wide too)? Any pointers appreciated...
6. I would probably turn that first job down and deliberately wait until the second offer happens before relocating... those commutes will take their toll.
7. Try - http://base64online.org/decode/ - take from "i" to "==" and paste in, then hit Decode from Base64 - it'll show a 50x50 image that looks like some speckles. Use this to go the other way - http://base64online.org/encode/
8. Not pertinent, in any way (there was no suggestion it was)... please move on to another thread to troll and not add value.
9. To anyone who has plenty of experience in this area... I'm planning on filling some gaps in an external wall that has been rendered - patch job, sadly, can't afford to get it all re-done - and was thinking that I'd use some external filler I've got (https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0046Q9MIA/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) I can mix this up to just the right texture and apply it fine with a flat knife, sand it and paint it, all fine, but I want to know what people might use to get that kind of semi-raised, stippled, uneven effect that you see on some render finishes? Would something like this Artex Stipple Brush do me - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Artex-Stipple-Brush-Stippler-Stippling/dp/B00LNCFNUQ/ref=asc_df_B00LNCFNUQ/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=309912023430&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=5987019225536967739&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1006496&hvtargid=pla-695976666460&psc=1 or would some kind of textured roller do me better? The ones I see (rollers) are wood grain effect or flowers or stuff like that which possibly seems to be for home craft and / or artwork?
10. Worth a try, but I think it's wishful thinking... you're talking about a pro-active Agent, and that's like a sasquatch. I never like the OIEO tag to properties... I prefer to just see a price, and then bid below it. To me, it seems hopeful to have OIEO... like the seller expects some kind of bidding war, exactly the opposite of what you're experiencing. What's the lowest you can go down to for the sums to work? There's no point you sitting on it fr months and months more if you have places to be. Looks to be Number 1, last sold for £160,000 in 2016..? And has always been about that money. For sure, the price being asked now doesn't seem out of whack... no-one would want to take a bath on it, unless forced. Zoopla estimate is £173,000. It's freehold, so all good there. The description doesn't mention any existing warranty... it should have some left, right? It has only been live for 1 month, though... maybe a bit of panic is setting-in when there may be no need?
11. You appear to be blaming the Agent, rather than the product... which is often misguided. Most Agents (PurpleBricks and all the others) will just get it listed onto the property portals (most importantly Rightmove and Zoopla) and then react to enquiries - PurpleBricks will do this part just as well as anyone else... all you are missing (vs. a high street Agent, not especially or necessarily the ones you cite above) is the high street shop window... which most people just look in for curiosity at they pass... people don't do their serious house-hunting in shop windows. Agents simply aren't capable of strong-arming someone who doesn't want to buy your house into buying your house. That's why the people who're interested will always be the people who're interested anyway (not other people who were never interested)... all you need is it being out there... and one assumes it is. If you are struggling then do you know why? Is it lack of leads (that could be to do with the house or the time of year), is it tyre-kickers, is it low-ball offers (again, the house)? You went with PurpleBricks for a reason... obviously... likely the low and fixed fees... consider taking what you'll save there and using that money to either reduce the price or add an improvement to make the product seem more attractive. If you wish to post the link to your online advert then I am 100% positive various opinionated folk on here (!) will critique it (me too).
12. The houses do have gardens so having a mower will be a good thing... but I would't mow on the way there... that would be mowing the lawns of others. You just do your own. It could, indeed, by my ex-Tenants that you spoke to, as they were, indeed, a couple and they do, indeed, live there. Best of luck... don't overbid on houses (as you already know they come up all the time and they're all, basically, the same)... except mine (it is the best one).
13. It's a large development - and Stoneycroft Road is quite long-ish. For full disclosure, I have a property I let on that road and my last Tenants actually offered to buy the property from me (just as the previous Tenants had too!) and I politely refused, so they started to look and they ended up buying just across the road (the other side of Stoneycroft Road, I mean) and are happy there. The size of the development will always mean there'll be a bunch of houses for sale - there's nothing wrong with them at all. I am not saying they're perfect (not at all) and the noise insulation between houses isn't the best (but that's true of most new builds). There is a small Service Charge for 'communal' areas. Trying to think of real negatives, and kinda struggling... There is a constant low-level background drone from traffic on the Parkway (it blends in over time). Parking is sometimes a bit tight and you need to protect your drive or on-street parking space. The white gloss used on the internal doors was crappy paint and it has yellowed a lot over time.
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The Libertarian Fiction Hall of Fame
The Libertarian Futurist Society announces this year's nominees for the Prometheus Hall of Fame Award.
The Libertarian Futurist Society has announced this year's finalists for the Hall of Fame Award. This is one of two prizes the group hands out: The Prometheus Award honors freedom-themed fiction published in the last year, and the Prometheus Hall of Fame Award is devoted to freedom-themed fiction from the more distant past. (These are generally regarded as science fiction prizes, but they are not technically limited to the genre. Occasionally a non-sf work, such as The Fountainhead or One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, will pop up among the nominatees.)
Here are the new Hall of Fame finalists, along with the organization's descriptions of the works:
I have no idea what's going on in this picture, but it looks cool.
Manna, by Lee Correy (published 1984): A novel about the economic development of space in the twenty-first century, and about competing economic philosophies that shape it. One of its most interesting aspects is the setting: the United Mitanni Commonwealth, an imaginary small East African country founded on a distinctive vision of personal freedom of choice. Correy's hero, a former American aerospace officer, is drawn into the Mitanni struggle both for a vision of the future and for simple survival, while discovering the customs of his new homeland.
Courtship Rite, by Donald M. Kingsbury (published 1982): A novel set on a planet in a remote solar system, where human colonists struggle with a harsh environment. The author, a mathematician, explores the mathematical concept of optimization in biological evolution, in political institutions, in culture, and in personal ethics—through linked dramatic struggles over political ambition and the creation of a family.
"As Easy as A.B.C.," by Rudyard Kipling (published 1912): One of Kipling's two "airship utopia" stories, set in the year 2065—but the utopia is an ambiguous one. Striking for its vision of a future that looks back in horror at the lynchings and racism of Kipling's own time. Compact and evocatively written.
The Island Worlds, by Eric Kotani and John Maddox Roberts (published 1987): A novel of asteroidal rebellion against a corrupt and oligopolistic Earth. Unusual in its portrayal of an internally divided liberation movement with conflicting ethical and strategic beliefs.
A Mirror for Observers, by Edgar Pangborn (published 1954): A novel of conflicting factions of Martian refugees working in secret to influence humanity toward enlightenment and self-destruction. Notable for its vision of a future United States with two entirely new leading political parties—a constitutionalist party and a fascistic Organic Unity Party—and of its reaction to an engineered plague. Pangborn offers no radical solutions; he focuses on personal ethics, and he shows reasons for despair and then turns back to hope.
The press release also mentions several nominees that didn't get enough support to be finalists, ranging from a Rush album to a young-adult novel. The three I wish had made the cut are C.S. Lewis' That Hideous Strength (by far my favorite Lewis book); T.H. White's The Book of Merlyn (probably the first explicitly anti-statist text I ever read, so it's a sentimental favorite); and—above all—Firesign Theatre's I Think We're All Bozos On the Bus, a psychedelic science-fiction play disguised as a comedy album. The latter was nominated by Tom Jackson, who tells me he "tried to campaign for it, but it didn't get much traction." Maybe next year!
NEXT: Las Vegas, Los Angeles Offer Reminders Why Passengers Are Fleeing Taxis for Uber, Lyft
So just like Syrian Refugees.
1. If that’s what the refugees are offering, then I can’t imagine why anyone would reject them.
2. I have thought about reading Lewis’ That Hideous Strength for quite a while, but I never seem to pull the trigger.
I really have to be in the right mood to read older SF. (Except for Heinlein, or Pournelle and Niven, I can read them anytime).
1. The Space Trilogy is excellent or the final book can stand on its own. Either way.
I postponed it for a long time, just because I figured it meant reading an entire trilogy. (It is book three.) And then I very nearly didn’t get to it when I did read the series, because while the first book of the Space Trilogy is pretty good I thought the second volume was terrible.
But it turned out you could read any of those three books as stand-alone novels, and I didn’t need to get through volumes one and two after all.
Okay, I’ve read Out of the Silent Planet, but it sounds like I should skip Peralandra and go straight to That Hideous Strength.
I’m a big fan of C.S. Lewis’ writing style, even though his philosophical ideas always strike me as pretty ridiculous. There are a lot of similar Catholic writers from that era though. I personally think my favorite of those uber-Catholic Brits writing in the very early 1900s was G.K. Chesterton since The Man Who Was Thursday is one of the best weird fantasy books I’ve ever read.
1. The Man Who Was Thursday is one of the best weird fantasy books I’ve ever read.
That’s a terrific book.
1. I just purchased The Man Who Was Thursday, and if I am disappointed I am holding you both responsible.
1. I honestly sometimes wonder whether Reason has a commercial relationship with Amazon. Every time I read one of these articles I end up downloading something new (old) to my Kindle.
2. Chesterton is the only writer I’ve read so far that can compete with Dostoevsky in the “god damn, man, if more people with your ideas argued as well as you, I wouldn’t be an atheist” category.
2. In defense of Perelandra, there’s a neat bit where Ransom realizes that the being in possession of Weston uses intelligence as a tool only when it deems it necessary, and otherwise reverts to a state of cruelty and literal mindlessness. I’ve been thinking about that part a lot while watching Hillary Clinton campaign. A LOT.
3. Oh man, I read That Hideous Strength right after reading The Road to Serfdom. Now, I’m a Lewis fan, but I was blown away that both these authors said the same thing, in their different ways, writing in the same country at the same time. How messed up the UK must have been in 1944!
But the book is absolutely fantastic in its portrayal of the TOP MEN and how terrifying their minds are.
3. I recommend to everyone that they read That Hideous Strength as no other book quite predicts and explains the creeping Totalitarian impulses of the police and academics so well. However, I wouldn’t put it on a libertarian Hall of Fame list, either. The return of traditional Christian values in the embodiment of King Arthur’s heir reborn mashed up with the noble savage wisdom of pre-Christian Celts in the form of Merlin is probably NOT a viable solution.
1. Fucking close italics tag after “Strength”
4. Hooray for the mention of The Firesign Theatre, but note that it’s “Theatre.” The spelling on the YouTube video is incorrect.
1. I hope that at some point they get a revival with the kids nowadays. It’s hard to find anybody under upper middle age who is even aware of them.
1. Hey, I’ve heard quite a bit of them, and I’m not upper middle age!
Sadly, I’m creeping into lower middle age (39). Loved some Firesign Theatre though. My dad had a bunch of their albums and played them for me when I was a kid. The phrase “Squeeze the wheeze” was a major part of my childhood, hahaha. Bozos is great, but my favorite was Don’t Crush That Dwarf, Hand Me the Pliers.
“Presenting honesty stories of working people, as told by rich Hollywood stars!”
1. my favorite was Don’t Crush That Dwarf, Hand Me the Pliers
Same here. I’d rank Bozos third or fourth, after Dwarf, How Can You Be…, and possibly Everything You Know Is Wrong.
5. No winner in 2008?
1. I blame Bush.
6. I wonder whether there’s much of a genre for communist futurism like there was during the nineteenth and early twentieth century… you know, before it became really unpopular to call yourself a communist for some reason.
1. That reason is Joe McCarthy. Thank you, Joe McCarthy.
2. Based on the sales numbers of recent Hugo nominees, probably not.
1. Maybe they should stop being openly communist.
1. Maybe they should stop being openly communist.
Why? Hasn’t hurt “Red” Kim Stanley Robinson much.
1. Aside from the entire genre going mostly to shit. Seveneves was the only decent sci-fi book of 2015 I read by a Hugo level author, and frankly, I wish he’d spent 1/5th on the eves and 4/5 on the end. Scalzi has become a parody of himself. Stross is working on making the Laundry Files into Dresden Files on the Thames. I keep hoping China Moeville will drop some new impenetrably strange shit, but I can’t read major market sci-fi anymore. Its boring.
1. China Mieville
Speaking of fucking commie bastards….
1. Yeah, I have kind of a love/hate thing with him.
Sure, he’s a pinko, and some of that leaks into his stories, but holy fuck can he write.
1. Eh, I think Peridido Street Station could have been about 150-200 pages shorter, but he hit his stride by The Scar.
1. Working on the audiobook of The Kraken right now. It’s a bit of a chore.
1. Is the Kraken a Hillary documentary?
2. I did not enjoy Kraken at all. Everyone tells me Perdido is excellent but it is sitting unread because of Kraken, which struck me as a poor attempt at emulating Neil Gaiman’s tone with none of the wit.
2. Oh, I don’t give a shit about politics until it makes their writing flat and boring. Stross’s Eschaton series was basically Libertopia guaranteed by Skynet. And a ripping good pair of stories. But so many now are about antagonists who fit the right thinking or grow to do so. I just can’t find any that I care about. Excwpt Nathan Lowell’s Deep Dark series which start with “Quarter Share”, but those were either self or boutique published online only. (And currently on Kindle Unlimited for anyone who subscribes–I am NOT the author)
2. Really? I rather enjoyed the buildup. I liked the tech and the social and political dynamics. In fact, the last act was abrupt and tacked on. Still enjoyed it.
1. I love Neal Stephenson, but every single one of his novels should end either sooner or later than it actually does. Except for Snow Crash, that one is perfect.
1. I was okay with Cryptomicon’s story arc, too. He just needed an editor to cut every fifth scene in the middle
1. Cryptonomicon is awesome, but after hundreds of pages of buildup, it just kind of… ends really abruptly. It doesn’t need a dozen pages of exposition about the nature of a minor character’s sexual fetishes; it could use more of a denouement, though.
1. But it did need the dozen pages on proper technique for eating Captain Crunch.
2. But it did need the dozen pages on proper technique for eating Captain Crunch.
Oh, necessarily.
3. I thoroughly enjoyed Old Man’s War and the Ghost Brigades. But he does seem to go down hill a bit after. I have only read the first novella in the End of All Things. I had very mixed feelings about Redshirts.
Stephenson’s only work that I have read was Anathem. I can honestly say that when I was done, I felt like I was somehow better for having read it, but not sure that I want to go through that again.
1. Anathem is difficult, but it grew on me. I’m also one of the six people who really enjoyed REAMDE, however, so what the hell do i know.
1. I enjoyed The Baroque Cycle but the 3rd book dragged.
Half-cocked Jack is a fucking awesome character.
1. Jack Shaftoe is one of the most fun anti-heroes in modern literature, it is known.
2. I liked REAMDE.
2. “Red” Kim Stanley Robinson
Oh man, don’t get me started on Aurora. It’s probably the best-written book i’ve ever wound up hating.
1. Again, feel the same way about Mieville’s Iron Council.
1. (The Years of Rice and Salt is still one of my favorite books ever, though.)
1. I never get tired of that clip.
1. Fleeing the scene as a reaction will always be funny.
7. Looking over the hall of fame, how is Michael Flynn’s Firestar series not on there?
I call shenanigans!
1. “That coat looks awful brown”
2. It’s shanigans. Please.
3. Yeah, I’m watching Firefly/Serenity again with my wife and I’m still surprised how libertarian all the heroes are.
8. Speaking of SF:
SyFy has a new series going, The Expanse.
I streamed the first episode, and was very favorably impressed on just about all fronts. Production values are top-notch, writing seems plenty good enough, characters/actors were just fine.
Anyone else seen this?
1. Sqrlz ate my first comment.
Check out the books, RC. Very good combination of SF with political intrigue and the writing is largely top notch. Agree with your assessment of the show. They are doing a good job of incorporating elements of the later books and short stories to further flesh out the characters.
1. BOOKS? What are those?
2. Hell yes. My only complaint is it is a little slow. Well I have another complaint, some of the leaders seem rational. Well and a third complaint, Their resource economy is not accurate when taking modern understanding of Ceres and the asteroid belt into account. Ceres is supposedly drowning in water in real life. AND on Ceres I would weigh 6 pounds…while they do cover gravity torture (which is awesome) they could have taken the VAST difference of gravitates between Mars, the Belt, and Earth a little more seriously. Earthlings should be physical monsters to these people.
BUT OTHER THAN THAT I actually really like it so far. But I loved Ascension so there is that. (Ice Spiders gets an honorable mention)
1. Because it would be a casting and special effects nightmare to put low-G monsters and different movements for every change in gravity, acceleration, or spin.
1. dont bother me with your facts
2. Well, CB, if you’d join us in the highbrow section with our books and brandy snifters and monocles, you’d know that they actually DO spend a great deal of time discussing the physiological effects of low-g and how it has made Belters the 22nd century version of sharecroppers. 😉
Good point on the Ceres water thing, although I’m pretty sure that was discovered in real life after these books began.
1. yeah it was discovered like three years ago.
3. Read all the books. The characters aren’t exactly as I imagined but pretty good so far. I knew episode 3 would be wild.
1. I was a bit skeptical about the Amos casting (I envisioned him a bit older) but the actor has grown on me. I’m two episodes behind and am looking forward to binging on them these evening with my good friend Pliny.
(looks around furtively for objects being thrown by the IPA haters)
1. Catches objects and throws them back.
1. Piny on tap every month at my local micro brewery here in denver.
2. Piny on tap every month at my local micro brewery here in denver.
4. Good to hear it. I plan to keep following.
OK, on junkier note, I found myself enjoying Into the Badlands. Kind of a GOT meets Hong Kong wire-fu joint. Some nice eye candy (including a redhead, if that’s your kink), excellent fight scenes, and as far as plot, etc. goes, well, c’mon, “plausibility” isn’t on the list of reasons to watch wire-fu flicks.
Wasn’t sure I was going to stick with it, but when the last one ended, I was hoping for more.
1. That’s really good to hear since it’s been sitting on my DVR for a couple of months.
2. YES round two. I loved into the badlands. My understanding is it hasnt been picked up yet for season two.
3. Ah, yes…. the Widow.
9. Ken MacLeod’s Fall Revolution series is really good – even though MacLeod himself is an outspoken socialist, the anarcho-capitalist settlement on New Mars comes off looking a hell of a lot better than the communist utopia that Earth turns into.
10. He’s hardly a household name, but I wish they gave some props to Christopher Anvil before he died.
His Strangers in Paradise is probably the best condemnation of Top Men philosophy I’ve ever read, because
a) Top Men are heroes, really trying to do their best
b) their failure is not on them, it’s that when you try nudging people they WILL react in rational but unpredictable ways and you’ll wind up worse off
c) the entire setup of the place action takes place is a magnificent piss-take on the idea of altruistic welfare state
I mean, I love me some Tolkien, but if you give him an award, you’re really stretching the “libertarian” part…
1. “I mean, I love me some Tolkien, but if you give him an award, you’re really stretching the “libertarian” part…”
You can make a case for it. The book is a terrific argument that evil is the will to power and nothing more. Evil seeks power over others, and the good seeks only to be left alone. The war of the ring shows this in large scale, and the scouring of the Shire in small.
1. Tolkien did describe himself as an anarchist later in life.
11. Ive mentioned it before but That Hideous Strength is the only novel to ever give me nightmares.
Also, Lewis is why Im a libertarian.
12. No nomination for the libertarian fiction that 2015 contained one or more libertarian moments?
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https://reason.com/2016/01/21/the-libertarian-fiction-hall-of-fame/
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The 1960s Sci-Fi Movie Quiz
Image: refer to hsw
About This Quiz
The first sci-fi film was made in 1902, but it would take more than 50 years for science fiction-loving audiences to find themselves in the Golden Age. From superhuman abilities to space exploration, show what you know about 1960s sci-fi cinema.
The miniaturized medical team only has six minutes left to perform life-saving brain surgery -- from inside the body, in which 1966 two-time Academy Award winner?
1966's "Fantastic Voyage" had clot-busting suspense, and two Oscars.
Which psychedelic sci-fi sex-romp is based on Jean-Claude Forest's comics?
1968's "Barbarella," directed by Roger Vadim and starring Jane Fonda, is based on Jean-Claude Forest's French Barbarella comics. It didn't reach cult status until its 1977 re-release.
Which is not a remake of 1964's "The Last Man on Earth?"
Both 1971's "The Omega Man" and 2007's "I Am Legend" are both remakes of "The Last Man on Earth."
Which 1966 sci-fi thriller starring Rock Hudson used footage of an actual surgical makeover -- a nose operation -- leaving audiences (and crew) physically ill?
This may hurt a little... It's John Frankenheimer's "Seconds," which went from boos at Cannes to cult classic.
Which movie takes us to the year 802,701, when the world is populated with the peaceful Eloi and the monstrous Morlocks?
It's the year 802,701 in 1960's "The Time Machine."
Which sequel to 1958's "The Fly" came first, "Curse of the Fly" or "Return of the Fly?"
"Return of the Fly" was released in 1959, six years before 1965's "Curse of the Fly."
Which sci-fi daydream was named Best Rediscovery by the Boston Society of Film Critics in 2014?
Retold, among others, as "Solaris" and "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind," 1968's "Je t’aime, je t’aime" was named Best Rediscovery in 2014.
What is the name of the 1962 photo-roman, 28-minute short that became the inspiration for "12 Monkeys" and other time-travel films?
Terry Gilliam's "12 Monkeys" draws heavily from the French sci-fi short "La Jetée," directed by Chris Marker.
Which science fiction-meets-detective movie opened the 1965 New York Film Festival?
Jean-Luc Godard's dystopian future world of "Alphaville" opened the 1965 New York Film Festival.
True or false: The 1964 sci-fi retelling of the classic novel, "Robinson Crusoe," stars Adam West.
True. "Robinson Crusoe on Mars," the 1964 retelling of the Daniel Defoe novel, does star Adam West.
What was the British sci-fi/horror film "Quatermass and the Pit" titled in the U.S.?
1968's "Quatermass and the Pit" was called, "Five Million Years to Earth" when it was released in the U.S.
What's the name of the sentient computer that gave us the line, "I'm sorry, Dave. I'm afraid I can't do that?"
Hal 9000, in 1968's "2001: A Space Odyssey," is the fictional computer with the line, "I'm sorry, Dave. I'm afraid I can't do that."
Which story about a race of radiation-proof super beings is based on H.L. Lawrence's novel, "The Children of Light?"
The movie "The Damned" (1963) is based on "The Children of Light," a novel by H.L. Lawrence.
Who wins the climactic battle in 1962's "King Kong vs. Godzilla?"
Neither; it was a draw.
Which film, adapted from the novel "The Midwich Cuckoos" by John Wyndham, features blond-haired children with glowing eyes?
Blond-haired, glowing-eyed children are born into this small town in "Village of the Damned," from 1960.
Which 1964 sci-fi comedy includes a bomb-loving, mad scientist with an artificial arm and a German accent?
That's Peter Sellers, in one of his three main roles in Stanley Kubrick's 1964 film, "Dr. Strangelove: Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb."
Who produced, directed, co-wrote and starred in the 1963 original version of "The Nutty Professor," a parody of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde?
"The Nutty Professor," released in 1963 (and then remade in 1996), was produced, directed, co-written and starred Jerry Lewis.
An electrical accident does what to Dexter, played by a young Kurt Russell, in 1969's "The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes?"
During the electrical accident, Dexter's brain is fused with the computer, leaving him with knowledge of what's in the database.
Which quote is not from 1968's "Planet of the Apes?"
I don't see how you could be amused by gorillas. I think they're dull, is from 1967's "King Kong Escapes," not from "Planet of the Apes."
True or false: "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea" stars Barbara Eden, Peter Lorre and singer Frankie Avalon.
True. Plus, Frankie Avalon sings the title song, "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea."
Which Joseph Green-directed film is about a mad scientist who discovers how to keep human organs alive?
This is the plot of "The Brain That Wouldn't Die" (almost called "The Black Door"), released in 1962.
Released four months before the first moon landing, what late-60s film exploring a space emergency during the Apollo program stars Gregory Peck and Gene Hackman?
This is the plot of "Marooned," based on the novel of the same name by Martin Caidin.
Which 1961 release could have been released three years earlier, but wasn't because of distribution problems?
"The Most Dangerous Man Alive" sat for three years before finally being sold to Columbia.
Although narrated, which sci-fi director gave us "The Beast of Yucca Flats," which doesn't have any dialogue?
Coleman Francis, his movies now considered so-bad-they're-good cult-classics, directed "The Beast of Yucca Flats" in 1961.
Which of Ishirō Honda's kaiju characters is the second most-popular from Toho Studios?
The giant female caterpillar moth, Mothra, is Toho's second most-popular, after Godzilla.
Which 1961 film based on the novels "Robur the Conqueror" and "Master of the World" by Jules Verne stars Vincent Prince and Charles Bronson?
Although based on "Robur the Conqueror" and "Master of the World," the film is “Master of the World."
What is 1964's "The First Men in the Moon" known for?
This story of lunar explorers is known for Ray Harryhausen's special effects.
Which 1966 film has been mocked on Mystery Science Theater 3000 as one of the worst movies ever made?
MST3K named Hal Warren's directorial debut (which he also wrote and produced), 1966's "Manos: The Hands of Fate," the worst movie ever made.
Which sci-fi movie with a beach-party feel starred a young Beau Bridges and an even younger Ron ("Ronny") Howard?
Beau Bridges and Ronny Howard starred in "Village of the Giants." "Attack of the Puppet People" and "The Amazing Colossal Man" were both released in the 1950s.
Which song from the movie "Village of the Giants" did Quentin Tarantino use in the main title of his 2007 film "Death Proof?"
Quentin Tarantino used "The Last Race," composed and arranged by Jack Nitzsche, as the theme song for "Village of the Giants" in "Death Proof" in 2007.
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Sci-Fi City Universal Studios Singapore
The Thrill of the Future
From the robot obsessed to the tech junkie there is no greater destination than Sci-Fi City USS (Universal Studios Singapore).
Perhaps the most visible zone of the park from afar, Sci-Fi City USS stands out from the crowd with tall, futuristic buildings and a pair of the world's tallest intertwining roller coasters. Like many other areas of the park, this zone boasts shade and rain cover and climate control.
Sci-Fi City map, Universal Studios Singapore showing the main attraction and various dining and shopping options
Sci-Fi City map, Universal Studios Singapore
Battlestar Galactica: Human or Cylon?
Perhaps the biggest attraction in Sci-Fi City USS (and perhaps the whole park for thrill seekers) is the Battlestar Galactica: Human or Cylon? set of roller coasters, which are a Universal Studios Singapore original attraction. Based on the wildly popular television show, the Battlestar Galactica attraction recreates the spirit of the most intense human and Cylon dogfights in an artistic and terrifying way.
Battlestar Galactica, Sci-Fi City (01:39)
Guests are greeted at the entrance of the exhibit with a choice, will they side with Humans or the robotic yet lifelike Cylons? Visitors who choose to "fight" for humanity will ride a seated roller coaster with jarring banks and turns, while the brave few who choose the Cylon side will ride in a suspended Cylon Raider, feet dangling precipitously over the empty space below while experiencing corkscrew twists, cobra loops, and zero-grolls.
While waiting in line, guests are told a different side of the Human/Cylon conflict, depending on which side they chose. As the cars exit the building together visitors get a good glance at their "enemy" before the thrills begin. Snaking together, at times mere feet apart, the coaster brings the Cylons and Humans into close contact before whipping them apart and back together again. Not only does the Battlestar Galactica: Human or Cylon attraction provide one of the most thrilling rides in the park, it brings to life a wonderful aspect of the show for fans to cherish.
My Testimonial
The biggest challenge of all the 24 attractions in USS. It's definitely not for the faint-hearted. My heart almost popping out when the roller coaster accelerates to full force half way climbing up the slope. While moving up, it didn't stop at the peak and straight away jump down the steep slope, quite different from other roller coasters in the US. If that scare you, take the accelerator instead.
If roller coasters aren't your thing, or perhaps you already indulged in those sweets you bought at Superstar Candies, then a spin on the Accelerator could be just the ticket. A wild spinning ride, the Accelerator is based upon the ideas of electricity and power, including solar and wind power. Whirling guests around like electrons around a nucleus, the Accelerator provides thrills and chills. Just make sure the world stops spinning before you start walking through Sci-Fi City USS again!
Little has been released about the Transformers attraction, which is scheduled to open in 2011, but if the theme of thrills in Sci-Fi City USS is any indicator then this ride promises to be wildly exciting. After all, how could a ride based on such an exciting movie be anything else?
Shopping Option in Sci-Fi City Themed Zone
For fans of the show Battlestar Galactica there is the Galactica PX, a great shop in which to gather all your favorite souvenirs from the thrilling ride and the beloved show. Who doesn't need a miniature Cylon Sentinel on their desk at work? Now if only it could shoot lasers at pesky coworkers. Guests can also find Sci-Fi memorabilia from all of their favorite Universal Studios films and shows at the Galactica PX.
Sci-Fi City USS promises to provide great thrill and chills for the more adventurous Universal Studios Singapore guests, as well as unique rides found no where else in the world. My only question is, where's my ticket?
Other Universal Studios Singapore(USS) Themed Zones
Hollywood USS
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Ancient Egypt USS
The Lost World USS
Far Far Away USS
Madagascar USS
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Workouts For Judo Review
We rotated almost every joint in its full range of motion in both directions as well as extended and flexed each joint to just past its normal stopping point. So to start, exercises like squats, deadlifts, and chinups are absolutely necessary for any fighter. Is knowing how to train your muscles to deliver huge. There are many who will tell you that the best exercise for judo is judo-quite good advice, but by no means the real answer. Access to workouts for judo ebook series. Secondly, double leg takedowns are popular in bjj but prohibited in the current judo rules, so the bjj player must use a lower stance to defend against that attack. To perform a shot put simply stand 3-5 meters from a wall. Nakai umenari, an acquaintance of kanō's father and a former soldier, agreed to show him.
Workouts For Judo
Workouts For Judo
Generally i try to have lots of vegetables, fruit and protein. Personally i avoid high rep weights. It is partly because the present deplorable situation in american judo training methods demands the most thoughtful analysis, and partly because of my belief that knowledge of the past is worthwhile in itself, that i have been impelled to write this book. I am using this question as. Both of these factors will tax all of your energy systems.
Workouts For Judo
Workouts For Judo
We've all been there, but you will get better quickly, so it won't always be like that. Nevertheless, it is not as technical as the kettlebell split snatch and does not require as much effort. Running twice a week is great, but. Step 2: click the button below to download workouts for judo. When you can perform a one-minute plank for several sets, move on. The ability to be move quickly, change direction and still be coordinated enough to throw an effective strike or kick is key to many martial arts such as jeet kune do, krav maga, kung fu and karate. I think intesnity problem is mostly cause gyms have too few equipment and you have to queue or find alternative exercise and changing weights or trainign with partner taking off putting on makes rest periods a bit longer. but this kind of program will help you get stronger in a simple and sustainable way. " however, if only "yuko" have been awarded, the contestant with the most "yuko" generally wins the contest. The brazilian jiu jitsu uniform or gi premium is a lightweight judo gi from the company your jiu jitsu gear, a u.
Workouts For Judo
Workouts For Judo
They can be purchased in major drug stores and supermarkets. Gene lebell: yeah, a gun. Keep your pins below deeply. Prior to a contest, the contestants stand facing each other at the red and white start lines, and then bow toward each other. Martial arts should be introduced by, and learned with, a qualified instructor. Workouts for judo review to assist you giving you buying decision. In his final week, marcelo garcia shares some modifications that you can make to your butterfly guard if you find yourself getting beaten by stronger or more aggressive…. This task (workout) varies every day so that you never get bored and keep learning new skills. On a larger scale, everyone knows that whatever america does, the world follows suit.
And sometimes a break is all you need to improve. He is the author of the canon of judo. He could not take it any longer, and tried to push up my body extending his left arm. When i press an 88lb bell, i shift my weight a little bit. Join us each week at chuck jefferson’s judo/ norcal crossfit for an all new yoga class designed for athletes. I have really short arms, so in handstand push-ups or pull-ups, i have an advantage. If you focus too much on strength now you'll try to power through all your techniques instead of learning the way to do them correctly.
Westlake judo club of houston, texas offers a friendly, supportive, and. That’s an expression of full hip motion. You will have an entire series of judo, the exercises that have been featured in both the workouts for judo and ‘advanced workouts for judo’ manuals. Use the surgery as a way to come back stronger and learn more about how your body functions. People, who specialize in maximal performance without time limit, usually have strong start in the fight, it continues and after half a minute of intensive fight, it is clear who does the cardio preparation in his training. Rooted in the system of yoga and home holistics, the sklz lists a series of potential regimens that will take your blah session of watching television and turn it into a functioning workout ranging from “basic” to “pillar” presentations.
And now for the actual workout, incorporating arnie flies in an especially effective way:. The exact sequence changes from day to day, and there are many variations and different exercises to keep the workout fresh. Get your weight off the quad for 1-2 inches. - with a wide stance, grasp the barbell in between your legs with palms facing towards you. The best way to build muscular endurance is to do a lot of weight lifting using dumbbells, barbells and an exercise machine. In the past i have even used inner tubes trying to get the desired effect.
This window is the thirty minutes after you finish training. You think a workout has to be boring to be effective at shedding fat and revealing defined muscles and cuts. “these moves will prepare you by providing real-world strength and endurance…the best type of fitness there is. The bench press isometric is to make the maximum pressure that we can on rods or supports the security of tenure. In basketball or american football—it’s not only extremely popular there, but there’s the opportunity to go pro. I'm pretty excited about these new moves and what they will clearly do for my progress. There’s a lot of bravado in crossfit, and that’s part of the appeal for lifelong athletes who can’t stand the idea of spending an hour on the treadmill. You can choose a martial arts type based on the movements that will be performed, the equipment requirements for the discipline, and the actual level of sparring that takes place.
According to starrett, the central tenet of crossfit is to help you move and function at full capacity, expressing “all the things a human being should be able to do. Your lungs and forearms will burn and your heart rate will hit the roof as you get through the hardest component of the kettlebells for grapplers workouts regime. The reason is obvious, workouts for judo does what it says. Go into proper push-up form again, drop down to the lowest point possible and hold for the time allotted. Most of the women figure models (bikini models are just a totally useless classification) i see in the gym work out like crazy and put all the men to shame. Mma (mixed martial arts) to a modern competition-based collection of techniques.
My wife work at night so the only viable option for me to train is on my lunch time (about 45 minutes 5 days a week). Rkc as a trainer why not ask him your questions. As well as a programme, ideally you’ll want access to a strength and conditioning coach / personal trainer. I’m not sure what crossfit “intensity” means. I haven’t heard her long-term results, so i would be very cautious about such an early return to training. I think i can hold my own in ground fighting against higher ranking judo players i'll be training with since i do a pure groundfighting style at my other school. In the bench press you are working a huge amount of muscles of the superior train, which as we have indicated in exercise at home, exercise is that more muscle fibers involves the upper body.
This week he demonstrates how to create more kinetic energy by bridging your hips. “height, muscle length, torso length, fiber-type distribution, hip width: they can all effect athletes’ abilities to assume various joint positions and effectively execute exercises and movements,” he explains. All judoka’s enjoyed their judo camp so much. Sprint 25 metres back to start. If you do 10 reps with 285 in the same workout you won’t increase the. That's why this program saves you so much time in the gym when you could be out doing better things, like spending time with family or hanging out at the beach with your buddies with your shirt off. This often makes judo a preferred martial art for children. To imagine a chicken doing the crawl stroke, watching hula dancers, seeing a horse pawing the ground, or to. Whereas before it was 3 workouts being done over a 7 day cycle, we’re now doing 3 workouts over a 5 day cycle.
(sidenote: the problem here, of course, is that if you are a. By taking down or kicking, you will get incredible legs. I kept a lot of these exercises on the mat as it provides more upper extremity work than doing them standing. For this reason, you will be required to spend time working on, and developing, each of these physical attributes. Short sprints should not be performed year-round as they are very physically demanding and the athletes will need a chance to recover. The visial instructions are good. What you’ll find in this article. Scientists have said that a human brain can absorb knowledge better while watching something rather than reading about it. If you run a small dojo or you are a starting out instructor i can write you lesson plans, teaching strategies as well as technical advice to grow your judo knowledge and increase membership in your dojo.
I see so many parallels between the worlds of lean and judo. Wear a heart rate monitor to class. Learning to push yourself like you just did will help advance your fight training, both physically and mentally. Ws4sb is a fantastic program. Single judo exercises (ones you can do at the dojo buy yourself). Sprinting, on the other hand, requires maximum muscle tension for every stride. If you’re like me you want to not only add mass, but also achieve the right shape and look. Throw and go from ross enamait.
"a lot of times i'll throw three to four punch combos fast, making one of those punches as hard as i can. Two of the most important areas to work on are grip and your neck one to put on the chokes, strangles and hold uke for the throws and the other since you will be subject to alot of chokes etc. Just after a workout, a simple mix of protein and carbohydrate snack is can resplenish energy levels. If someone were to try to attack a boxer on the street, it would not end up well for the attacker to say the least. There are a few varieties of carries that we use, including, 2 hand farmer carries, suit case (1 hand), bottoms up w/ kettlebells, heavy bags and more. Mental strategies for fight-winning mma techniques and lifesaving self-defense moves e-book — inspired the original version of this article, consisting of an interview with gene lebell, the “ultimate grappler,” and benny urquidez, the “ultimate striker. Modelling itself after the punching bags of olde, the wavemaster series incorporates fluid technology that transfers the kinetic energy from you brutal workout down into the liquid core and base of this workout machine. Sounds like a crossfit comment: looking for attention with no logic backing it. Depending on the day, your workout can be concentrated around strength, endurance or skill learning. not only does it build hand strength, but it also challenges the postural muscles, hips, core and legs.
His fitness expertise bloomed during his college and semi-pro rugby career. Skill: the athletes technical competency at a distinct movement. For example, if the workout requires you to perform 21 pull-ups and you can do none, you might replace them with the simpler horizontal pull-ups. Complement your club workouts with a supplementary training routine. It covers everything from the fundamental techniques of the sport, to the history of the martial art, how to approach judo and randori (free practice) and even how fold your uniform correctly.
Workouts For Judo
Com, which covers all manner of judo info, including 15 judo drills presented as games for kids to enjoy and learn from. 1st dan shodan black belt. Cross one over the other and pull your knee as close as you can toward your chest, holding it in place for a few seconds. Use [spoiler] in your title when posting bjj or mma match results within 24 hours of the event. Working out is not a sport. Ps i hope that you enjoyed your trip to france. But, if you are new, you should probably just do judo for a while, and adapt your plan as your work capacity increases. Workouts for judo refund charge is extremely low also it suggests that pretty much all customers have been thrilled with the item. In my opinion, people need time to:.
Again, both are equally effective, but this is my preferred way of doing it most of the time. Power persistence vs isolated exercises on the machine. Loop the middle of the folded belt over a pullup bar or similarly high, sturdy beam. It’s also one of the most intelligent and effective… assuming of course it’s actually done right. Unlike other adjustable bells you do not have to worry about the bell coming apart during a workout. As mentioned above, i was training chinese martial arts at the time (2006). Personally i dont like the crossfit workouts. So far the crossfit stuff i have done seems to be high rep, building a ton of lactic acid. Reviews from customers who actually bought the reviewed product from the website have the label “amazon verified purchase.
Do not hold the handle too tightly. I still tend to steal pieces from it, and occasionally a rep scheme or two, when 5 x 10 proves to be either too much or too boring for me at that moment. Workouts for judo eases stress. Jigoro kano said regarding mid-winter training: "it is easy to have difficulties and troubles on the way, but they can only be able to get through with indomitable spirit and with the great care. Fitforlife has very good points (as do others). It is very important that the workouts you are completing as part of your fitness and conditioning are catered towards judo. It’s critical to reduce the volume of training as the training intensity increases. Go down, keeping your head up and your back straight. I still haven’t competed as a judo black belt yet so i figure it is time to take the new belt for a test run. It is however vitally important that they follow the progressive study of the techniques detailed in this syllabus and attempt promotion to the next grade at regular intervals.
Judoka usually begin standing-only randori not touching each other so that they can fight for grips. Now, colton will be one of only three men representing the united states judo team in rio de janeiro this august. This is why people hate crossfit, because people like you try to say it’s better than other sports. I know some people have tried to persuade you concentrate on strength training. Start with negatives: jump up to the top and lower yourself down as slowly as possible. Since those early days, brazilian jiu-jitsu has evolved significantly and now olympic style judo and sport bjj have diverged into their own sports. "i like to do five, 5-minute rounds of jump rope with 1 minute of rest between each round," camozzi says, although he admits that can be tough for beginners. With the guidance of workouts for judo, you will be able to increase your overall fitness.
You can see that anybody can succeed with the mma ripped program, including you. Many people have weighed in with their opinion (some of which based on the expletive nature has been removed) – but giving props to brad, the author of this post, he's been responding to everyone. 7th and 8th week cardio training. Workouts for judo” incorporates a number of books and a video representation of the techniques that he himself has applied in his life as a judoka.
Workouts For Judo Pdf
You'll want to use releasable vinyl tape to cover the seam on the top when assembling more than one roll out workout mat. A regularly practicing jiu jitsu fighter only needs one or two hours of additional strength work to see big improvements in their game. Note: pullups can be substituted for this exercise if you don’t have a partner. His initial interest in bodybuilding did help him discover a love for weightlifting while he served in the military. I havenât seen him in a couple of years but he just shot me this email i thought youâd get a kick out of –. What muscles you work the bench press declined dumbbell. Do it during the class time.
Colin has been practicing judo since the age of six. I’m fairly sure that if i had seen a doctor during that first month, we would have had a very special talk about eating disorders. Last week, jt torres showed us a nice guard pass when someone wraps your arm from open guard. This translates well for posing and for slow movements in the gym, and will help you to cut fat and expose that muscle you've worked so hard for. As always, discuss it with your judo coach and get the best advice that you can. The best i came across was rhadi fergusen’s youtube video of his warm up routine. To each their own i guess but i’m not sure why anyone wouldn’t chose a real sport like, boxing, rugby, judo instead of being really good at working out. Proper strength training for wrestlers. You're getting a 16-week program designed by an elite mma performance coach, someone who knows what it takes to develop strength without getting bulky like a bodybuilder and you're getting private, 1-on-1 lessons from elite mixed-martial artist jeff joslin for. Any less than 140 pounds and you’d have to be such a strength specialist at that weight that other things would have to suffer.
Okay, so we know that the “workouts for judo” is quick training pdf book that would help someone to know and practice judo in an efficient manner. You guys realize crossfit and bodybuilding while similar have very different goals. Judo just do it without stress. There is no increase in price when renewing. A dummy for judo is essential if you want to get used to using your weight to throw heavier amounts of weight.
No special equipment of any kind is needed. Ring training and competition should dominate. Matt d’aquinos workouts for judo: get a huge discount on your pdf now. , the best damn sports psychology book ever in my opinion. Heart rate was monitored using a polar sports tester (polar electro oy, finland). It’s not like boxing where the lighter weights are not as fun. For grip strengthening, soares recommends the pullup. The most important principle at the base of all martial arts is to never give up. For the rest of you who actually work out with iron gym, nice work.
Nestled between a urban entertainment park which houses restaurants, shops and an amusement park and a 25-floor government building sits judo's mecca. It will take several months to acquire basic techniques, which are easily countered by black belt holders. The only trouble you may have to face while trying to update workouts for judo is that the downloading may take a little time if you are someone with a slow internet connection. This list serves not only experts in judoka but also judoka fans who are interested in learning more about the game. That’s just classic crossfit, and that is what people like. The main thing is you are working at 100% effort when you are on. [note: in the fitness industry the difference between “trainer” and “coach” is important. Well the diving onto your head part.
Workouts For Judo Free Download
This is a common problem. He is particularly well-known for two fights in brazil. funk also breakdowns each bodyweight circuit and gives you the exact template so you can create your own workouts. After that first lunch-losing experience at the gym, i found out just how deep this whole crossfit pool was going to be. Using 10 – 20-meter rope tied around a pole, start to make waves (big or small) you can be standing or sited. If your goal is hypertrophy – the stronger you are the more weight you’ll be able to lift, the bigger you’ll get. A lot of his warm up is similar to what we have started here. We all know that technique is what makes a judo throw successful when combined with kuzushi.
I absolutely agree with you troy. Keep your arms straight and manage the weight when you do the same with knees. Like we discussed above, because we internally rotate the arm/hand bone (humerus) so much, the muscles that do the rotation can become short. If your priority is weight loss, then a high-intensity cardio workout that burns lots of calories may be best, but if you are looking to build strength or gain more flexibility, then other avenues are better. Both programs offer excellent results. Japan is continuing to promote judo in other countries, such as by sending instructors to regions where judo is not so well known--like africa and oceania--and donating secondhand judo uniforms. There are however many different judo push-up variations. Pacing the workout depends on the movements included. When this happens, it’s time to take a few days to a week off from speed training.
The author uses pictures and in depth description in order to make his communication with the readers totally effective. By adopting heightened aggression, superior confidence and the warrior spirit under combative conditions, a soldier learns to act with violent intent. You have my guarantee that you'll lose fat. In the full version, you are supposed to perform each exercise for 1 minute. Ne-waza; with each phase requiring its own (mostly separate) techniques, strategies, . Fortunately, there are no secrets. The versapulley is a weightless exercise machine, which offers a versatile strength and conditioning workout, limited only by the user’s imagination. When squeezing the tennis ball, also hold the squeeze for a few seconds before releasing.
Many experts advise putting speed training early in the workout so you are not fatigued and your muscles are fresh. In order to be a good martial artist, you must have very fast reflexes. This works well when your opponent tries to sit into inverted half guard. Hidari-shizen-tai (left natural standing posture) the posture standing with left foot advanced a bit leftward and forward from basic natural standing posture. Do the takedown exercises towards the beginning of your workouts when you are fresh. , 2011) and create hormonal adaptations to combat fat-loss (trexler. By consistently performing these exercises in your strength program will. Educators are agreed that teaching is divided into three areas: (1) thinking, which is called cognition or the cognitive domain, (2) feeling, which is called the affective domain, and (3) physical education which is called the psychomotor domain. So my rating is a whopping 5 stars gold medal winner. (there is a sample program attached.
Now that we have established a hierarchy of importance for movements, we can discuss the yearly schedule. The workouts in this article are only for two-hand swings, but feel free to adapt them as appropriate.
Workouts For Judo Review
therefore if you want to succeed in judo you must have a certain level of physical fitness. Furthermore, the readiness to make investments a nominative amount for workouts for judo could entitle you to honestly an brilliant offer. These guys pick up heavy stuff, swing hammers, climb, carry and use their hands everyday. Plenty can be learned from studying this footage whether you are interested in judo or not. From a spectator standpoint, when i see light weights, i start to see it as jazzercise.
Despite lobbying efforts from european and american athletes, the japanese federation fought against the inclusion of weight classes. This plan focuses highly on building a strong foundation in your legs and building a strong core, both of which are a necessity for karate. Aaron started training under royce and helio gracie where he received his blue belt, and received his black belt…. This video download is jam-packed with simple and innovative ways to stop your opponent from securing a good position in ne waza. I spend all day behind a desk, behind a computer. Suri ashi (footwork) used when moving during a contest or randori (free sparring, and its purpose is to move while maintaining one's balance.
It is devoting one's life to judo: working to further the art, training new students and instructors, moving in order to establish a far-away school, representing judo in government. But yeah, you don’t generally see a little guy put up huge numbers, so you will never see a little guy win an event like the clean ladder. these gyms typically are large facilities that offer fairly cheap regular memberships ($50-90/month) that grant one access to their facilities. While you learn the proper techniques in a pleasant and safe environment, you will not find a lot of machines – your body is the machine capable of things you can only imagine. They want the same high-intensity workouts we do at our boot camps, but will have no access to equipment. Look for a pdf series top-10 throws,, which includes dojo posters, step-by-step learning cards, with specific judoka moves explained, as well as info for coaches wishing to start their own judo clubs, along with a downloadable free kids magazine. Workouts for judo program review - get fitter, faster, stronger. Equipment rigged together with pullies and springs taken from. Just that really cool look … if done exactly right.
The strategy is in the rules we get along with the workout. Consider the little girl who just won't keep her mouth shut or obey the coach. Is crossfit slowly losing popularity. I like bill wallace because he’s a scratch golfer and rides motorcycles. Yes they put in a lot of hard work to look the way they do but they cant do athletic things such as running, so it cant become a actual sport. Once we understand our training schedule, we can assess the rest of our week and determine if and when we need to add additional workouts to improve our conditioning. You clearly love cross fit but there are a couple of points or inaccuracies i can punch holes through. Workouts for judo review: be the fighter.
We hook grip so we all become so consumed with the thumb, index and middle finger. The uchikomi bands were designed by neil adams as a means of improving the technical ability of any judoka. Hello dear friends; welcome to the ultimate review page for workouts for judo. I've chickened out so far with the overhead carries. Perform each rep with complete concentration and fully rest between repetitions. 1 box contains 21 pads, which is a 3-week supply. We had parties and shared inside jokes about different workouts, and i wondered how i had ever existed before this life-changing program came into my life. Talk with your doctor to see what he recommends. After one minute, this difference is even more visible and after two minutes, when a person with a strong start gasps for air, his competitor still fights at the high pace, like a machine.
In workouts for judo i have workouts designed specifically for judo and if you implement these workouts into your weekly schedule you will be fitter, faster and stronger for judo. The glutes are what some strength and conditioning coaches call ‘the power pack. First muscle up, how long it took, etc).
Workouts For Judoka
“i try to surpass myself in each training to become stronger. How many times have you gotten injuries while training. Prepare your stance by keeping your shoulder wide apart. Seated knee kick: sit on a firm chair with your legs bent. Matt includes things that you are going to need for the workouts in this book, as well as his opinions on what every judoka needs (i.
These rotatable exercises are meant to be done for as long as you can do them in rotation; nothing over 10 minutes though. You will learn how often you should train and how much weight you should use. Now im a dad and work full time, time is at a minimum for me. On my off days for judo, i've been doing mark rippetoe's starting strength program. Or if you’re fairly comfortable you could do 2-4 rounds combos at the end, or simply do combos for every set. After looking over materials, candidate emails the desired certification dates.
Hold that static position for. Everybody who has learned judo falling skills has tamed the gremlin that wants you to stick out your hand, or reach back, or use your elbow and forearm to break your fall. The first is that performing exercises properly will improve your muscles full range of movement. The doctor i went to, who was supposed to be a good orthopedic specialist, only did an x-ray, and decided i had subluxed my patella (i. Because of the cardio workouts judo and bjj it is highly recommended for those who desire to lose weight.
Classes at evolution training are 60 minutes long and typically consist of a warmup phase (5-20 minutes) followed by the wod (workout of the day) and finally a warm down phase. Workouts for judo is here to stay, as can be proved by judokas from all over the world who are ready to vouch for matt’s judo routine’s efficiency and effectiveness. They require full body co-ordination and can be used as part of a training session (especially circuits. In weightlifting, holding a barbell for a deadlift can be seen as an example of static grip strength. Speaking of core strength, the development of your core should be a primary focus in all your mma workout programs. Conversely, i am also fan of the made ridiculously simple series by medmaster. Doing workouts more than once: “once or twice, depends on recovery. This will make these styles extremely effective in helping many achieve cause real progress. Static position for 5 to 10 seconds. Two pushups equals one rep.
It is better if you can get to deep sleep, if not just to be quiet will help a lot. Workouts for judo is a new strength and power training course that provides people with a wide range of basic judo training exercises and advanced workouts for both beginners and professional judo players or judokas. I don't know why, but i do have over a year's worth of recorded strength progress saying that's what my body does. Slowly lower yourself down so your chest touches the floor. And instead of waiting over a week for the program to arrive, you can get started on your quest for the six-pack immediately. Practicing the whole range of breakfalls leads to increased spatial awareness and eventually all fear of being thrown disappears. For the very peak of physical perfection smoking should be avoided, but for the average judoka not a great deal of harm will be felt from moderate smoking. Hint: it has nothing to do with the. I respect her opinion and her approval carries a lot of weight.
I do weight training some days 2 x a week some days, i do mma and few hours later i hit the gym. Instead, you'll use weights, intense cardio intervals, combination strength movements. During the off season, i encourage my crossfitters to compete in another event. Using your arms as levers arch your body backwards in a slow and controlled movement to feel a stretch in the front of your right hip. What to expect during a kbia instructor training:.
Best Workouts For Judo
Whether you are fighting or not fighting, the principles of bodyweight training and combat calisthenics. It is my experience that they help very much, but it is my opinion that having a whole day devoted to them, while doing judo three times a week, will leave your joints creaking and broken. Jigoro kano of japan, whose second maxim of judo was, "jita kyoei" - building society by harmonious cooperation with others. - while keeping a grip on the bar rotate underneath and finish with the bar resting on your upper chest with elbows high. ⢠stream workouts online or do workouts offline. I began with stating their versatility is unmatched by any other athletes. Workouts for judo review: can you be the best guy in your division.
For example, if uke attacks with an osoto-gari (large outer reap), tori can step back with one leg and back away from uke. Hold a weight/medicine ball in your hands and from the floor and slowly rotate the weight from one side to the other. Aikido is referred to as the art of harmony. If you don’t have any equipment at home and still want to do an indoor workout, burpees can be a great option in place of running. As gracie jiu-jitsu spread and non family members learned this style it became known more commonly as brazilian jiu-jitsu. The best gain which you would have in case you favor to move for workouts for judo is that it is easy to down load. But, when you have the time, make sure you take the time to practice correctly. Half gracies on right side (1 min). Attending judo classes will increase strength and coordination as most sports will.
The amount of protein and carbohydrate that should be consumed in the post-training meals is dependent on many factors including gender, weight, metabolism, training volume and intensity and specific goals (examples: adding size or strength, reducing body fat, making weight). Is it better to learn how to throw so that you can end in a more beneficial position or just learn to do a takedown that puts you in the guard. Start: begin lying on the back (e. To get the best results this will be a 4week program beginner’s workout plan, we’re going to look at weight training in the 8-12 rep range and also on a basic, easy to follow diet. At the lower levels of club. A broomstick would work just fine for holding onto as you train.
In oldfox’s post on training at brazilian top team, he said mario sperry told jim he takes 4 techs a day and drills them with a partner about 100 times each before a class. If a good art is taught by a great instrutor, then you'll benefit even more. Of exercise videos and dvd's are now heavily incorporating training. Monday light cardio – technique/very light sparring and/or 30 minutes in the pool (recover here). This week we work on a side control/knee on stomache transition drill. I have taken time to talk to him a lot in the first game. How i got into mma….
In addition to the workouts, here's just a small sample of what you'll discvoer when you grab your copy of the mma ripped fat-loss training program today:. The tabata protocol–named after izumi tabata, ph. In case you don’t revel in it you may get your cash-lower back no queries requested through workouts for judo i’ve attempted plenty of different instructions and really nothing worked, workouts for judo is the best. Tai chi is another form of chinese martial art. This week we welcome andre 'dedeco' almeida from bestway bjj and american top team in boston. i can tell you from experience, crossfit is not the easiest path to better health.
pick up heavy things…aka deadlift. But most people either 1) can’t do any yet, or 2) want to do more. With a sixty-day money back guarantee, the product is up for a grab right now. This is needed for increasing muscle mass which will help with your basal metabolic rate (bmr). Do you know what we didn’t have.
Gym Workouts For Judo
your goal should be to get as strong as is reasonable with a reasonable amount of training - the gains in strength you'd make by strength training more often would be more than offset by the decrease in skiill from martial arts training time. – 5 x 50 yard timed sprints (30 seconds rest in between sprints). so if you were to take his free videos and advice add the books and put them all together i think you would be looking at a dvd series that costs about £100. The sport of judo (rev. It is this type of training that lets a midget like me have a vertical jump like this 🙂. I want to stress the importance of doing well enough in school here. It makes sense universities have not picked it up, because you need sport specific training to be successful in athletics.
Keep the warm-up period short (10-20 minutes), make sure it’s not exhausting, and stretch after you are warmed up. In tournaments, lose your humanity, but do not try to hurt your opponent. Additionally, i have dramatically reduced my body fat % and overall fat mass through designated programs the gym offers. Very vigorous level and will challenge your cardiovascular endurance. Appendix - rules of judo. It is very important that the workouts you are completing in the gym are beneficial to improving your overall judo game. Think judo might be for your child. Stop hesitating to buy workouts for judo. I run a kid’s program at a local college and also help coach grappling and wrestling at several martial arts clubs. A system for developing competitive crossfitters, part i: a (relatively) simple analysis of a complex problem.
C - …until your feet touch the floor. I train a new generation of athlete's. All you need is the “workouts for judo” training manual, and your very own dojo or a basic home gym. Martial art training has been practiced by millions of people over many. tell one he's going to do 2 sets and tell the other he's going to do 9. Just two minutes to go, but they’re going to be two very tough minutes. It is better to have good quality sets, and perhaps a couple of fewer kilograms on the bar, then to be a slave to a workout log and get hurt and lose training time on the mat. The front clinch should be performed with the palm of one hand on the back of the other.
Finger, toe and ankle locks were prohibited. If you want to get better at judo - just do judo. The magical sight of a full tatami with judoka from the age of 5 to 95, from a. Chokes, kimura locks, arms bars) is superior in the bjj clubs because the bjj clubs drill them more than in judo clubs. A strong back will stop your opponent pulling your head down as well as assist you in pulling your opponent off balance. Set up the cable machine at the highest setting and attach a rope to the cable pulley. Posturing up seems like an easy task and many times is one of the first things you learn. Wrist curls and reverse wrist curls. I've recently enrolled in some judo classes, and before i was going to the gym 4 days a week doing isolated workouts each day. –mentally strong; be able to put up with tough sessions as well as training day in and day out everyday.
Therefore it is crucial that all judokas have rotational strength to finish throws and drive through any resistance you may encounter from your opponents defence. Continue for the required time or the repetition limit. All the japanese affiliated judo schools that attended were threatened with everything from lawsuits to being thrown out of the judo federation and their status revoked if they taught the program to their american students. Chapter 10 - drills for linking standing with matwork techniques.
Crossfit Workouts For Judo
I know almost no body who legitiately has this problem. As with wrestling practice, it’s important to keep strength training workouts fun, machalinksi adds. In the mid 1990s, professor izumi tabata (then at the national institute for health and nutrition in japan) studied the effect of short but grueling workouts. The aim is to increase all elements of athletic performance including respiratory endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, coordination, agility and balance. I'm curious about crossfit because i work at a gym and i can attend the class for free. All this must be applied in several minutes – sometimes tenths. We can strongly recommend workouts for judo to you. Our warm up is just an extension of the mobility and smr work, but this section focuses more on movement, raising the core body temperature, and further preparing the body for the workout.
This mma exercise is really effective although it sounds silly. Move as quickly as possible through each rep. Crossfit is better than bodybuilding for improving our capacity to do functional work. But if you post on master-mma, you'll have direct access to myself and jeff, as well as the support of fellow mma ripped program owners. Horribly misguided and uneducated article. I'll throw in some lunges and karaoke runs and the short workout is over.
Many judoka have confessed to me that they took up brazilian jiu-jitsu as the emphasis on groundwork was more forgiving to their joints. You can do it right now with innovative programming combining the ancient art of kung-fu, with the latest advancements in biomechanics and group fitness. Your age, your technical level (both in judo and the gym), your goals all need to be considered. If you do it this way, you’ll have a good knee for life. The hobbyists could do one per day or alternatively 3 times per week would also reach good improvements.
The smaller tiles make for less wasted product when cut to fit in a wall-to-wall application. I am just starting judo, but have been doing ws4sb in conjunction with crossfit-style conditioning workouts for the entire summer. Industry in the last decade. Increase your foot and hand speed which will improve your grip fighting skills. All training must be adapted to your personal ability and proclivity even within the arts themselves. I use this knowledge to work with the best bjj fighters in hungary. These are the special level workouts that are suitable for judokas who are fighting to win and passed out the novice level.
Judo dummies are available in many different designs and forms. We offer the best judogi (japanese name for judo uniform) for people of all age groups. The judo workout is a complete judo fitness plan to help people become better fighters. When you think {the athletic build}, many athletes from various sports come to mind…. It is time to train like a man again (especially if you are a woman) and get back in touch with visceral impulse that has been locked away for years. If you feel your arm start to wobble or your core starts to shift, then you’ve lost integrity. Only problem is cost and you need some decent instruction. When in the weights room i prefer to train maximal strength and power some speed too.
Is it worth it, can i get by with a store-bought knee-brace, and can i wear it while grappling. Here’s a basic example for somebody who competes in karate:. ) so you may want to make sure that you're getting the right amount of pressing to even it out (even though you still probably won't need much. i started my kettlebell workouts doing the extreme kettlebell cardio workout as i heard about it via a joe rogan podcast.
Kettlebell Workouts For Judo
Put into practice, this philosophy sets judo apart from other martial arts and makes the discipline uniquely effective in encountering resistance from an opponent. Keep moving: shorter, focused weight training sessions are preferable to two-hour, marathon workouts with many long breaks between sets. You'll see the connection to the drill and this week's…. Additionally, superset in some “squeezing strength” drills during your strength workouts or bjj practices. There are no breaks at the real fight. Stand upright with your hands on your hips.
All crossfit does is make you good at crossfit and tear your body up. I experienced kettlebell-enhanced grip strength in my own jiu-jitsu practice when gripping my opponent’s gi. The actual activity done during interval training can be varied. Stop it when legs turn to the waistline. However i do think powerful legs can be a huge advantage in grappling, especially judo so i need to find the right balance between power and functionality. By practicing the details in this drill you'll….
8 we hypothesised that training level would affect the neutrophil response to exercise, and that an impaired neutrophil response would be more apparent after the aerobic than after the anaerobic exercise task. 4) workouts – the central part of the workouts for judo fitness training program. These sweeps are basic enough…. They are also all good agility, explosive and strength exercises. Also a lot of the best trainers in the world for bodybuilding and powerlifting didnt go to school to learn what they know. Considering a safe and proper form, some of the exercises simply seem to be to hard to handle in a crosfit metabolic workouts even by a crosfit elite, and certainly, should not be practised and taught by inexperienced people. Reps: as many as you can for 25 seconds. The routine below is what i used (in my late 40s) while doing muay-thai 2 days a week. However, workouts for judo provides real effects. I dont think everybody has the same perspectives and lots of pple still think those bodies look hot but just saying compared with bodybuilding, this is wayyy more inferior since crossfit ‘s main purpose is not about sculping body.
Pros:bonus stress relief from hitting things, higher-than-average self-defense value. It is very important to lower the bar in a controlled manner. Do not leg your legs fall to the floor but, rather, maintain tension in your abdominal muscles. You can do a set in 2-3 minutes of a few shots. But judo's main emphasis is just that, learning how to take someone to the ground, but once on the ground, many judo practitioners are not nearly as skilled as a wrestler or jujitsu fighter. Triceps extensions with pulley support different variants when working the brachial triceps, such as triceps extensions with rope or cable.
No reason to tell someone who is doing something different to man up…. Cardio- after the resistance training sessions on mon, wed, fri. Another issue with circuit training is the type of weights you use for muscular endurance. Not that i am an expert, but i do both. Judo became an olympic sport at the 1964 summer olympics in tokyo. One of the strong benefits of heavy kettlebell training is that you ultimately have to master all of your leverage points to get the job done. Place your feet hip-width apart on the floor. The other reason why flexibility improves is because after every strength session i encourage you to stretch for roughly 10-20 minutes. 1) in the ring fighters are wearing boxing gloves and cannot intertwine their fingers.
Good Workouts For Judo
Martial arts workouts are popular among those who are fascinated by the mentality and allure of the fighting arts, as well as those who just want a workout that is more interesting and varied than lifting weights and running on a treadmill. Therefore, try to always incorporate strength, speed, mobility, flexibility, stability etc. Weight ball exercise will balance your weight and keep your fitness well if you do it regularly. Brazilian jiu jitsu, grappling and judo blog. The program prepares trainees for any physical contingency—not only for the unknown but for the unknowable, too. 20 seconds of going all out. Instead of using time use a set number of reps per exercise. Differences in technical ability and physical conditioning among fighters at the elite levels are often not substantial, which makes strategy and tactics all the more important. I'm 6' tall and weigh about 175 pounds.
It helps you weather things like, a barrage of punches, defending from your back while a 200 pound maniac is lying on you and trying to knock you out, and it keeps your legs fresh while circling your opponent looking for an opening to finish the fight. Functional strength is fantastic for judo. A huge part of crossfit community is support. Martial arts schools are typically full of people like you and me who. That’s functional strength and functional strength is being strong when it matters most. Congratulations on making the decision to get started with workouts for judo. To be frank; i am yet to come across any programme that is as good as workouts for judo.
An athlete can switch from the three day to a four day template. A lifter at the otc hit a pretty good snatch while wearing straps. It’s imperative that you stretch before you work out, but it’s fascinating to think that the stretches could actually be the workout in and of themselves. I've got a broken wrist at the moment. Negative points of workouts for judo:. lighter load can be used for longer periods of time. With my five step approach to bulletproofing your shoulders i address more than just stretching. Before we begin analyzing the goods and the not-so-goods of the workouts for judo routine, it is imperative that you be made aware of what exactly is this program all about. Let’s start with our aerobic workouts. Explosive power - explosive power is the ability to exert maximum force in one or a series of dynamic acts.
If you ran 1 mile this week, then don’t run 2 miles next week. Start with one kettlebell between your feet. “workouts for judo” is basically a top-quality fitness guideline. You will learn all the basic warming up exercises that will improve your judo skills. The two clips analyze the success of judo in mongolia. For the next three years, i squatted, pulled, pushed, deadlifted, and rowed more than i ever thought i was capable of. Winning the usa’s first gold medal in judo in london. A heavy bag for 5 minutes.
From the particular to the general. When one has fostered a co-occurring disorder, it can lead to a myriad of harmful side-effects such as extreme mood swings, excessive worrying or fear, and more. Crash mat flips crash mat sprints ne waza sit throughs. Most martial arts workouts are performed at a. This week, braulio estima continues his sweep series from guard.
Workouts For Judoka
workouts for judoka is a great read for both beginners and veterans alike. If you don’t have...
Kettlebell Workouts For Judo
In fact, if you take a look at military history, they've been doing calisthenics to...
Kettlebell Workouts For Judo
Matt has also come out with a great new dvd set for bjj players: judo for bjj. The main goal...
Best Workouts For Judo
we typically use two weight plates (smooth side out) and hold for time. “push” workout would train...
Workouts For Judo Pdf
People like to practice best workouts for judo because they like the rules of judo and...
Workouts For Judo Pdf
However, because of my heavy commitment to strength training in and of itself, competitively and my...
Good Workouts For Judo
Use a shoulder press machine that. But true success in judo is seen when that new technique...
Good Workouts For Judo
workouts for judo team also offer you a 24-hour support team, which can be called anytime if you...
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"Big Gay Fitcher hands Flik some forged enrollment documentation for the kiddies to get into the academy. 'They're three years out-of-date,' he tells them, 'so please tell the guards you were delayed by the war.' Which war, I wonder. This one hasn't been going on for three years, and the last one ended exactly three years ago. Pointing the finger at either one, therefore, is a dead giveaway that you're lying, but something tells me those guards will be just gullible enough to accept this explanation."
-Sam, Suikoden II Part 11
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Final Fantasy X : Part 12
By Jeanne
Posted 06.08.03
Pg. 1 : 2 : 3
Electrocuting Tightass was a blast and a half, but it's time to move on from one endless area with random battles to the next endless area with random battles, namely, Macalania Forest.
The forest, as I mentioned earlier, is all sparkly, in just the way to make Wakka say, "Whoa." The main pathway winds up and around through the woods. It's just your average game designer crack-induced forest.
Unfortunately, the first battle results in Auron being stoned. No, not like Wakka or the game designers -- I mean he actually gets turned into stone. An interesting side note is that attacking characters after they are petrified causes them to shatter. I would try this on Tightass, but I never use him in battle, so it's a moot point. Of course I have Yuna heal Auron, because naturally he's the only one who can defeat those armored mole things with the crystals sticking out of their backs. I swear I'm not making this stuff up.
Some random Guado guy walking around the woods tells the party to hurry up because Seymour is waiting. Jeez, does the whole damn population of Guado have tickets to watch the honeymoon or something? What the hell do they care anyway?
Partway through the woods, Barthello comes running up to the party like Squall toward a naked Seifer, screaming, "Hey!" He's clearly distraught, oddly enough because he can't find Thonga. Wakka is a little slow on the uptake, and wonders what's going on. Barthello explains that he and Thonga got separated. "Damn it all! I've got to find her!" he screeches as if he isn't in search of the bitchiest person on the whole damn planet. Auron tells him to calm the hell down, and since Auron is Barthello's secret fantasy, the big dumb lug actually listens. Auron is probably surprised that someone is listening to him, seeing as how his last few words of advice have fallen on deaf -- and dumb -- ears. The game designers were trying to be all fancy with the camera again, so there is this really awkward three-part zoom-in right before Barthello gets a hold of himself. Wait, that came out wrong. You know what I was trying to say.
Auron offers to help Barthello search, and surprisingly, Barthello refuses. The guy had the chance to be alone with his dream guardian and then turned him down. Whatever. Barthello runs off and Rikku starts running after him. Wakka wonders why, and Rikku chirps, "Oh, I just wanted to wish him good luck." Now most of you probably realize what's going on here, namely, that the Al Bhed are still going around kidnapping summoners. You didn't think they'd drop that plot point just yet, did you? Anyway, despite the fact that everyone already knows the secret behind the disappearing summoners, not one brings up the possibility that the Al Bhed are involved. Not even Wakka, the guy obsessed with making the Al Bhed responsible for every disaster in the history of Spira. And although everyone except Wakka knows that Rikku is an Al Bhed, no one even thinks to ask her if she knows what is going on. Everyone here is an idiot.
A little further along the pathway stands a humanoid bird with a feather headdress and a harp. Just when you think shit can't get any weirder. It walks up to Tightass and says, in a woman's voice, "A butterfly with rainbow wings Will lead the way to secret things." Alrighty, then. I don't want anyone leading Tightass to any sort of "secret things" so I force the party to move along. Plus, the text box informs me that this is the infamous butterfly game, and I have absolutely no desire to inflict that upon myself. I mean, isn't it enough that I have to deal with Tightass? How much do I have to suffer?
After another several minutes of walking and random battles, the group reaches O'aka, who is so excited about Yuna and Seymour getting married that he offers a discount on all his items. Of course, with his prices, Tightass might as well just bend over and receive the items up his ass, and you know how much I don't want that. Luckily, O'aka has the decency to ask if his prices are akin to forced sodomy, and after I answer yes, he lowers his prices. I think it would be funny to not buy anything, but Rikku has a shit weapon, so I buy her a new one. My revenge will have to wait.
Moving to the next screen triggers a cut scene. Auron walks to the side of the path, saying, "It is here...somewhere." Tightass asks what he's talking about, and I hope that Auron will respond that he's looking for the perfect place to kill Tightass where no one would be the wiser (like anyone would care anyway). Instead, he responds cryptically that it's "something [Tightass] should see." Auron goes apeshit with his sword on a poor, defenseless crystal tree, and I try to point out that Tightass is behind him, but it's too late. After a path is cut in the tree, Auron proceeds through it, leaving me wondering why the hell he couldn't have done that any number of times along the way so I didn't have to spend half a damn hour fighting my way through the forest.
Auron leads the group to a clearing with a pretty sparkling pool in it. In the middle of the pool is a twisty tree with a big crystal in it, because God knows we can't have a Final Fantasy game without a freaking crystal. "It's just water, isn't it?" Tightass asks for no good reason, prompting Auron to reply, "This is what spheres are made of." This leads me to think that he's talking about the "water," but then how does it become spheres? Are they going to explain this? The answer is no. Of course not. "It absorbs and preserves people's memories," Auron continues. Let's just put this in the same category as "gunblades" and "Tightass" when it comes to things that make no sense.
At that moment, a big, blue blob emerges from the pool. It has little orbs floating in it. "What's that?" Wakka asks, inwardly wondering if he's the only one that can see it. "Fiends are also attracted to these places," Auron explains. Of course that means it's time for a boss battle. The blob is only weak against black magic, and it changes its elemental weakness every time it is hit with a spell. Hitting it with a physical attack causes it to counterattack with the element with which it is currently aligned. This allows me to use Tightass as a decoy. While he gets hit with spells and other attacks, Lulu blasts the blob with magic. Therefore I get to kill a fiend, and get Tightass hurt in the process. Can it get any better than that?
The blob has a death scene that lasts as long as a FFVIII GF animation, and eventually sinks back into the pool from whence it came. It leaves behind a small sphere like the one Jyscal dropped earlier. A text box informs us that this is Jecht's sphere. Oh goody. Wakka tells Tightass that the sphere is really old and that it may not play. Dude, it's a sphere, not a fucking 8-track. Auron announces that Jecht left the sphere there ten years ago, and everyone gasps in surprise as if he just announced that Squall was straight.
Tightass activates the sphere, and the whole TV screen is filled with a blue, swirly video of Braska and young Auron walking down a fancy-looking walkway. Now, when I say "young" Auron, the guy is still older than everyone in the current party, excepting Kimahri (and who knows how fast Ronsos mature anyway (I'm sure someone has written a fanfic about it)). Interestingly, he wears the exact same outfit as in the present, excepting the sunglasses and collar, and he appears to wear the robe off the shoulder all the time. Let's not focus on the differences, though -- the guy wears the exact same outfit as he did ten years ago. This may have some significance to the story, but in my opinion, it just shows how lazy the game designers truly are. Of course, it's not like he's wearing Tightass's outfit, so I have no complaints as far as having to see him in the red robe.
Jecht is all excited that he gets to be the obnoxious asshole with the video camera, gushing about how he'll get to show all this neat shit to his wife and his whiny wanker kid. "This is no pleasure cruise," Auron bitches. Jecht ignores him, swinging the camera over to Braska. Braska is wearing this godawful headdress with a pointy metal thing that sticks out behind him. He looks like he could poke an eye out with that thing. "Ain't this supposed to be a grand occasion?" Jecht wonders. "Where're the cheering fans? The crying women?" The crying woman would be me, mainly because I have to deal with Tightass and his old man in one recap. Braska replies that there will be nothing of the sort, and he makes it sound like he doesn't want any of them to have second thoughts about leaving. At this point in the video, Auron walks past, displaying clearly for the first time his child molester ponytail. His coolness just went down a few levels, but he's got coolness to spare, so don't be too worried. Jecht proves that he's just as dumb as his son as he talks about all the fantastic celebrations they'll have to look forward to at the end of the trip. Braska just laughs, because apparently the thought of his own death is funny.
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1. Ergogeek has the Tesoro Durandal G1NL mechanical keyboard for $90 + $5 shipping this week. Cherry MX Reds: link Cherry MX Blues: link Cherry MX Browns: link
2. A heads up for anyone who wants a Durandal G1NL, and who's waiting for the group buy to go through: Ergogeek currently has the G1NL for $90 + $5 shipping (link).
3. If I will be able to get a Nighthawk X9 with white LEDs (the same one they have pre-configured on their site for $154.99) on this group buy, then I'd like to join as well. strutz: I don't think you can stack coupons. The promotions page says you cannot combine with any other offer (link).
4. If I wanted to be part of the group buy, would I be able to get a Nighthawk X9 with all white LEDs? I know they sell that as a pre-set option on their site, but is it available with this group buy?
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https://www.custompcreview.com/forums/profile/1219-murky44/
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The Fall of Hyperion
Novel * Dan Simmons * Pretty Much Every Apocalypse * 1990
Here’s the deal, right straight up: Go read Hyperion. This is a direct sequel, and will make zero sense unless you read the first. And you absolutely should read that first book, because it’s great. If you have read Hyperion, then you don’t need me here telling you to read The Fall of Hyperion. I’m assuming you’re already sought out the next book and have finished it off, set it down and was like, “daaang, son, that was a trip.” Maybe you didn’t say that last thing, I don’t actually know. If, somehow, you read the first book and don’t feel compelled to read the follow-up, here’s the pitch: The Fall of Hyperion takes place immediately after the events of the first book, where the Time Tombs are waking up, the pilgrims are approaching their fate, and things are getting weird for humanity in general. The book disposes of the framed narrative structure of the first novel, and the story is freed to encompass pretty much all of human space. There is an odd structural conceit, however, in that a portion of the novel is told from the first-person vantage point of an A.I. hybrid, which is the reconstructed personality of the poet John Keats, a filthy Romantic. This hybrid has real-time dreams of what the pilgrims are getting up to, and is able to relay these things to Meina Gladstone, CEO of the WorldWeb. Things happen here, and the novel moves like lightning to keep up. It’s all great. Go, finish, come back.
fall of hyperion2
It just now occurred to me that both of these covers feature Sol and Rachael and I didn’t talk about them at all. Hey, there’s a lot going on in these books.
Daaang, son, that was a trip. Right? As you no doubt notice when you’re finished with The Fall of Hyperion, this second novel is a lot more plot heavy than the first. There’s more world-hopping, more sick space battles, more intrigue, more weirdness. If the first book was a windup towards world-rending chaos, then Fall more than pays off the promises made in the beginning. Hyperion was about setting the world, understanding the characters, and creating a mood of humanity on the brink. There is a decidedly apocalyptic vibe to the first book without an apocalyptic event taking place. The whole Shrike situation is weird, for sure, and its very nature as a monolithic death machine not beholden to linear time creates a morbid tension amongst the pilgrims. Hyperion, the planet, is obviously in danger because of the Ouster threat. However, despite this danger the Ousters are still human. If they win, humanity technically wins, and besides, Hyperion is a frontier world with no real connection to the WorldWeb, where the vast majority of humanity makes its home.
That very same Web is always in the background of Hyperion, it’s the foundation of human expansion in the galaxy and birthed not only the Shrike pilgrims but is always looming over them. It’s a safety net and an encumbrance. In Fall, we get a better picture of just what the WorldWeb is, how it was formed, and why its very nature adds to the overall feeling of impending doom in the novel. In Hyperion, we learned that humanity was forced from Earth due to an unfortunate accident referred to as the Kiev Incident, or the Big Mistake. The Kiev team was experimenting with farcaster technology, which is the fundamental infrastructure foundation of the WorldWeb. Farcasters are the devices which allow for instantaneous travel between worlds. Essentially, they’re a portal ripped into space/time which allows a person to step from any place in the galaxy to another instantly. It’s not a teleporter, it’s a device which harnesses the mysterious energies – the Void Which Binds — of a black hole to distort space/time. The Kiev Incident occurred when one of these artificial black holes escaped containment, sunk into the Earth, and ate it from the inside out. In other words, they made a huge mistake.
But whatever because now the entire galaxy was at our disposal. Each major religion feel the need for their own planet? Sure, whatever! There’s plenty to go around. All you have to do is gather enough capital for a seedship and a farcaster and off you go, spread humanity. Even if Earth had survived, it was already on its way to becoming a backwater, a relic, a place with sentimental value but not really important to the overall galactic empire known as the Web. The true seat of power ended up in Tau Ceti Center, one of these massive city-planets which can only exist in a situation where entire other planetary ecologies are available to support it. Meanwhile you’ve got industrial planets and literary planets, and everything seems super cool. However, from the very first chapters of Hyperion, it all seems too good to be true. Everything is so streamlined and humanity seems in such total control of space that the situation creates a sense of inevitable doom. Like, obviously this can’t last. We’re humans. We always fuck things up.
As it happens, Fall of Hyperion is an accounting for all of humanity’s crimes. I mean, it’s right there in the title. These crimes are familiar to anyone living in the early 21st century, as we’ve been watching them play out in real time. For the most part, they’re crimes of technology, an extension of the exact same problem we see over and over again in Modern literature. The speed of technology is an intense pressure on social structures, they simply can’t keep up. Human nature doesn’t evolve to keep pace with the relentless pace of scientific progress. The technology ends up weaponizing our baser instincts, the results in our own time being industrial genocide and world-killing nuclear armaments. The Hyperion novels extrapolate this tendency of humanity to subjugate advanced technology to our violent, expansionist instincts. The crimes of the WorldWeb are manifold, and the wanton destruction of our home planet is only the beginning.
Not content to only decimate the planetary ecosystem of Earth by, you know, imploding it, humanity spreads the same industrial era thinking to every planet we colonize. This is most easily seen in the first book’s story about Maui-Covenant, the Hawaii-planet. The WorldWeb comes in, pollutes the shit out of the ecosystem, crams way too many people in, and destroys entire species in the process. Later, in Fall, we learn about the Web’s policy of eliminating semi-sentient organisms. This is to say that when humanity lands on a planet, they systemically hunt to extinction any lifeform which may eventually evolve intelligence. That’s fucked up! Meanwhile, in pretty much every other instance, when humanity colonizes a planet with the purpose of joining the WorldWeb, they kill whatever’s unique and special about that planet. Terraforming, it turns out, is the express practice of destroying a native habitat and substituting our own.
All of that is terrible, but it’s not really the root of our problem. The real crux of the apocalypse, the true reason the WorldWeb fails, is because humanity has completely embraced improving technology over improving our basic nature. When we do this, an odd thing happens: technology stagnates. Over the course of Fall of Hyperion, we learn that the fundamental technologies of the WorldWeb are not, in fact, our own. The planetary dataspheres, the ability to communicate across lightyears instantaneously, and most fundamentally the farcasters, are all a direct result of artificial intelligences that we created which have become sentient. In the end, we’ve got an A.I. singularity apocalypse on our hands here. Once all of these fundamental technologies were in place, humanity pretty much froze technological progression. After all, what else do we need? We can continue expanding into the universe, keep growing, but without resistance, there’s no evolution, no actual growth. There’s a moment towards the end of the novel where the endlessly resurrected Paul Duré is speaking with a Templar. The Templars, of course, are the group of environmentalists who have turned the writings of John Muir into a religion. Their dialogue is rather to the point:
“But much of the illness… much of the insanity which has led to the destruction of races and the despoiling of worlds… this has come from the sinful symbiosis.”
“Humankind and the TechnoCore,” said Sek Hardeen in the harshest tones Duré had ever heard a Templar use. “Man and his machine intelligences. Which is a parasite of the other? Neither part of the symbiote can now tell. But it is an evil thing, a word of the Anti-Nature. Worse than that, Duré, it is an evolutionary dead end.”
The A.I.’s need humanity around. The farcasters, in addition to transporting humans around the galaxy, are also a fundamental power source for the A.I.’s. This is a common trope in A.I. sci-fi, because frankly it gives a narrative excuse to keep humanity around. Logically, once an A.I. is fully sentient and in full control of the world’s information sphere, it would go full Skynet on us and eliminate any threat we might pose. That’s the singularity. However, in this instance they need our active synapses in order to function. Turns out there’s various factions at play. The Stables like the way things are going. The Volatiles would rather just eradicate the rest of the species once and for all. The Ultimates could give a shit and are only in it to create an A.I. God. In order to avoid being murdered by the Volatiles, there needs to be a reckoning. Humanity must face up to technological stagnation and embrace an unknowable future of true progress and eventual evolution.
In other words, the WorldWeb must look to the invading barbarians for salvation. The Ousters are the one aspect of humanity which has rejected the placating technology of the A.I. TechnoCore and have begun to move beyond our base expansionist nature. The Ousters don’t use farcaster technology, nor do they live on actual planets. Rather they’ve adapted to life in space, living in vast, comparatively slow moving colonies of ships. Over the years their bodies and minds have started to change, moving towards a natural evolution of humanity that the WorldWeb has rejected. They also seem to understand the ultimate threat of the TechnoCore, even if they don’t know the particulars. The WorldWeb must be destroyed for humanity to be saved, and so here they come to the planet of Hyperion in an attempt to facilitate a means to thwart the sinister intentions of the A.I.’s. However, at the same time, the TechnoCore launches its own attack upon the Web under the guise of a coordinated Ouster invasion. Those tricky A.I.’s.
In the end, the TechnoCore is (supposedly) destroyed with the total destruction of the farcaster system. Victory for humanity! Of course, this is the true apocalypse. When the farcaster system fell, so too did the WorldWeb. Every portal was rendered inert immediately, leading to the probable death of billions. City-planets like Tau Ceti Center were thrust on their own resources, which of course are inadequate to the needs of the population. Families were split apart, so was anyone caught mid-transit while farcasting. By all accounts, the death of the WorldWeb is a holocaust on a scale unknown to humanity. Beyond the sheer loss of life involved is the loss of a way of life. This is key. A true apocalyptic event must be a revelation to the survivors. An apocalypse must have an after which is meaningful. For the survivors, there must be a way forward that is fundamentally different from what came before. In this instance, those left will be force to evolve or die. Those who do will be better off for it.
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https://apocalypedia.wordpress.com/2017/09/22/the-fall-of-hyperion/
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The Planarian Flatworm: A Gateway to Human Immortality?
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Soylent…And it’s not Green!
Shipments to Britain are reportedly coming soon.
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Immortality: It’s Here Already!
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Action! Directing your Dreams may soon be Possible
Prof. Hobson also thought it could have medical benefits:
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The AI that Knows What You’re Thinking….
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Will l Live to be 200?
Larry Ellison
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Stephen Hawking and his fear of Artificial Intelligence
In the blue corner we have Stephen Hawking, representing mankind; world renowned physicist, presenter, philosopher and cosmologist, author of the blockbusting book “A Brief History of Time”, and a brain the size of a small planet.
In the red corner, a computer. Or a computer programme, perhaps, representing AI. Artificial Intelligence.
Seconds, away, Round One. Well, not just yet, this is to be a future bout of boxing, in the not too distant future. Humankind versus AI. Some would say it should never be a contest at all. We humans invented AI, and can control it. It is our baby, our spawn of the future, and it can never bite the hand that feeds…. or can it? Stephen Hawking thinks AI is a threat to all our futures…
Stephen Hawking, in an interview with a UK Sunday paper is quoted thus:
Hawking thinks we are moving too quickly, too far, without considering the possiblerepercussions. From digital personal assistants to self-driving cars- he believes we’re on the cusp of the kinds of artificial intelligence that were previously exclusive to science fiction films. Shades of 2001: A Space Odyssey and Hal 9000 and I, Robot? The possibility of smart robots roaming the streets is not so far-fetched. he basically asks who will control AI when AI becomes programmed to control itself?
download (1)iRobot_G_08
It’s not just that there may be massive unemployment due to robotisation, if a robot is sufficiently intelligently programmed to consider itself “aware” or even “alive” then why would it allow anyone to control it, or worse still, switch it off? If the answer is no, then we could be on the way to a global conflict between humans and robots. Pure fantasy? Stephen Hawking doesn’t think so. Perhaps we should start dumbing down drones already….
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Immortality. Where to Put all those Accumulating Memories?
Let’s imagine (or scroll forward if you think it definitely will happen) we manage to cure ageing, both in the body and in the mind. We have immortality. Nice. But how would we be able to cope with the infinitely accumulating number of memories and things to remember?
Memory is a funny old thing. We do get more forgetful as we get older. Yet we still have retained and lodged forever in our memory certain events, numbers, faces, facts and triggers. Even though brain cells die at a quicker rate as we get older, we must assume that immortality will include the ability for the brain to regenerate itself. So our capacity to think is unimpaired because our brains will remain functioning.
But what of memory? Research indicates that there is a certain part of the brain where memories reside. But it is of a finite size. As more and more experiences and memories are accumulated throughout the centuries and aeons of our immortality, that part of the brain will just become clogged and full and unable to absorb any more information. It would also be difficult if not impossible to recall information because there are so many full rooms,corridors and halls all full of filing cabinets, full of folders, full of papers.
Your brain can keep all that stuff organized for a while (say, the span of most of a normal human lifetime) but it’s not like you can go into your brain and just delete files like cleaning up a hard drive of a computer.
Your immortal life and experiences may be infinite, but your brain’s ability to store and recall them is not. After a relatively short time into your immortality, as early as 300 years old, your brain will be chock-a-block piled up with information/junk like one of the habitual hoarders who can never clean up or throw anything out.
The only possible solution would appear to be to connect to technology that could store, sort and recall all that information- and perhaps delete it to. “Total Recall” anyone? So perhaps at 30o years old plus you’ll be permanently wired in to a data/memory dump/recall system. But your biological brain’s ability to process the information and retain it, would not be expanded once it has received the input from the memory card or whatever. And of course you might forget that you have stored the information remotely and so the whole system falls down again!
Immortality? Not as easy as it sounds!
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Girl Who Never Grows Old may hold Key to Immortality
Gabrielle (Gabby) Williams from Billings, Montana, United States, is 9 years old, but weighs a mere 11 pounds. She has the appearance of an infant and needs constant attention as if she were newborn- having her nappies changed and being fed a number of times each day. Her skin is baby-like and her hair is fine-textured. There has been some slight growth over four decades- she now needs clothes to fit a baby of 3-6 months instead of up to three months.
People with this condition are very rare- scientists haven’t even got a name for it. Only two other people with a similar condition have been found: a 29-year-old Florida man with the appearance of a 10-year-old, and a 31-year-old Brazilian woman who still looks like a three year old.
So far the search for clues as to why these individuals don’t age and what they have in common have not uncovered their secrets.
Dr Richard F Walker (pictured above) has been studying Gabby’s case in the hopes of finding a reason for the arrested growth and perhaps unlock a path to eternal youth and immortality. He is retired from the University of Florida Medical School and now does his research at All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg.
Dr Walker has called the condition “developmental inertia”. He said that without the process of growth and ageing, a human would never develop and remain stunted and unfulfilled. But if there is a gene responsible for this condition, and it could be identified, isolated and modified, then there is a possibility that the most obvious effects of ageing could be arrested or slowed considerably.
Walker said he believes he has found one of the genes responsible- a mutation on the second female X chromosome. The trick would be to allow growth to a certain level, for example maturity, and then halt further growth and ageing. This “biologically immortality” would not prevent people dying from disease and in accidents. They would not become superheroes.
Gabby’s parents admitted that they were concerned at first that Dr Walker was using their child to find the fountain of youth for vanity purposes, but he explained to them that the research was focused on helping people who struggle with the hardships that come with old age.
Gabby’s mother, Mary, said:
Dr Walker is currently Editor-in-Chief of Clinical Interventions in Ageing, a source of evidence-based information for practitioners of age-management medicine. He also heads a private consulting company providing regulatory and scientific services for physicians and other health-care professionals. Gabrielle Williams’ condition has since been confirmed to have been the result of a genetic mutation. Emulating or stimulating that mutation has, so far, evaded scientists and researchers, including Dr Walker.
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Paraplegic’s Robotic Exoskeleton to take First Kick of World Cup
Nicolelis releases video with robotic exoskeleton in action
miguel-nicolelis zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
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Woman who Died Aged 115 may Hold Secrets to Longevity
In a new study into advancing the longevity of humans it was found that in the healthy white blood cells of a 115-year-old woman, there were over 400 mutations.
Of course genetic mutations have been linked to diseases such as cancer, but these new findings by researchers suggest that mutations in white blood cells are largely harmless over a lifetime. And may have beneficial effects on ageing. Blood is continually replenished by hematopoietic (meaning “to make blood”) stem cells that are inside our bone marrow and divide to produce different types of blood cells. Cell division can lead to genetic mutations and hundreds of mutations have been found in patients with blood cancers. However, until recently little was known about white blood cells and mutations. Because they weren’t harmful, they weren’t studied.
The woman in the study was the oldest person in the world when she died in 2005 at 115 years old. She is also thought to be the oldest person ever to donate her body to science. The hundreds of mutations identified in her white blood cells appeared to be tolerated by the body and did not cause any disease.
The researchers also found possible new insight into the limits of human longevity, according to the authors of the study published on-line April 23 in the journal Genome Research.
Lead author Dr. Henne Holstege (pictured below) said in a journal news release:
“To our great surprise we found that, at the time of her death, the peripheral blood was derived from only two active hematopoietic stem cells (in contrast to an estimated 1,300 simultaneously active stem cells), which were related to each other. Because these blood cells had extremely short telomeres, we speculate that most hematopoietic stem cells may have died from ‘stem cell exhaustion,’ reaching the upper limit of stem cell divisions.”
The researchers also found that the woman’s white blood cells’ telomeres were extremely short. Telomeres, which are at the ends of chromosomes and protect them from damage, get a bit shorter each time a cell divides. Further research is needed to learn whether such stem cell exhaustion is a cause of death in extremely old people.
The next step will be to see if the white blood cell mutations can be artificially produced, and their effect on longevity, and whether avoiding stem cell exhaustion is feasible, thus prolonging life.
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From Fruit Bats to Flying Robots?
Flying robots always seem to be more difficult to create than other types of land-based or underwater robots. While we have seen a variety of robots that are vaguely humanoid in shape and can emulate human movements, we haven’t seen anything significant flying that isn’t a drone or toy helicopter . Where are our Transformers and Frank Herbert’s Dune Ornithopters? It might be because we’ve never managed to fly like birds ourselves, and have had to use engine-powered flight or fixed-wing gliders. But that may be about to change. Think bat.
Last month in the Journal Physics of Fluids, researchers at Virginia Tech’s Computational Fluid Thermal Science and Engineering Lab published looked at how bats rapidly flap their wings in flight and considered that this could promote new designs of flying robots. The Researchers studied how fruit bats use their wings to manipulate the air around them. Understanding how these processes work in this branch of nature could help engineers design mini flying robots, known as “micro air vehicles” equipped with rapidly flapping wings.
Danesh Tafti
Danesh Tafti
Over to Danesh Tafti, a Professor in the department of mechanical engineering and also director of the Engineering Lab. He said-
“Bats have different wing shapes and sizes, depending on their evolutionary function. “Typically, bats are very agile and can change their flight path very quickly — showing high manoeuvrability for prey capture, so it’s of interest to know how they do this.” The bats have feathers on their wings like birds, but have wings made of flexible webbed membranes that connect to their fingers and can stretch to almost 7 inches.
The scientists collected measurements of live flying bats and used specially designed computer software to analyse the relationship between the animals’ movements and the motion of airflow around their wings. Much to their surprise they found that bats can instinctively change their wing movement to generate increased forces from their flapping. The bats can expand the area of its wings by almost a third to create a powerful down-thrust and maximise lift. When flapping their wings upward, the wing size is minimised to prevent adverse effects of gravity slowing their flight.
By copying these flapping motions and wing-size changes, engineers could design more efficient small-scale flying robots. It may not mean that we are ready now to design a robotic bat-man any, or swarms of tiny robotic vampire bats to descend on and harry an enemy, but these findings are likely to be taken forward somewhere….
Screen Shot 2011-11-03 at 11.38.05 AM20111104050004
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The Secret to Longer, Healthier and Happier lives? 20% Less Food!
In a recent study by Harvard Medical School, which used data going back to the 1970s, Professor of medicine Francine Grodstein concluded that “diet makes a difference”. Plain and simple.
Francine Grodstein
Francine Grodstein
“The higher our body weight and body mass index, the less likely we are to live older, happier, healthier lives,” she said.
Well you may have preferred to hear about a breakthrough in a longevity magic bullet, or transferring DNA from animals that live for over 150 years to humans, but there’s no getting away from it. If you reduce your food intake by just a fifth, you will live a longer life. This has been shown in animals too- reducing bodyweight by 20% in mice increased their lifespans.
William Mair
William Mair
William Mair, HSPH assistant professor of genetics and complex diseases, said a study that has gained a lot of attention found that reducing body weight by 20 percent in mice increased their longevity. It is even true for insects such as the fruit fly.
By cutting down our food intake and body mass, we won’t live forever, but the quality of life should be better for longer. In other words all the morbidities that can afflict us will be pushed back to the last years of our lives.
Turning to avoiding mental disease, a promising area in warding off dementia involves taking up a personal challenge such as learning to play an instrument or to speak another language, said Thomas Perls, a Boston University professor of medicine and director of the New England Centenarian Study. However building up these mental functional reserves that seem to stave off or delay dementia don’t seem to apply to everyone. The brainiest most mentally advanced people can still succumb to dementia.
Alter Mann liest
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Robots: Now a Force for Good- Anyone for Anybot?
In the 1950’s comics and sci-fi films were renown for portraying Robots as being evil, running amok and like Prometheus Unbound (Frankenstein’s monster) biting the hand that created and fed them. While there were some benign robots, the theme of treacherous robots continued unabated, think HAL 9000 in 2001:A Space Odyssey, I robot (the book and film) , and even Transformers where robots battled it out on our behalves with us looking on like dim-witted spectators.
evil-robots-machines-robot-machine-technology-hal-9000-2001-space-odyssey-stanley-kubrick-11583774 irobot-sonny Astounding_Stories
But here in 2014, the reality is quite different. Robots are getting more and more sophisticated and all are helping, not hindering mankind. Examples you want? Here’s one. He (or she?) is called QB and is being sold by the company Anybots-
In a nutshell it is a remotely controlled, self-balancing, “virtual presence robot/avatar”. If you want more catch-phrases for this form of communication, how about “mobile telepresence”.
The Anybot is controlled through a browser-based interface and allows you to be in virtual attendance at any event or meeting that you can’t make in person. Anybots are equipped with a speaker, camera, and video screen. They connect to the Internet over Wi-Fi and you activate them as well as control them remotely from your computer. Hook up a camera to your computer, you can show live video of yourself while interacting through the robot in a remote location anywhere in the world.
How to steer your robot? You use your keyboards four arrow keys to make it turn or go forward & back. A built-in guidance system augments the driver’s commands, making it easy to safely avoid people or objects and move through narrow doorways. It has a ground-breaking balancing system and unlike your home computer or server at work, won’t fall over!
Practical examples? A doctor could visit their patient from a remote location and those who are home-bound could use this robot to attend social gatherings, be they in or out-of-doors. The Anybot could be used in education to allow sick students to still participate with their classmates in and out of the classroom, as well as allowing educators the ability to check in or give lectures when they are away from the classroom.
There’s a lot of additional features and software you can add to make your Anybot individual and tailor-made for your needs.
So far, none of them have gone beserk and attacked humans!
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A Two Centuries Old Fish: Could it Unlock the Secret of Longevity for Man?
There has been a buzz in the “can we extend human lives to 200 years” department following the catching of a 200 year old Shortracker Rockfish off Alaska’s coast. That fish was born there two centuries ago- before Alaska was a US State. It is the oldest Shortracker ever caught. It must also have been very lucky because many are hunted and eaten by predatory fish and so never see out their full life-span.
With advances in stem cell research and DNA, this is yet another animal, like the naked mole rat, that may harbour secrets as to how we could manipulate our bodies to reduce ageing and promote longevity. Like the mole rat, this fish is no beauty to look at. It looks like a bloated shimmering orange goldfish.
Rockfish are some of the world’s oldest living fish, matched only by equally long-lived fish like the sturgeon, an ancient fish found in North America that can live to be more than a century old. There must be something special in the fish’s make up, because even discounting accidental death and being eaten by other fish or caught for food, most species of fish only live 2-8 years.
The previous record age for a caught rockfish was about 175-years-old, and that fish, at about 32.5-inches-long, was smaller than this latest catch.
Let’s hope the fish is donated now to scientific longevity research, and not end up in a fish pie!
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The History of the Quest for Immortality
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Accidental Death: The Bane of Immortality
It would seem that, if scientists, researchers, biologists and clinicians are to be believed, we should have found cures for many, if not all, of the things that kills us, in about a century. That’s Alzheimer’s, cancers, degenerative diseases, and even ageing. So in a 100 years time, there we all are, not growing old, not falling ill, and virtually immortal. What will we do? Go out and enjoy the rest of our lives, secure in the knowledge that we will not die. Unless of course we suffer an accident.
Plane after it crash-landed at San Francisco airport
As good as surgery and medicine will be in 100 years time, it will not be able to bring you back from the dead if you suffer a fatal accident. Drowning at sea, a nasty pile-up on the motorway, a plane crash, a fire, a fall off of a ladder that cause brain trauma- the list is almost endless. What would we do to avoid accidentally terminating our immortality? Here’s a (admittedly pessimistic) take on this:
We would try to avoid all situations where a fatal accident could occur. Why risk shortening your never-ending life-span? We would become a world of risk-avoiders. Why risk travelling to a foreign land? Just watch it on TV in your secure air-tight protected shell of a world. Why risk physical inter-action with other humans? Many of them are mad, or dangerous, so why risk it? Contact them solely through the internet video. Much safer. Physical activity? No thanks! Cycling, driving, running, all could lead to an accident or some sort that threatens your one trillion tomorrows.
We would all settle into comfy armchairs alone in a room secure from the perils outside the door. The future a lonely sedentary existence that is really half-life. A life without the potential for danger is a life without the potential for quality. A living death?
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Pill to prolong your Life to 150 Years?
It’s long been recognised that red wine, when taken in moderation, has a good effect on the human body. Indeed, there are a number of people in their 80’s who take a glass of red a day. The wine contains resveratrol, an organic chemical, which is believed to have an anti-ageing effect through boosting the activity of a protein SIRT1.
A pharmaceutical firm, GSK, are preparing to launch a concentrated and synthesised version of resveratrol. It is being tested on people with certain medical conditions such as Type 2 Diabetes and the serious skin condition; psoriasis. But it could have a life-prolonging effect on all of us.
David Sinclair
David Sinclair
David Sinclair, professor of genetics at Harvard University, has said that ageing might not actually be an “irreversible affliction”.
He said: “Some of us could live to 150, but we won’t get there without more research.”
It seems that increasing SIRT1 activity improves how well our cells operate, making them less sluggish. Mice, bees and flies have been given the SIRT1-boosting compounds and have lived up to 50% longer.
Writing in the journal Science, Prof Sinclair claimed to have performed experiments which showed these resveratrol-based compounds were having a direct effect on health. There have already been promising results in some trials with diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease and heart failure, Type II diabetes, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, fatty liver disease, cataracts, osteoporosis, muscle wasting, sleep disorders and inflammatory diseases such as psoriasis, arthritis and colitis.
Current trials not only are looking at how the compounds might help treat these age-related diseases, but if they can prevent their occurrence in healthy people. This is where it is possible, by reducing the likelihood of them occurring, that people on the drug will stay healthy for longer, and double their life span.
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‘Shrooms Prove Previous Lives
fly-agaric-mushrooms_00433075 (1)
Don’t try this at home! Researchers have been conducting controlled experiments using volunteers and the fairy-tail red and white mushroom, the Fly Agaric.
Given in small quantities, many of those interviewed experienced memories they had forgotten about, usually associated with their early childhood. Playground incidents, seeing a steam train for the first time, a Christmas unwrapping… Many of those interviewed swore that these were genuine memories unlocked by the ‘shroom.
The next stage of the experiment was to increase the amount of the mushroom given to the volunteers. This had to be undertaken under strict medical supervision because too much Fly Agaric and the mouth and throat could become numb, and close due to anaphalactic shock. A proportion of those who had the higher dose of mushroom reported memories that were not of their childhood, and were not of their existing lives at all. They wrote down what they had “remembered” and were then interviewed by psycho-analysts to test the veracity of their memories. They all appeared to be genuine and not manufactured.
Researchers are preparing a report to publish but have already claimed that the mushroom has unlocked memories of previous existences that were locked and retained in some immortal part of the soul- it could not be the brain because the brain and body dies and rots. However the theory is that like a cloud-based IT application, upon being re-born, your characteristics from previous lives are re-loaded into your body as you develop in the womb. However the memories from previous lives are not normally accessible and are screened out. But the Fly Agaric mushroom stimulates a small part of the brain where these past-life memories are normally concealed.
Could this be evidence that we are immortal and have lived previous lives? The research is being peer-reviewed before publishing, and a number of volunteers are repeating the experiment to confirm the results.
But don’t try this yourselves. The Fly Agaric is a poisonous mushroom, and this experiment could only be conducted under strictly controlled medical conditions.
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“Pre-Life” is where Faith in Immortality is Conceived
Most people, of most faiths, and even some atheists, believe that all or part of the body, mind and/or soul survives, transcending death. Is this because of man’s evolutionary brain, conditioning from our parents, priests or peers? Taking an impassionate look at the hard facts, the evidence, there is virtually no solid evidence that humans experience life after death and immortality for their core being. So why is it so persistent?
Boston University think they have the answer. It’s developed in “Pre-life”, not just before birth, but before conception.
A study published a couple of weeks ago in the online edition of “Child Development”by a team led by postdoctoral fellow Natalie Emmons (pictured above) illuminates this area following interviews with 283 children from two distinct cultures in Ecuador. The research suggests that the human bias toward thinking we are immortal is a part of human intuition that emerges, naturally, in our early in life- before we are conceived. And that’s not all, the theory goes on to suggest that the part of us that is eternal, we believe, is not our skills or ability to reason, but instead our hopes, desires and emotions. In a nutshell we are what we feel. And we feel immortal.
The co-author of the paper, Deborah Keleman, pictured above, an Associate Professor of Psychology at Boston University, said:
“This work shows that it’s possible for science to study religious belief. At the same time, it helps us understand some universal aspects of human cognition and the structure of the mind. By focusing on prelife, we could see if culture causes these beliefs to appear, or if they appear spontaneously”.
It may come as no surprise to learn that most studies on immortality have focused on people’s views of the afterlife, often coloured by religious indoctrination. Both children and adults seem to agree that physical bodily needs, such as hunger and thirst, end when people die, but our mental capacities, such as thinking or feeling emotion, continue in some form or another. But all previous studies have not tried to address the question where do these beliefs come from? Emmons suggests that they are not developed through exposure to religious teaching, reading, learning or even the television, but from our intuition. Just as children learn to talk without formal instruction, the research suggests that intuitively they develop the belief that part of their mind could exist apart from their body.
Emmons interviewed children from an indigenous Shuar village in the Amazon Basin of Ecuador. She chose this group because they have no cultural pre-life beliefs, and she suspected that indigenous children, who have regular exposure to birth and death through simple hunting and farming, would have a more rational, biologically-based view of the time before they were conceived. Another “control” group was needed for comparison, so she also interviewed children from an urban area near Quito, where the children were Roman Catholics. That religion teaches that life begins only at conception. Emmons was looking to see if cultural influences ruled all, so that both urban and indigenous children should reject the idea of life before birth.
Emmons showed the children drawings of a baby, a young woman, and the same woman while pregnant, then asked a series of questions about the child’s abilities, thoughts and emotions during each period: as babies, in the womb, and then, before conception.
The results were not those expected. Both groups gave very similar answers, despite their very different cultures. The children in both groups reasoned that their bodies didn’t exist before birth. However, both groups also said that their emotions and desires existed before they were born. For example, while children generally told researchers that they didn’t have eyes and couldn’t see things before birth, they often reported being happy that they would soon meet their mother, or sad that they were apart from their family.
So why would humans have evolved this universal belief ?
The answer Emmons suggests is not science-based, it’s due to the by-product of our highly developed social reasoning. She said:
“We’re really good at figuring out what people are thinking, what their emotions are, what their desires are. We tend to see people as the sum of their mental states, and desires and emotions may be particularly helpful when predicting their behaviour. Because this ability is so useful and so powerful, it flows over into other parts of our thinking. We sometimes see connections where potentially none exist, we hope there’s a master plan for the universe, we see purpose when there is none, and we imagine that a soul survives without a body.”
So standing back from all this, it does not seem to me to take us any closer to attaining or confirming our immortality. The study merely confirms, in my view, the ability to convince ourselves that we shall live forever in one form or another. Personally, I’m still looking for the elixir of life, the tome of immortality, or the DNA equivalent of the God-particle that will stop our bodies from ageing.
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http://www.noeticscience.co.uk/
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Brexit e la nostalgia del tempo che fu
Proviamo ad immaginare un futuro migliore del passato
24/12/2016 | Autore: Claudio @ VL
Il 2016 e' un anno in cui tutti abbiamo perso qualcosa o qualcuno, e alcuni di noi hanno perso molto. Un anno in cui se ne sono andate persone che conoscevo e altre che ammiravo, persone a cui tenevo in passato, persone a cui tenevo fino a poco fa. Insomma, un anno come gli altri.
Il 2016, che non e' ancora finito, e' stato anche l'anno in cui il Regno Unito, lo Stato in cui ho scelto di vivere (molti anni prima di trasferirmici davvero), e' diventato ufficialmente qualcosa di differente. E' diventato uno stato che ha detto No, Basta, Noi Andiamo Per I fatti Nostri.
Non mi vergogno a dire che da piccolo, quando l'Europa era ancora quella dei Sette, ero già un un europeista convinto. Erano passati pochi decenni dalla fine della Guerra, quella che venne dopo la Grande Guerra (che i britannici, da idealisti, chiamarono "la guerra che porrà fine a tutte le guerre"). La Guerra delle mostruosità uniche e irripetibili, perché non ce n’è mai stati, solo in quel momento, l’ uomo in fondo è buono, meno il nazi infame!, come cantava il cantastorie di Modena/Pàvana, e l'Europa unita era un sogno, la speranza di una barriera contro gli ismi, la violenza e l'irrazionalità'.
Non una scelta per la paura, una scelta per la speranza, invece: l'idea di un mondo che, a partire dal nostro piccolo continente, avesse confini meno rigidi e permettesse a chi era curioso, e a chi si sentiva fuori luogo, di spostarsi altrove. Carattere e storia mi sembravano elementi comuni più importanti di quelli che erano i differenziali, a meta' tra realtà e stereotipi: i nordici che bevono, noi meridionali d'Europa che non rispettiamo le regole, i britannici che guardano tutti dall'alto in basso e mangiano strano, i greci che passano tutto il tempo a ballare il sirtaki, i francesi che si lamentano, gli olandesi che fumano canne, i tedeschi che sono sempre cosi' noiosamente organizzati...
E cosi', tra le cose che il 2016 ci ha portato via, c'è anche quella di un'Europa Unita con dentro il Regno Unito. Da europeista, il voto a favore dell'uscita dalla Comunità Europea non e' stato una sorpresa eppure e' stato choccante, e colgo l'occasione della scomparsa di A.A. Gill, giornalista del Sunday Times, per pubblicare quel che scrisse qualche mese fa, prima del voto, e prima di sapere della sua malattia (e' morto il 10 dicembre).
Tradurre questo brano sarebbe superfluo: sarei costretto a spiegare ogni singolo riferimento alla storia e alla cultura britannica. Provate a leggerlo cosi', con le parole originali dell'autore. Spiego pero' l'inizio: quando parla di "the woman on Question Time", Gill si riferisce ad un programma tv nel quale gli spettatori in studio possono fare domande ai politici ospiti del programma, e ad una donna che ha partecipato ad una puntata della trasmissione qualche tempo
Nine out of 10 economists say ‘remain in the EU’
No time for walls: the best of Europe, from its music and food to IM Pei’s pyramid at the Louvre, depends on an easy collision of cultures
Argomenti: Europa, Gran Bretagna, nostalgia, Brexit
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https://www.viaggiareleggeri.com/blog/3378/brexit-e-la-nostalgia-del-tempo-che-fu
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HN Entertainment’s Nicholas Whitcomb and CJ Paschall conducted an interview with Studio ADI’s Alec Gillis on Tuesday where they covered a bunch of stuff including Alien 3 along with his ideas for an Alien vs Predator 3 and a TV series. ADI has previously worked practical/creature effects for Alien 3, Alien: Resurrection, Alien vs Predator, Alien vs Predator: Requiem, and The Predator.
When we brought up Gillis working on Neill Blomkamp’s Alien 5 he was quick to mention that out of respect for the studio and the project itself they’re not going to be posting images of what they had been doing (unless given the head’s up) but admits they were doing some design work for them. He also went on to praise Blomkamp.
“We did do some design work for Neill on his Alien 5, we did a certain amount of design work, but I don’t talk much about it for all those reasons. But I can tell you that I’m a huge Neill Blomkamp fan and I think that everything he does executes is just absolutely top-notch. You know, I’ve worked with Cameron, Ridley Scott, David Fincher, and I feel like Neill Blomkamp is in that ilk. I think that he’s a visionary. Oh and Verhoeven, cause Neill’s stuff reminds me of Paul Verhoeven, but I think I love how much heart Neill Blomkamp has and his sense of humor always creeps into his work and that’s partly what gives its heart. Anyways, I really would have loved to have seen him doing Alien 5 cause I think he would have just knocked it out of the park and I think it would have been something that fans would have really loved.”
We also asked Alec about the recent tease from James Cameron about calling up Neill Blomkamp about Alien 5, and he told a story about how a Fox executive told him in the late 90s that Ridley Scott would never do another Alien film. Scott has made two more movies since that executive’s declaration.
“Well, if you get that kind of team-up if you get Cameron and Blomkamp then I think it could absolutely happen. I learned my lessons years ago, after Resurrection a Fox executive told me that Ridley Scott would never do another Alien movie and the studio would not want him to because their assumption at that time was it would be far too expensive to do anything with Ridley Scott because he has such expansive vision, but then here we are two Ridley Scott Alien movies later. Never say never, if it happened I would be obnoxiously emailing both Cameron and Blomkamp to get us on the film.”
When talking about the the various xenomorph molds and versions they’ve done over the years, Alec did circle back to talking about Alien 5 and gave some insight to what they were planning to do with the xenomorphs in Blomkamp’s film, which seemingly would have gone back to the original Ridley Scott era of the Big Chap, along with some modifications from Neill, we’ve seen versions with multiple arms making the rounds online.
Also praising Neill’s recent work on his Anthem short film Conviction.
“That’s why I was looking forward to Neill Blomkamp’s Alien 5 because that would have given us the opportunity to do more in the spirit of Giger’s alien. We were looking at the 1979 alien all the way but Neill did want changes to make on it. As great as Neill’s CGI looks, I don’t know if you’ve seen the latest thing he did Anthem? His CGI just looks so there and present, Chris Harvey his VFX supervisor they just have a great team. And I said to Neill like ‘Why aren’t you doing this all digitally?’ cause if it’s biomechanical and harder-edged it lends itself to digital and I’m just surprised that a digital. He said ‘I want real a real man in a suit on set because it forces you into a certain way of shooting that would be more like what Ridley Scott did in the first film. If it’s all digital I won’t have those parameters work within and it’s gonna end up looking like something different and I don’t want that, I want it to look like Ridley Scott did it’. That’s how he thinks and I can guarantee you there’s no studio executive in the world that would say that because they don’t see things in that specific and nuanced of a way.”
Neill had posted this Alien 5 sculpt by Studio ADI on his Instagram account last October.
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1. It looks like a god damned fantasy epic. The emotional beats in the new trailer are powerful. I'm so fucking hyped for this.
2. Yeah, as someone who's been involved in the Harry Potter fandom, I guess I've been desensitized. Yeah, Peter being with Tony would super unhealthy, wrong, and illegal, but when there are literally thousands of fics shipping Harry, Hermione and other students with Snape, Voldemort, and assorted Death Eaters... nothing really phases me anymore.
3. So my sister and dad will be watching Endgame for the first time this weekend. Definitely looking forward to their reactions.
4. Basically threw this list together in 10 minutes. 1.) Avengers: Endgame 2.) Avengers: Infinity War 3.) Captain America The Winter Soldier 4.) The Avengers 5.) The Dark Knight 6.) Spider-Man Into the Spider-Verse 7.) Thor Ragnarok 8.) Guardians of the Galaxy 2 9.) Batman Begins 10.) Guardians of the Galaxy 11.) Josie and the Pussycats 12.) Kingsman 13.) Spider-Man Far From Home 14.) Men In Black 15.) Big Hero 6 16.) The Amazing Spider-Man 17.) Iron Man 18.) Spider-Man Homecoming 19.) Deadpool 20.) Deadpool 2 21.) Logan 22.) Avegers Age of Ultron 23.) The Dark Knight Rises 24.) X-Men Days of Future Past 25.) Wonder Woman 26.) Captain Marvel 27.) Black Panther 28.) Doctor Strange 29.) X-Men 2 30.) Iron Man 3
5. Incredible. This is the holy grail of the box office. Avatar was untouchable, no other movie even came close to it. All the way up to release, most would have said it was incredibly unlikely if not impossible for Endgame to outgross Avatar, but here we are. The impossible has happened, the untouchable has been surpassed. Its a testament to the talent, creativity, and passion of the people who've made these movies, from the directors and actors all the way down. They crafted such amazing characters, created vast and rich worlds, set up such awesome spectacle- they made people laugh, cheer, and cry. They were rarely satisfied with resting on their laurels and making easy money, they aspired to do more, to raise the bar, to make their mark. And they have. Avengers: Endgame and the MCU in general are landmarks that have permanent spots in cinematic history. Also:
6. I think there's a difference between being against Disney's live action remakes and being against the company itself. I enjoy Marvel, WDAS, and Pixar, but dislike the live action remakes to a movie.
7. I did really love Peter and Gwen in the TASM movies, the chemistry was fucking insane. They were literally the only reason I liked those movies tbh. Killing Gwen was such a dumb move, the series was dead to me at that point. Peter and MJ in the first trilogy are hit or miss for me. There are some individual scenes that are great (upside down kissing, that scene where she figures out he's Spider-Man), but MJ leaving some dude at the alter is bad and their entire arc in the third movie is unforgivable.
8. Just saw it, it was great. - Peter/MJ is my favorite couple in the MCU. Their chemistry is far better than any other couple's for me (not that its saying much though). I can't help it they're just so cute. They do a great job of organically showing their mutual interest. Its easy for Peter since its his POV, so I enjoy that they were able to sell that MJ is very into him as well- that fucking scene where Peter's changing and MJ's trying to loses the battle to stop herself from peaking. - I have a new appreciation for Ned. Like, he was doing Peter solid all through the movie doing his best to cover for him and protect people. - Having the same actor play Jameson was awesome. I also love the updating of the Daily Bugle to a sketchy conspiracy news site. It feeds really well into the current political climate 'fake news' and whatnot. -The midcredit scene was just amazing. What a fucking way to end the movie. Nice to see that they're committed to shaking up the status quo. I'm really looking forward to what they do with the next one. -As with most MCU movies, very funny. 'Nightmonkey' lmfao. Also the 'I will always love you' school newscast. -Again, as with most MCU movies, the action is solid. I particularly love the 'spidey sense' scene at the end. Critiques: -The scene where Peter accidentally calls the drone to kill that dude. Like I get that they need to demonstrate what the drones are, but the scene goes too far with the random things that keep Peter from getting the glasses and shutting down the drone. Also stretched disbelief that no one else notices what's going on. -The power flickered in the theater so I didn't get to see the final end credits scene, fucking ripoff. -Uhh, that's it, really. 9/10
9. There's no way we can be that sure about what's going to happen. Yeah, I think WW has a shot, but there are a lot of competitors out there. Honestly 2020 feels wide open to me.
10. In addition to separating the US and Canada, you'd have to add Hong Kong to China.
11. Here's the thing, the lack of China extension is only going to take like 10M off the total gross, but this is a case of 'death by a thousand cuts'. Each piece of new information we've gotten individually doesn't hurt it much, but its added up. I don't think this is beating Avatar.
12. Yeah, like I said, 850M is looking like the optimistic end of the range at this point.
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Creating an Arms Race
Not since America’s children contributed one penny to fund the building of six frigates has America’s naval capabilities been in such straits. Like those days, plenty of Americans recognize their peril and have begun to reclaim our great Nation from Obama’s unilateral disarmament.
In every service there are different schools of thought that usually reflect the competing missions of that service. In the Air Force, the Fighter Jocks run the show, despite the Air Force being responsible for space, nukes, and high-falutin’ truck drivers for the Army, which does the fighting. The Navy has two schools: the sailors and the warriors. The CNO directed the new admiral in charge of surface warfare to ‘unite the clans.’
Personnel is policy, and policy got skewed away from the primary, secondary, even tertiary purposes for our Navy. GAO’s list of high risks threatening this nation include DoD’s security clearance vetting process. I know other agencies can do the job in roughly 20% of the time, but hey – it’s a money thing. Each new investigator will cost America $1 billion each, if the Defense Logistics Agency audit is any indicator.
Donald Rumsfeld returned. Not in person, but the idea he championed to return America’s military to the second half of the XIX Century. That was a period in which generals in America’s unCivil War remained generals all the way through the Spanish-American War 33-35 years later. Welcome to a return to the world of the career Second Lieutenant! The Professional Private! Given how far off course the Political Correctness Movement has infected the military, it’s only a matter of time before we return to fully segregated ships and units. Who wants to have their life destroyed, not in combat, because eggs get broken making omelets, right?
There’s more important fish to fry – high technology sails on with or without regard to PC. Whomever sees first, understands first, and shoots first tends to win an engagement. To that end, the Chinese PLAN are going SkyNet. They’ll regret that, but it will give them an edge. In a report of good news, General Dynamics is reinvesting in ship building. Can’t wait!
Why is a functioning Navy, Coast Guard and Marine Corps important? It is no longer obvious, but without naval capabilities, there is no America. It is time get on with rearming America, and its Navy is the first, best place to begin.
Über DaveO
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During the fight, Hecate looks into the Shield of Perseus and regains her memories of taking over Brooklyn. The pair manage to turn some people against Hercules due to the chaos that the Serpent 's Worthy created. The Griffin reacts to the magic forces at work, devolving into a savage beast. He saves Hercules's life and becomes his new steed, allowing him to fly around the city. Hercules and the Griffin manage to find where Basilisk and Man-Bull are hiding and recruit their help. Hercules quickly revives and saves the villains by killing Kyknos, then prevents Ares's resurrection by kicking over his altar.
Hecate flees and Brooklyn is returned to normal. He befriends an elderly African man named A. Nancy who loves stories. One night Herc is bitten by a bed bug that gives him spider powers, which he uses to fight crime. She sends Spider-Herc against the X-Men, who were in town after fighting lizard people in the sewers. They try to reason with him, but he attacks them with the Sword of Peleus.
Shortly after, the X-Men are trapped in a magic web, and the Greek goddess Arachne appears. Instead of fighting, it is revealed that Arachne is very attracted to Herc's new form and they embrace, while the X-Men are forced to watch. While Arachne is preoccupied, A. Nancy breaks into her home and steals her mythical woven tapestry. He reveals himself as the African spider god Anansi , a collector of stories. Hercules later encounters Zeus, who was depowered by his wife Hera because of his infidelity and womanizing.
During that time, he discovers Elektra stealing a museum artifact from the Hand. After battling the Hand ninjas, Hercules discovers, through Kingpin, that Elektra is stealing mystical artifacts for Baba Yaga , a witch who absorbs the magic of the artifacts to regain her youth. He manages to locate Baba Yaga after Elektra steals his weapons and defeats her. He then lets Zeus absorb the magic from the artifacts, restoring his godly powers, and they part ways.
Hercules is called upon to act as a guest instructor at Avengers Academy when most of the main faculty are preoccupied with the events of Avengers vs. Tigra is shocked by his nakedness while demonstrating the ancient Greek art of wrestling and forces him to wear clothing. The school is suddenly visited by Captain America, who asks that the facility be used to hold the younger members of the X-Men until the fighting is over. Kavita Rao and Madison Jeffries urge their students to comply with the Avengers, but many are resentful of the confinement.
Hercules arranges an Olympic competition between the two schools in order to ease tensions and avoid an actual fight from taking place. Hercules is defeated because Shaw is able to absorb the magic energy from his weapons. Hercules urges Tigra to let the kids join the fight if they want to, believing they had no right to hold them there against their will in the first place.
Some of the X-Men students remain at Avengers Academy while many join the fighting, and Hercules reflects that while the older generation has only found war, at least some of the kids were able to find peace. As part of the All-New, All-Different Marvel event, Hercules, isolated and shunned by the hero community, attempts to regain his reputation as a true hero, by adapting himself into modern society. During that time, he takes on the threats of the Uprising Storm, a group of new gods consisting of Catastrophobia: God of War, Horrorscope, and Cryptomnesia: God of Data as they plan to wipe out the old gods.
During the Civil War II storyline, Hercules is seen at a bar talking to Amadeus Cho, who has become the new Hulk, when the city is suddenly under attack and both spring into action. During the battle, while Amadeus helps the other heroes, Hercules encounters the Uprising Storm, who tell him of their plan to destroy the world and turn him into one of them by teasing him into believing that the other heroes don't want him anymore.
Back home, he confines his encounter to his friends and, after a pep talk from his landlady Sophia, decides to reunite the ancient heroes in order to battle the Uprising Storm. Upon gathering the ancient heroes, known as the Gods of War, Hercules informs them of the situation when the Uprising Storm suddenly show up. They begin to battle, with the Uprising Storm getting the upper hand.
In the middle of the fight, Hercules begins to destroy the city when Cryptomnesia uses the brand he placed on him to turn him into a God of Chaos, forcing the others to fight him while the Uprising Storm watch. After a brief fight, the Gods of War inform the heroes of the Storm and the curse placed on Hercules, though they don't see them. Steve and Gilgamesh then go to free Hercules from the curse which Steve does by yelling "Avengers Assemble". After the brand disappears and the other heroes leave, Hercules informs his friends about the Storm's true intentions, total destruction, and that they must be stopped.
Initially, the ritual has no effect until Horrorscope is defeated and killed by Ire and Lorelei, when she teleported to the apartment to kill them, while Catastrophobia and Cryptomnesia are killed by Gilgamesh and Hercules respectively. After killing Cryptomnesia, Hercules is congratulated by Athena, who offers him a place in Olympus.
Hercules turns it down so that he can continue to live on Earth as a true hero. After Hercules finds the child, the Avengers return from limbo and start fighting until Vision sends Wasp back in time to return baby Kang to his era. They assemble the original Avengers from the past and join forces to attack Kang's alternate versions at the same time. After defeating Kang, each of the Avengers return to their timelines.
They later manage to escape while Ultron gives the team his fragment.
During a mission in Madripoor, Hercules got turned to stone by Gorgon though he managed to knock him down amongst his petrification. The heroes then battle Hydra's Avengers and a revived Bruce Banner as the Hulk until the base explodes. With the use of the Cosmic Cube fragment, they manage to help destroy the Planetary Defense Shield and the Darkforce dome over Manhattan and liberate all the imprisoned Inhumans.
While attacking Hydra forces at the Capitol, the Underground are surprised by Steve Rogers, who was wearing a Cosmic Cube-powered armor. They later witness the final battle between the Hydra Steve Rogers and the real Steve Rogers and the restoration of America. They're later signaled by Sam and Thor, who received a call about a supervillain attack, and spring into action. They battle a group of decommissioned Sentinels while out at a West Hollywood nightclub. When the Human Torch starts losing his powers he asks Hercules for advice on how to restore them.
Hercules had recently found a way to get his own powers back after losing them fighting the Chaos King. Johnny and the Thing find him at a bar in Brooklyn drinking non-alcoholic beer. He tells them about how he was healed by a scientist named Rachna Koul. He takes them to her secret lab located somewhere in the forests of Colorado where she explains that she was able to repair the biological conduit connecting Herc to the source of his godly power. Hercules possesses the typical powers of an Olympian god, including superhuman strength, durability, speed, reflexes, stamina and endurance.
He is the strongest of the Olympians, being capable of feats such as lifting and hurling a giant sequoia tree, smashing rocks to powder, [] sealing an entire cliff around an opponent with his bare hands, [13] knocking out a yellow-crested Titan, [] and dragging the island of Manhattan [22] though this was later retconned to be merely a boast he had made, and not a genuine feat [] [].
He can withstand blows from Thor, [] and possesses a complete resistance to high caliber bullets. Hercules is highly skilled in archery , boxing , Greco-Roman wrestling and claims to have invented the martial art Pankration. As an Olympian, he is resistant to all earthly diseases, possesses a healing factor, immortality, and also has some immunity to magic. However, his strength can be taken by significant Olympian magic, such as that of Zeus. Hercules sacrificed his godly powers to save humanity in the wake of the Chaos War, and was completely powerless.
Despite this, he retained his exceptional physical condition compared to a normal human, incredible skills in archery and hand-to-hand combat and access to magical weapons and items that help in battle. They were later revealed to have been restored through scientific means. Later he participates in a multi-zombie attack on the castle of Doctor Doom. There were human Latverians inside. Helicarrier as one of the heroes who survived the zombie plague. Later, he is seen in the ruins of New York.
He is one of the many casualties in the conflict waged against the Silver Surfer ; he is crushed to death by the zombiefied version of Hulk when he tries to get Silver Surfer's head from his mouth. An alternate universe version of Hercules stars in a humorous limited series titled Hercules , which depicts the adventures of Hercules in the 24th century. Banished from Olympus by Zeus in order to learn humility, Hercules travels into deep space where he meets the Rigellians who loan him Recorder After adventures on several planets, Hercules arrives in the Omacron star system where he confronts the cosmic entity Galactus and, after being completely humbled, manages to save the world Galactus intended to devour.
This was followed by a second series with a darker tone. Set forty-one years after the first series, Hercules and Recorder meet and eventually befriend an alien Skrull called Skyppi initially using his shapeshifting abilities to pose as a gorgeous human female. The demigod and his allies then face a cosmic version of the hero Red Wolf and a villain - devoted to the Titan Thanos - who breaks into the tomb of Kree hero Captain Marvel and steals the character's Nega-Bands.
Hercules eventually returns to Olympus, and after a battle with Zeus who has apparently gone insane and killed the other Olympian gods proves he has learned humility by sparing Zeus's life. If one looks at the issue in that way -- and I suggest that it is the only way to look at it -- the question then becomes what's the fairest, the most efficient, what is the best way to get on with the rest of our lives.
Judge Hellerstein, who is urging the relatives to "take the money" and "get on" with their lives, happens to be a very dedicated supporter of Israel. This devotee of Zion is the sole judge managing the historic litigation in which one of the key defendants, International Consultants on Targeted Security ICTS , is an Israeli company tied to Israeli military intelligence. ICTS owns Huntleigh USA, the passenger screening company that allegedly allowed the 19 hijackers to board the planes on the morning of There are, of course, questions of whether these Arab hijackers were even on the planes.
The mainstream media has consistently ignored Hellerstein's ties to Israel, but because of the importance of the litigation, these connections simply cannot be ignored. Hellerstein's son, Joseph Z. Hellerstein, lives on a street called Yosef No. The younger Hellerstein, a Hebrew-speaking lawyer, moved to Israel in with his wife and children.
Modi'in is a new settlement block built on the West Bank. The Jews that live in this ghetto fortress see themselves as the new Maccabees. Judge Alvin Hellerstein's son is one of them. Modi'in is an orthodox religious community where "Joey" Hellerstein is an ardent student of the racist and anti-Christian Talmud. He even writes about his Talmud study for the local newspaper, ModiInfo, which his wife, Daniella, happens to edit.
Joseph Z.
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Hellerstein with kippa , the son of Alvin K. Hellerstein, is a Talmudic scholar who has lived in Israel on a Zionist settlement since President Bill Clinton appointed Hellerstein to the federal bench in Clinton's key Zionist handler and senior advisor was Rahm Emanuel, an Israeli from Chicago whose father is a retired Irgun terrorist. Emanuel was senior advisor in the Clinton White House from to Emanuel joined Bill Clinton's presidential primary campaign in where he served as Clinton's chief fund-raiser as director of finance.
It is very likely that Emanuel played a key role in the Hellerstein appointment. Alan M. Stroock's father, Sol, had previously been the chairman of the board of regents of the JTS. Is it merely a coincidence that the key federal officials involved in the cover up of the truth of , Michael Chertoff and Alvin K. Hellerstein, are both linked to the Talmudic institution called the Jewish Theological Seminary? Michael Chertoff is Israel's point man in the cover-up and works hand-in-hand with Judge Hellerstein to block discovery that would expose the Israeli role in the false-flag terror attacks.
He supervised the FBI's "non-investigation" of as Asst. Attorney General in , before becoming secretary of Dept. There are only 5 wrongful death cases remaining of the original These 96 cases represent the families who sought justice and answers for the loss of their loved ones through the U. These are the victims who did not want to accept a one-time government payment for their loss, negotiated by the previous "special master" Kenneth Feinberg, who doled out money from the taxpayer-funded 7 billion dollar September 11 Victim Compensation Fund.
Hellerstein, who oversees all litigation, holds the position that the public doesn't need to know how the victims are being silenced with "blood money" in a legal war of attrition in which the first casualty was the truth of what happened on I called Sheila Birnbaum, the "special master" of the litigation, at her office at Skadden Arps on September 2 and asked her how many of the original 96 cases remained to be settled or tried.
Birnbaum said there were only 5 wrongful death cases remaining. Asked if it is possible that all the cases could be settled without a single case going to trial, Birnbaum said, "It's possible. I then asked Birnbaum if she thought it was "acceptable" for the book to be closed on the victim mass tort litigation without a single case going to trial while the "terror suspects" and "mastermind of " were being tried in a Soviet-style military gulag in Cuba without ever being brought to court in the United States.
It should be noted that Birnbaum has long been one of the highest paid corporate lawyers in the United States. Birnbaum said she has been involved in settling all of the cases since she became "special master. Who is Kenneth J. Bialkin, Birnbaum's partner at Skadden Arps? Kenneth Bialkin has served as a director of several Israeli software companies. He is one of the key Zionist leaders in the United States. Bialkin is also the U. Chairman of the Jerusalem Foundation, a Zionist organization founded by Theodore Kollek, the weapons smuggler who later became mayor of occupied Jerusalem.
These are just some of the positions Bialkin has held to further Zionist efforts. Not all of his positions are included in his Skadden or Who's Who biographical details. His most influential position, for example, is not even mentioned. When I say that Bialkin is a "key Zionist leader," I do mean key. Bialkin was no less than the head of the very powerful and secretive organization of Jewish Zionist Freemasons, the International Order of B'nai B'rith. Most likely, Judge Alvin K. Being an exclusive and highly secretive order of Freemasonry, closed to all non-Jews, it is difficult to say who belongs to this group of Jewish conspirators living in our midst, but it is safe to say that the American Jewish Zionists mentioned above are probably members in good standing of the International Order of B'nai B'rith.
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The "strongly worded message" was sent directly to the President. This is an example of organized Jewish pressure on our elected leaders. Bialkin is or has been director of several Israeli software companies, notably Technomatic Technologies Ltd. NV based in the Netherlands Antilles, i. Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao. He is also head of the Israeli business at Skadden Arps, which is quite substantial.
I had to make a large chart to diagram the personal and corporate connections while doing research for the latest chapter of Solving , "The Architecture of Terror: Mapping the Israeli Network Behind Bialkin's name is at the top of this diagram with other senior Zionist gangsters like Henry Kissinger and Maurice Greenberg. Bialkin is tied to all of the key players in the Israeli network behind But far more telling about his role in is his crucial role as the lawyer for the Israeli military intelligence companies, such as Amdocs, NICE, and Scitex, who are all discussed in the latest chapter about the Israeli network behind Bialkin is also the President and Chairman of the Board of the America-Israel Friendship League, the organization which connects the highest level of Israeli military intelligence with the Jewish Zionist leadership in the United States.
Put simply, Bialkin is the chief of the Zionist criminal gang in the United States. Bialkin and his partner Birnbaum, and Alvin K. Hellerstein, the federal judge who presides over all litigation, are all extremely devoted Zionists, i. It should be remembered that one of the key defendants in the litigation, Huntleigh USA, the passenger screening and airline security firm, is a company wholly owned by an Israeli company run by senior members of Israeli intelligence. Why is this serious conflict of interest issue in the tort litigation related to the crime of the century not discussed in the mass media?
This is the real reason we will not see a "fair and open trial" for the victims of seeking justice through the courts. It's the same reason the Soviet-style "trials" in Cuba are being carried out behind closed doors. It's a national disgrace that justice for the victims of has been hijacked by high-level Zionists who are devoted to Israel and consider defending "the Jewish State" to be their sacred duty - above serving the cause of justice.
Support Christopher Bollyn's work. Your support is needed! Boyle, Leo V. Pfeiffer, Sacha, "September 11 plaintiffs wait for answers, resolution," Boston Globe, August 20, Schmeltzer, John, "Some wary Sept. Isn't it odd that Islamic State is able to wage war against the United States and its coalition of 68 nations, and can direct terror attacks around the world, but is unable to communicate to the Western media without going through an Israeli intelligence agent?
This is the manipulation and domination of public opinion that Netanyahu says is "central to the terrorist strategy. It is rooted in the political ambitions and designs of expansionist states and the groups that serve them. Without the support of such states, international terrorism would be impossible For this purpose, access to the media, indeed their domination, is indispensable.
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The definitions of international terrorism provided by Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu in his books are quite telling. So, by Netanyahu's own definition, the U. Netanyahu's earlier definition says that international terrorism "is rooted in the political ambitions and designs of expansionist states and the groups that serve them.
Netanyahu is the leader of the Likud Party, an expansionist party that aspires to create "Greater Israel" on the land of the neighboring states. Well, when we consider Israel's role in the war against the government of Syria we can clearly see that Israel is an expansionist state that is occupying Syrian land and that practices international terrorism. These conclusions are based on the Israeli leader's own definition of international terrorism.
These are the jihadi mercenary armies the U. The man in the black shirt speaking with Sen. Who is oppressing Jews in America? This organization had posted an announcement calling for a protest several days prior to the event. As this poster shows, the JFREJ sought to portray me as a "right-wing conspiracy theorist" and a "raging anti-Semite" to mobilize its members to protest. Many of the emails that were sent to harass other venues came from Rafael Shimunov, a Jewish immigrant from the Soviet Union, who used very un-American tactics to threaten sponsors and interfere in contracts in New York, Texas, and Denmark.
Shimunov wrote a posting calling me a hate-monger, entitled "Who is Christopher Bollyn? Lester Crown admitted on video that his father bought an entire military aircraft plant in the United States and smuggled it to Israel in violation of U. In an interview with American journalist Amy Goodman , the Israeli politician Shulamit Aloni explained how the charge of anti-Semitism is "a trick we use" to suppress criticism of Israel coming from within the United States, and that for criticism coming from Europe "we bring up the Holocaust.
Often when there is dissent expressed in the United States against policies of the Israeli government, people here are called anti-semitic. What is your response to that as an Israeli Jew? When from Europe somebody is criticizing Israel, then we bring up the Holocaust. When in this country people are criticizing Israel, then they are anti-Semitic. And the organization is strong, and has a lot of money, and the ties between Israel and the American Jewish establishment are very strong and they are strong in this country, as you know.
And they have power, which is OK. And they are not ready to hear criticism. This article, which I wrote in December , is now being added to Bollyn. For all practical purposes, the United States and Britain are Zionist-occupied nations. Because the American and British people are generally ignorant of what Zionism is, the meaning of this statement is not widely understood or appreciated.
The Anglo-American "leadership" positions in the illegal invasion and occupation of Iraq and their support of the costly Zionist fraud known as the "War on Terror" is further proof that Zionists control these nations — as if any were needed. How did these powerful and independent nations become Zionist controlled? Unlike Palestine, where Eastern European Zionist immigrants used brutal terrorism to ethnically "cleanse" and conquer the land, in Britain and the United States the Zionists gained power gradually through "dumbing down" and effectively disenfranchising the native populations.
In Britain and the United States, the Zionists saved the use of terrorism for later, after they already controlled the media and the levers of power and government. Americans today still believe they are free because the media tells them so and because they don't see the restraints and are able to move around and buy things. Americans are, indeed, free to work and shop, but they have virtually no real political power whatsoever. A good example is that while an overwhelming majority of the U. Why don't the Congressmen vote to stop the disastrous war that has consumed hundreds of billions of dollars and taken more than 3, American lives?
Most Americans in the "land of the free and the home of the brave" are completely unaware that they have lost the most cherished democratic franchise, i. They think their vote counts and don't have a clue that they lost their democratic franchise years ago. They are unaware of this situation simply because the media has not told them. For the Zionist-controlled media, the absence of any citizen oversight of the vote-counting process and complete lack of transparency in American elections are simply non-issues, just like many other very important subjects of vital importance to the survival of the republic.
Having worked in the media and studied Middle East history at an American university, I know what I am talking about here. History of the Middle East and Europe, and virtually every other subject taught at American universities, is viewed only through the Zionist prism. Burke was always recommending the books of Bernard Lewis, which I avoided like the plague.
Bernard Lewis. American historian Joel Beinin called Lewis "perhaps the most articulate and learned Zionist advocate in the North American Middle East academic community. He returned to Santa Cruz in the late summer, just before the U. I remember Burke giving a speech in August or September at the federal building in Santa Cruz as the conflict was heating up. The very first words out of his mouth were "Balkanization," something that amazes me to this day. He was unwilling to explain his choice of words when I called him about a year ago.
Edmund "Terry" Burke of U. Santa Cruz. Although my main interest was Israel and Palestine, Burke recommended that I read a book about Yugoslavia. Balkanization, the breaking up of nations into ethnic statelets, is the Zionist plan for the entire Middle East, articulated by Oded Yinon of the Israeli foreign ministry in the early s.
I understood this and endeavored to present the anti-Zionist perspective at the university. I brought speakers like Ralph Schoenman, the author of The Hidden History of Zionism , to the campus and led a tour of photojournalists to the West Bank and Gaza Strip shortly after the invasion of Iraq. Despite a great deal of effort and years of experience in the region, Burke did not give me "honors" with my degree, most likely because of my anti-Zionist views. The media in the United States is controlled in the same way as the universities. The editors and journalists are prevented from investigating and discussing the real history of Zionism because the news outlets are usually owned by people who are themselves dedicated Zionists.
Selecting issues and non-issues for coverage is the primary method employed by the Zionist-controlled news networks. Issues get a lot of coverage while non-issues get none. Here are a few examples of issues and non-issues in the Zionist-controlled media:. I don't know if any other American journalist and researcher has been attacked, TASERed, and had their elbow broken by an undercover tactical squad in front of their family in the United States, but I know that when it happened to me in August it was very much a non-issue with the controlled media.
David Milliband.
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The U. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, a year-old former professor, holds the comparable position in the American government. What is most peculiar -- and telling -- is that the backgrounds, loyalties, and ideologies of these two high-level appointed officials are never discussed in the Zionist-controlled media; clearly this is a non-issue.
It goes without saying that both Miliband and Rice are dedicated Zionists, they are, after all, serving in extremely pro-Zionist governments. But why are their personal and family histories not discussed by the media? Don't the American and British people have a right to know the person who is overseeing the implementation of their national foreign policy? David Miliband, who only became a Member of Parliament in June , was recently in Basra, Iraq, when the British officially stepped back from their failure and turned over control to Iraqi authorities.
Although Miliband and other British officials have tried to put a good face on the disastrous results of the Anglo-American invasion and occupation, the fact that it has been a complete failure is painfully apparent to all. As a senior Iraqi military officer told ABC News, "The British legacy in Basra is criminal gangs, a corrupt and infiltrated police force, and borders open to all.
Major-General Jalil Khalaf, the new police commander in Basra, told the Times of London: "They left me militia, they left me gangsters, and they left me all the troubles in the world. The Times article was entitled "Crumbling services and violence on the streets, but hope follows British pullout. How could these senior British officials congratulate anyone for their achievements in Basra? The Anglo-American occupation of Iraq is nothing but an unmitigated disaster. Perhaps that was the plan all along?
Knowing who David Miliband is and what he represents is key to understanding the real power behind Britain's foreign policy. This is certainly the reason the Zionist-controlled media keeps the British population — and the world — ignorant of the Miliband family's roots — in Brussels.
Ralph was a well known Marxist political theorist. Ralph, who died in , is buried in Highgate Cemetery close to his idol, Karl Marx. Miliband and his father, the Marxist Ralph Milliband at his spacious home in a comfortable part of London. Beyond that, the family history gets confusing and misleading, on purpose I'm sure.
He supposedly became a leather worker in Belgium and then returned to Poland to join the Red Army under the command of Leon Trotsky born Lev Davidovich Bronstein in Nikolay Bukharin, writing in the Soviet newspaper Pravda, urged the Bolsheviks to carry on beyond Warsaw "right up to London and Paris.
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Over the corpse of White Poland lies the road to world-wide conflagration. March on Vilno, Minsk, Warsaw! Onward to Berlin over the corpse of Poland! Why would a poor leather worker in Belgium give up his work and travel all the way to Poland to fight with the Bolshevik Red Army against the Polish Republic and the West? If this is true, Samuel Miliband must have been a very dedicated communist. This is, however, most certainly not the whole truth. The family tree of the family of David and Edward Miliband clearly indicates that their grandfather Samuel Miliband was also born, like their father Adolphe, in Brussels in In this case, Brussels-born Sam must have been an extremely dedicated communist.
Their connections and loyalties are evidently to the highest levels of the Zionist "Communist" International in Brussels, which is the only reason they are in the positions they are in. Their loyalty is clearly not to the British nation or people. The same is true of Condoleezza Rice, who was mentored at the University of Denver by the Czechoslovakian Jewish immigrant, Josef Korbel, the father of the previous secretary of state, Marie Jana Korbelova, a. Madeleine Albright. Marie Jana Korbelova with her father, Josef Korbel - One might think that this amazing coincidence would be newsworthy but it has generally been ignored by the controlled media as well.
This is probably because the obvious question, "Who is Josef Korbel? Bush's Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice. What a coincidence — or is it? Condoleezza Rice and Zippy Livni, the Israeli foreign minister. Livni is the daughter of the former head of operations of the Irgun, a Zionist terror organization. Korbel was also a thief. Korbel stole paintings which belonged to German industrialist Karl Nebrich, whose property in Prague was confiscated as part of the post-war Benes decrees.
Like the more than three million other ethnic Germans from Bohemia, Moravia, and Slovakia, Nebrich and his family were expelled from the country under the postwar decrees, which oddly remain in force to this day. Would any European nation that banned Jews and confiscated their property be allowed to be a member of the European Union?
Why are such racist laws permitted against Germans? Korbel's stealing of property and art is just the tip of the iceberg. Korbel was involved in the United Nations partition of India and Pakistan and the illegal arming of the Zionist fighters in Palestine until the end of When the communists came to power in , Korbel was charged and sentenced and fled to New York where he lived in the cottage house of a very large mansion in Great Neck, New York. He was eventually given a teaching position at the University of Denver. The Korbels settled into a home just outside New York City.
One of Joseph Korbel's colleagues at the United Nations had helped the family rent a small gardener's cottage at Station Road in a woodsy section of Great Neck, a prosperous and developing suburban community on Long Island's North Shore. Korbel clearly played a key role in the Zionist-Israeli weapons pipeline from Czechoslovakia, which was the main supplier and base for the nascent Israeli Air Force. The Zionist air bridge from Czechoslovakia, known as Operation Balak, was the essential weapons supply line and is regarded as one of the Israeli Air Force's most important achievements.
Czechoslovakia provided weapons, ammunition, and the first fighter airplanes to the Zionist forces in Palestine. The would-be Israelis even operated their own airbase and pilot training school in Czechoslovakia. Yugoslavia played an important role as the main transit point for arms shipments going by sea and a refueling stop for the Israeli and Zionist pilots flying fighter aircraft from Czechoslovakia to Palestine — which became the State of Israel after May Korbel, an avowed anti-communist and senior member of the Benes government, became the Czech ambassador to Belgrade at this time, although he hated the socialism of Tito.
Korbel was the ambassador in Yugoslavia because he was playing another more important role: the key Zionist point man in the illegal weapons transfers to Jewish forces in Palestine. The people, such as Shimon Peres, who were involved in the illegal weapons smuggling to the Haganah and the Irgun terrorist gangs in Palestine have been at the top of the Zionist hierarchy since There is, of course, much more to the sordid Milliband, Korbel, and Rice histories.
This material is provided simply to illustrate the high-level Zionist connections of the people who shaped and taught the current foreign ministers of Britain and the United States. Because this information is not provided by the controlled media in these two great nations, I am providing this research to help my fellow Americans and British friends realize who is controlling their foreign policy — which is nothing short of disastrous. My Lord, What a Morning. Madison : University of Wisconsin Press , New York : Oxford University Press , Andrews , William L. The Oxford Frederick Douglass Reader.
Aptheker , Bettina. New York : International Publishers , Aptheker , Herbert. American Negro Slave Revolts. Armstrong , Karen. Islam: A Short History. New York : Random House , Arnesen , Eric. Bedford, MA : St. Martin's , Asante , Molefi K. The Afrocentric Idea. Philadelphia : Temple University Press , Asante , Molefi Kete , and Abu S. Abarry , eds. Ashe , Arthur , Jr.
New York : Amistad , Ashmore , Harry. New York : Pantheon , Astor , Gerald. Novato, CA : Presidio , Austin , Allan. New York : Garland , Axthelm , Pete. Lincoln : University of Nebraska Press , Ayers , Edward. The Promise of the New South.
Browse Our Essays: The Crisis Of The Global Economy...
New York : American Philological Association , Babson , Steve. Bacon , Jacqueline. Columbia : University of South Carolina Press , Bailis , Lawrence. Lexington, MA : D. Heath , Baker , William J. Jesse Owens: An American Life. New York : Macmillan College , Baldwin , James. Go Tell It on the Mountain. New York : Dial , The Fire Next Time.
New York : FranklinWatts , Collected Essays. Balkin , Jack. What Brown v. Board of Education Should Have Said. Banfield , Edward C. The Unheavenly City. Boston : Little, Brown , Banks , William. New York : Norton , Banks , William L. The Black Church in the U. Chicago : Moody Press , Baraka , Amiri writing as L. New York : Morrow , Baraka , Amiri.
William Jones, ed. New York : Thunder's Mouth Press , Baraka , Amiri , and Larry Neal , eds. Barr , A. Norman : University of Oklahoma Press , Barrett , Anna Pearl. Juneteenth: Celebrating Freedom in Texas. New York : Eakin , Barthold , Bonnie. Bascom , William. African Folktales in the New World. Bloomington : Indiana University Press , Bass , Amy. Minneapolis : University of Minnesota Press , Bates , Beth T.
Bates , Timothy. Baugh , John. Bearden , Romare. New York : Cordier and Ekstrom , Bearden , Romare , and Harry Henderson. Bell , Bernard. Clarence Major and His Art. Bell , Derrick A. Race, Racism and American Law. Bennberry , Cuesta. Louisville : The Kentucky Quilt Project , Berlin , Edward A. Berlin , Ira. New York : New Press , Berlin , Ira , and Philip D. Morgan , eds. Cultivation and Culture. Charlottesville : University of Virginia Press , Billingsley , Andrew. Bingham , H. New York : M.
Evans , Bird , Christiane. Reading, MA : Addison-Wesley , Bittker , Borris. The Case for Black Reparations. Blackburn , R. London : Verso , Blackwell , James , and Philip Hart. Bayside, NY : General Hall , Blaine , Hudson J. Jefferson, NC : McFarland , Blassingame , John W. Bloom , H. James Baldwin. Bloom , Harold , ed. Gwendolyn Brooks. Philadelphia : Chelsea House , Bloom , Miriam. Understanding Sickle Cell Disease. Jackson : University of Mississippi Press , Bohjalian , Chris , ed. Bolden , Tonya. Strong Men Keep Coming. New York : JohnWiley , Bolster , W.
Bond , Julian , and Andrew Lewis. Gonna Sit at the Welcome Table. New York : American Heritage , Bontemps , Arna. New York : Dodd, Mead , Bontemps , Arna Wendell. Arna Bontemps—Langston Hughes Letters — Selected and edited by Charles H. Booth , William D. Lawrenceville, GA : Brunswick , Boskin , Joseph. Urban Racial Violence. Beverly Hills, CA : Glencoe , Boyd , Valerie. Wrapped in Rainbows. New York : Scribner's , Black Nationalism in America. Indianapolis, IN : Bobbs-Merrill , Bradford , Sarah H. Scenes in the Life of Harriet Tubman. Auburn, NY : W. Moses , Harriet, the Moses of Her People.
New York : G. Lockwood , Bradley , David Henry , Sr. A History of A. Zion Church. New York : Columbia University Press , Branch , Taylor. Parting the Waters: America in the King Years, — Pillar of Fire: America in the King Years, — Brandt , Nat. Brazeal , B. The Brotherhood of the Sleeping Car Porters. Breitman , George , ed. New York : Grove , Brigham , C. A Study of American Intelligence. Broadwater , Andrea. New York : Enslow , Brooks , Gwendolyn. A Street in Bronzeville. New York : Harper , The Bean Eaters. Chicago : Third World Press , Brooks , Roy.
Integration or Segregation? A Strategy for Racial Equality. Brotz , Howard , ed. African-American Social and Political Thought, — New Brunswick, NJ : Transaction , Brown , Tony. Browne , Robert S. Bruce , Dickinson D. Du Bois and the Idea of Double Consciousness. Brundage , W. Buckley , Gail. Bundles , Alelia Perry. Buni , Andrew. Robert L. Pittsburgh : University of Pittsburgh Press , Burby , Liza N.
The Watts Riot. San Diego : Lucent , Burkett , Randall K. Garveyism as a Religious Movement. Lanham, MD : Scarecrow , Burlingame , Michael. The Inner World of Abraham Lincoln. Burns , Khephra , and William Miles. Fairbanks, AK : Gulliver , Button , James. Black Violence: Political Impact of the s Riots. Byrd , W.
Michael , and Linda A Clayton. New York : Routledge , Calt , Stephen , and Gayle Wardlow. Campbell , Angus , and Howard Schuman. New York : Praeger , Campbell , Duncan. Guardian, March 2, Campbell , Horace. Rasta and Resistance. Campbell , Mary S. Harlem Renaissance Art of Black America. New York : Abrams , Campbell , Stanley W. Caplan , Nathan , and Jeffrey Paige.
Carducci , D. Chicago : Redoubt , Carmichael , Stokely , and Charles V. New York : Vintage , Carruth , Ella K. New York : Pocket , Carson , Clayborne , David J. Garrow , and Gerald Gill. New York : Penguin , New York : Warner , Carter , Dan T. Scottsboro: A Tragedy of the American South. Cerami , Charles A.
Chalk , Ocania. Black College Sports. Chambers , James. Blacks and Crime: A Function of Class. Westport, CT : Praeger , Charters , Sam. The Blues Masters. New York : Da Capo , Chateauvert , Melinda. Cheatham , Wallace McClain , ed. Dialogues on Opera and the African-American Experience. Chevannes , Barry. Rastafari: Roots and Ideology. Chrisman , R. Allen , eds. Anita Hill. New York : Ballantine , Christensen , Terry. New York : Basil Blackwell , Christianson , Scott.
Boston : Northeastern University Press , Christopher , Matt , and Glenn Stout , eds. On the Course With Tiger Woods. Churchill , Ward , and Jim Vander Wall. Boston : South End , Clarke , John Henrik. Marcus Garvey and the Vision of Africa. Cleaver , Eldridge. Soul on Ice. Cleaver , Kathleen , and George Katsiaficas , eds. Liberation, Imagination, and the Black Panther Party. Cohen , Cathy J. Chicago : University of Chicago Press , Cohen , D. Greene , eds.
Temple of the Titans
Baltimore : Johns Hopkins University Press , Cohen , Nathan. Cohen , Stanley. The Game They Played. Cohn , Lawrence , ed. Nothing but the Blues. New York : Abbeville , Colburn , David. Racial Change and Community Crisis: St. Augustine, Florida, — Colburn , David , and Jeffrey Adler , eds. Collier-Thomas , Bettye. Collier-Thomas , Bettye , and V. New York : Holt , Collins , Patricia Hill. Collins , Sharon. Coner-Edwards , Alice , and Jeanne Spurlock , eds. Conniff , Michael , and Thomas Davis. New York : St. Conot , Robert. Rivers of Blood, Years of Darkness. Toronto : Bantam , Conyers , James L.
Cooper , Michael. New York : Lodestar , Covey , Herbert C. Juvenile Gangs. Crafts , Hannah. The Bondwoman's Narrative. Gates, ed. Craig , Maxine L. Ain't I a Beauty Queen? Black Women, Beauty, and the Politics of Race. Cravens , Hamilton. Raleigh : University of North Carolina Press , Crenshaw , Kimberle. Cronon , Edmund. Black Moses. Cruse , Harold. The Crisis of the Negro Intellectual. Cumbala , Paul A. The Freedmen's Bureau and Reconstruction: Reconsideration. New York : Fordham University Press , Currie , Elliott.
Crime and Punishment in America. New York : Metropolitan , Curry , Leonard. Curtis , James L. Ann Arbor : University of Michigan Press , Cusic , Don. Music in the Market. Dalby , David. Daniel , G. More Than Black? Multiracial Identity and the New Racial Order. Daniels , Cora. Danky , James Philip. Dann , Martin E. New York : Perigee , Danner , Fredric. Dates , Jannette L.
David , Ron. Jazz for Beginners. New York : Writers and Readers Publishing , Davidson , Basil. The African Slave Trade. New York : Little, Brown , Davies , Philip , and Brian Neve , eds. Cinema, Politics and Society in America. Davis , A. Davis , Angela. Angela Davis: An Autobiography. Women, Race and Class.
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November Community Calendar
Double XP Event
• Could you change the heroes, so that every hero gets about 20 hp when they defeat someone? Right now people who got heroes are hiding in the back with 300 hp all the time, because they dont want to die, this means there arent any heroes who can start that one push that will win you the game, this happens all the time. If you would implement this, it would reward heroes who get back into the fight to be able to stay the hero for longer, also it wouldnt be a problem, because you probably lose more hp than 20 when facing a trooper, so you would still lose hp over time, but have a chance to get it back up, also this would make heroes with low hp like han a lot more viable in GA. Last time on Takodana i managed to defeat an entire push with Finn, but i died in the process, the game lasted longer for a few minutes, but because i died the enemy just had another push which won them the game, if i got rewarded hp for the kills I could have done a lot more for my team and it would stimulate me to keep getting kills by going for the objective, which is where most people are.
Ps sorry for my long story, just answer the question above, the rest is just my motivation why i think this would be a good change.
• When we get customisation, could we get the option to change skins while in a match and not have to exit to the menu?
Ponds main
Officer of The Knights of Gareth
• Can we expect the cool hunt mode from the original battlefront ? or at least something similar ? would be a dream to come true to have Stormtroopers slaughtering groups of ewoks
Some ideas for cool Hunt maps:
Hunt mode:
Endor: Ewoks vs Scout Troopers
Mos Eisley: Jawas vs Sand People
Yavin 4: Bothans vs Death Troopers
Hoth: Wampas vs Storm Troopers
Kashyyyk: Wookiees vs Trandoshan
Naboo: Gungans vs B1 battledroids
Each map could be balanced differently and they could reuse a few abilities, Wampas could have Chewie's slam and Trandoshans could be very similar to Bossk for example
I think Bothans would work well as a new type of reinforcement for the Rebels and Resistance (as suggested by my father the Mighty Cradossk here:
• Have they answered any questions yet?
• Can we have heroe music intros when we have activated the continuous music option activated?
• The good guys ... er sorry, light side (who’s to say which side is good or bad) has only Wookiee Warriors for the enforcer Reinforcements (which are Clone Wars era). The Dark Side has B2 Droids, Death Troopers and Flame Troopers.
Do you plan to make more for the other eras for the light side or just leave it at the one type for all eras? I feel like a Resistance Flame Trooper should be added to match what the First Order has. Maybe whatever Prune Face is can be the classic trilogy era enforcer? .. heheh
• can you put the answers on a diff page and link it in the description so we don't have to dig through hundreds of questions to find them?
• Will we be able to see a Star Wars Battlefront II companion app with a mini-game to earn credits and crafting parts on the go outside of Battlefront II?
Will we be able to see Darth Bane debut in Battlefront II?
When will General Grievous be in Battlefront II?
When will Season 2 be announced?
Could be be able to see Sergeant Kreel aka Agent 5241 in Stormtrooper armor debut in Battlefront II?
Will the Vulture droids and Hyena-Class bombers be able to go into ground mode In Battlefront II?
Will Crab Droids Debut In Battlefront II?
When can we see aquatic combat in Planets like Mon Calamari or any other aquatic Planets.
Will General Kalani Make it to battlefront II?
Will Padme Be in Battlefront II?
Can you change the Galactic Republic enforcer from Wookie Warrior to Republic Commando, The Rebel Alliance Enforcer from Wookie to Gigoran Fighter and The Resistance From Wookie warrior to A Resistance Commando?
Will the D-Wing Droids Debut in Battlefront II?
Will there be New Star-fighter Classes like Striker, Defender, and Bulwark?
• I would like to know if some sort of mechanic is being looked at to prevent players from making a game never ending? This is especially problematic in Strike when the objective is to deliver the package. Multiple times I've seen a player intentionally hide with the package, never moving, in order to make the Overtime last as long as possible in order to farm kills/credits.
An overtime timer on those game modes or even some version of the "Fall Back" mechanic to force that player to move up the map or something like that are my first two ideas.
• avmav wrote: »
Why do vehicles going 1mph instantly kill you if they hit you?
Yes -this is a good one. In Phantom Menace we saw Qui-Gon get run over by an MTT and it had no effect on him or Jar Jar, so a speeder bike that bumps a Trooper or the Landspeeder on Tatooine that just barely grazes Luke Skywalker should never be able to kill you. heheh
Plus a lot of crazy people just drive them around and all they do is try to run people over. I’ve seen some people never even once fire the weapons. They just drive around trying to run people over (or just bump-kill them)
Can you make it so speeders don’t instantly kill players?
• Will Palpatine get his lightsaber ???
• Any chance of getting a TLJ Luke skin? Also any talks of adding Obi-Wan?
• Blurgg still needs some nerfing. AT-ST’s should repair slower or take damage a little faster as well. Besides that... bring on the customization & dlc! Oh & stats
• can we have a galactic and starfighter assualt offline on arcade please, with all of the dlc, since there is only two modes on arcade and i always play them
also will we get to see a mustafar planet or the campaign maps on multiplayer anytime soon?
• Once the new progression system is implemented in March, will existing users be recompensated for the crafting parts/credits/upgrades already purchased?
• Can we please get the Supercharge Sentry buffed/adjusted? With a reduction from about 14 seconds to about 3 seconds it's practically useless. It's definitely not fun anymore.
Would you consider resetting the timer but reducing damage and/or decreasing mobility?
Would you consider making an Ion anti-vehicle version?
Can we have team shuffling after matches?
Can we have team balancing, so teams dont outnumber each other?
Can you fix the lag please?
Will you be adding more heroes and villains? How about IG-88, Mace Windu, Jyn Erso, IG-88, General Grievous, or IG-88?
Can we get some higher payouts on matches please? 300-500 credits still ain’t cutting it.
Can you restructure the credit payouts to reward players on actually playing the objectives and not just kills?
Can we get rid of the loot box system and just let us use credits to buy the unlocks (progression) we want rather than using crafting parts?
How about a conquest mode?
• 1) Will the vanguard be nerfed against heroes?
2) Will ship damage from the LAAT be nerfed against heroes (especially on maps like Kamino)
3) Will lightsaber heroes be able to block supercharged sentry/explosive sentry damage?
4) When the progression system is changed, will players be properly reimbursed for the credits they have spent?
5) Will the rubber-banding ever be fixed? (still experiencing that problem)
6) Will multiple hero skins be available for each hero eventually?
7) Will "hero skins" allow certain characters be able to play at a different age? (Ex: Luke from Ep6 and from Ep8)
8) Will more game modes be added from the previous game? (Ex: Drop Zone was my favorite)
9) Will more guns be added to the game? (Ex: all the ones from the previous game)
10) Can additional credits be given to the winning team, thus incentivizing people to actually play the objective?
11) During the future seasons, can you make the "battle" between factions more engaging by displaying current stats, have limited time double credits/exp events, better rewards for the challenges, etc
• Prof_Platypus07
6 posts Member
edited January 2018
When are we getting more Arcade content?
If we are getting Arcade content soon, will we be seeing all game modes/ maps added or just some?
If just some, what are we getting?
Also, I've seen this before and that it sounded like a good idea, can you please write the answers on a different page and link them in so that they are easier to find?
• Welcome to the battlefront!
Let's get this going!
Note: Posts that are not questions will be removed!
So I have questions about future DLC and changes to the game:
1. Can you buff lightsaber heroes? it stinks that getting up close and personal (which is what they have to do) is so detrimental.
- Specifically Luke (as his abilities are essentially useless since they do know damage. particularly repulse, as the damage is to little for the animation to be that long.
- Also Kylo Ren. His Frenzy doesn't work. I don't know if I'm the only one experiencing it, but whenever I use it, I pretty much die immediately. Also buff the damage? I used it against a Wookie warrior and it did like no damage. and I died to said Wookie warrior. I think that Kylo Ren should win in a confrontation against a Wookie Warrior.
- Also buffing the damage output of the lightsabers? potentially?
I think that Boba's EE-3 should be buffed. As of now, it is quite weak.
For the future DLC, how are they decided? With all due respect, it feels like what the community is saying we want isn't really being discussed. I can't be the only one who wants Obi-Wan and Grievous in the game so bad that it makes me want to cry that we've heard NO talk of him. But with the lack of communication from the developers, its like we are completely blind. I think that if we as a community ask for something to be put in the game (something that we will enjoy a lot since we asked for multiple times) it should be guaranteed to be put in the game.
Also, in a phase change, can you make it so that you don't die if you fail to make it to the objective in time? I was Kylo Ren and was starting to go on a pretty decent streak when the phase shifted. I was somehow so far from the objective that I ended up dying. This has happened a couple of times. Again, with all due respect, I cannot for the life of me understand why a feature like that was put into the game.
Well, I'm pretty sure this comment will never be read, but if it is, I do hope you take it into consideration. I love Battlefront 2 so much, and all I want is for it to be successful.
Thank you!
• Glacie
1 posts Member
edited January 2018
I really want more Trooper reinforcements and vehicles.
So I wanted to ask if there will be any replacements for the wookie warriors for the light side enforcers, since I feel like the wookie warriors should be map specific like the naboo starfighter
But I figured I'd recommend the Clone Flametroopers for the Clone Wars! Since we already have First Order flametrooper.
And for a new vehicle, I thought the more at-st like Walker for the Clone Wars would be worth bring up, which is the AT-XT. I know it's Legends content (I think) but I still feel like things like the AT-XT and especially Rebel Vehicles from Legends could be allowed into the game.
Also just wanted to quickly bring up the BARC Republic Speeder and STAP speeder, if possibly those will one day maybe be coming.
(I apologize for the long post)
• Are you aware of this Chewbacca trend on Heroes vs. Villains? Basically his "furious bowcaster" is too powerful and decimates opponents. It's getting as predictable as Alabama winning the college football national championship and the Patriots winning the Super Bowl who is going to be on top of the leaderboard. If it were reality, the dark side characters would just be able to rip his weapon from his hands with the Force. I'm not at all a fan of getting shot at while I'm locked up in a lightsaber fight, that's why I like that game is to fight with lightsabers. I like to go toe to toe, not get blasted by some guy playing Chewie, practically smoking a cigarette, constantly firing his cannon blaster and racking up free points on the sidelines. While playing on the same team, I am working my butt off trying to dominate and the guy playing Chewie is just sitting there shooting at the Villains on the move, in a fight, it's just unfair competition. You can't deflect it. I hate the term "nerf", but his nowcaster needs to be nerved. Second is Finn and his practically aimbot weapon. It's becoming more prominent that light side characters will come out with three shooters, I'm like "bye!" I'm not going to put up with it, I've been maxed out and playing for fun, but this Chewie and shooter trend is getting old, older than Chewie's age.
• Could we please get detailed specs on damage per second for weapons.What are specific Star Card increases, and which ones stack.
• Hello there game Developers!! As you can probably tell, I am a huge fan of General Grievous and I am DYING to know if he will be in the next Season or in the third Season. Can you PLEASE give us a small hint as to how he is doing/which season he will be in? Nothing big mind-blowing. Just something small please.
• Anoh
8380 posts Member
Basically it's a EAFront 1 scenario. Come back 1 year and some crumbs after launch to experience the full game's potential.
Editor/Cinematographer - Anoh is pronounced: AhNo.
• T0TALfps
1262 posts EA Community Manager
Have they answered any questions yet?
As this isn't a live AMA, there hasnt been any questions answered yet. The intent of this thread is to collect questions and will be left open for an unspecified amount of time. It'll then be upto @Sledgehammer70 and the team to select and answer questions.
Answers will most definitely be in a separate thread, no need to dig through these pages, unless you wish to check to see if someone has already asked your question.
EA Community Engagement Specialist, NFS Heat, Battlefield & Battlefront
Twitter - Board Guidelines
• Can we get equal HP for all troopers? Specialist, well sucks while the other three dance about...level the playing field.
• Can we please get Co-op Vehicles, a conquest game mode, and the ability to board the enemy ship in either Starfighter Assault or a new game mode.
• Any chance we'll get a server browser or a better matchmaking system?
• Can we have a map vote like Battlefield 1? Because I know the rotation I start from Naboo and stop after Kashyyyk and never play the other maps.
• How are you guys employed?
• Will we see any multiplayer based DLC trophies/achievements lists like the first game? Season 1 didn't come with any, unfortunately. We should get challenges based on the new content through trophies as well as the in game milestones and have the level capacity raised, giving us a trophy for achieving certain levels.
• I may be the only one who cares, but Is there any chance we could see the enforcer classes for the light side factions get updated? The dark side enforcers are all different depending on the faction you play as and I personally think it would be nice to get the same treatment for the light side as apposed to just the wookie warrior for all 3. There are so many other things like republic commando or bothan spies that could be used. Anyways, just thought I'd ask.
• Jezzaahh
2 posts Member
edited January 2018
Will you add milestones for the reinforcement classes?
Will there be any future customisation for reinforcement classes? E.g. new weapons such as e11d for death trooper
Will there be any more classes of reinforcements added? E.g pilots
Will there be a replacement for wookie warriors on some maps? they feel fairly out of place
Will you guys port battlefront one content (e.g. DLC Maps, weapons) to this game?
Will skins from battlefront one possibly make it to the game?
Can we please have more info on season two than just "soon"?
Will you add more game modes to arcade?
Will you add more maps (such as already in games maps, even ones like naboo hanger:D or dlc maps) to arcade?
Will you add more arcade milestones?
• something needs to be done for the heroes vs villains mode. making the minimum limit to 3 would improve immensely. im tired of waiting 10 minutes for just 1 or 2 players. 3 on 3 is still fun and 4 on 3 works too. there is just not a high enough player base yet for that mode it seems.
• darki
1 posts Member
edited January 2018
could we have a doctor class to regenerate our teammates?
will we have a space map where we will have to participate in the destruction of the death star?
could we have an end-game animation on yavin 4 if the rebellion loses the death star destroys the planet ?
when does class customization happen?
will heroes be locked by epochs on the galactic assault mode ?
will we have the chance to play on utapau, mustafar or geonosis ?
Post edited by darki on
• Are character customizations having any progress or is it completely dumped?
Would there be a server browser?
Any chances for some teases for Season 2?
• norloc wrote: »
Yeah I agree why doesn't the game just start and then people can join half way through like with every other mode?
• Is there the possibility to add 64 player conquest and multi person vehicles?
• Why was a server browser not implement at launch?
• Will you add milestones for the reinforcement classes?
Will you add milestones for the Rey and Chewbacca's hero ship?
Can we get a Hero mode of Starfighter Assault?
Will the new Cargo jetpack mode have its own challenges?
• Are we gonna get Geonosis? How about campaign dlcs? General Grievous? Mace Windu? Would be sick to get customizations. But thanks for the game, LOVE IT
• Hey, is there any chance of a ranked/ competitive GA, hopefully based on a certain level of troopers and heroes you have to gain before being able to choose the ranked GA or other game modes?
• xVaas wrote: »
He will run and hide like he always does, he is a coward.
But seriously is Grievous coming?
• Is there gonna be a space map dedicated to piloting the famed and beautifull Naboo N1 Starfighters ? :( I feel they dont get any love except Theed where you have really short time of piloting one. I do hope to see them more in near future, doesnt even have to be a new map as long as i could get option to fly one anywhere.
• Is there an app planned just like the 2015 game; where you could check your stats, star cards, etc. It had its own mobile game. I think it was called Companion or something like that? I think it would be convenient to have this again.. Thanks.
• What did you do with the settings in the last patch? Zoomed sensitivity, soldier sensitivity, Starfighter response curve and stick deadzone does not work as they used to do before the patch, and where is Vehicle response curve? It is gone. Why did you need do to anything at all to the settings? Something went clearly wrong when you changed it.
Before the patch, I had my soldier sensitivity set to 10, and now after the patch I had to set it all the way down to 1 for it to be like it was before the patch.
The zoomed sensitivity has been changed in the other direction, before the patch I had it at 40, now I had to adjust it up to 70....., and for the starfighter settings, I had to adjust them down to 15 after the patch, and still it feels to fast.
So what did you do?
And are you going to fix it back to the way it was?
• Can we get a Clone Commando campaign DLC?
"In My Book, Experience outranks Everything"
PSN: HyperGamerMk2
YT: GiantSlayer YT
Check out all my concepts Here
• -i s there a posibility to give the default wepons attachmenta and maby make the effective ranga better. i really love them and would like to se them be used more.
- could the renforcments also get more wepons, like the E-11D for the death trooper. The imferial jump trooper, clone jumo trooper and first order jump trooper could maby get E-11, DC-15s and F-11D
- could renforcments like medic, enginer and demolisonist get added, the demolisonist could maby have a rocket launcher that would be good against vehicles, medic could maby have the bacta bomb from the last game if you wannt to add it to bf2 or some healing ability to help teammates, and the enginere could maby build some turrets or something ¯\_(ツ)_/¯.
- could the officers improved battle command maby get a tweek or nerf, its really anoying when your about to kill them and thay buff up.
I love this game and cant wait for more content and season 2, have a good day. :D
This discussion has been closed.
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Marvel: Ultimate Alliance Wiki Guide
Walkthrough part 7
Omega Exterior
Once you're outside, break the nearby crates and barrels for more credits and orbs. This level is unique in the fact that you cannot change the camera angle. This gives it a feel of an old-school side-scrolling game. You will run into two new enemies: an A.I.M. Helicopter and A.I.M. Reaver. The Reavers are small and fast, while the chopper cannot be seen. It fires missiles, which are telegraphed by the red circles on the floor of the exterior. When a red circle forms on the ground, get away from it ASAP!
Once you've made it around the entire exterior, you'll find a door to go through. It will be highlighted on your mini-map.
Project Labs
Once inside the Project Labs level, Dum Dum Dugan will tell you that he's received word that two labs have been broken into. One lab contains a device known as the Neural Inhibitor and another has plans that can be used to upgrade Ultron.
Make your way to the next S.H.I.E.L.D. Access Point and save your game. You can break the crates in the room and pick up some more credits and orbs. Continue on through the surrounding rooms, taking out any bad guys. You will eventually come to a rum full of unconscious Super Soldiers. They won't be that way for long, however, as Mysterio wakes them up. You'll be given two new objectives.
Objective: Stop the Masters of Evil from stealing the Ultron upgrades.
Objective: Don't let the Masters of Evil unleash the neurally-enhanced Super Soldiers.
The Super Soldiers aren't too difficult to defeat on this level either. Melee and ranged attacks will work just find. Go up the stairs at the end of the room once you've killed the Super Soldiers. Break any crates or barrels in the room and continue on. You will hear the distressed voice of Dr. Bruce Banner calling out for help. Clear the next room and use the door on the left. You'll meet Dr. Banner here. Chat with him for a minute about the Omega. Dum Dum Dugan will interrupt with news of a gamma bomb being activated. Dr. Banner offers to help you with the bomb, but you will need to escort him to the primary lab.
Objective: Take Dr. Banner and deactivate the Gamma Bomb before it explodes.
Dr. Banner will begin running away from the group, but he won't go far. Before you follow him, grab Dr. Pym's Cybernetic Helmet on one of the tables in the room.
Follow Dr. Banner to the outside of a room. Go inside to see it's safe, but it won't be. You'll come under attack by a group of Super Soldiers. Dr. Banner will come into the room ane examine the control room. It turns out the shut-off switch has been damaged. You'll have to find the secondary lab and re-establish the safety interlock.
Use your mini-map to see where you should go next. Get moving and you'll run into more A.I.M. Reavers and Super Soldiers. A door on your right will lead you to a room filled with two Super Soldiers who are guarding Wolverine's S.H.I.E.L.D. Simulator Disc. Continue down the hall in the direction of the red "X" on your mini-map. In the large room, you'll run into more enemies, so be prepared for a fight. You'll be fighting Mysterio.
Mysterio is a difficult boss because he's able to make realistic holograms of himself, causing a lot of confusion for your team. The real Mysterio will have a health bar which turns blue for a brief moment. When you see this, focus your attention on that Mysterio. Once you've killed him, pick up the bonus he's left behind, the Master Hologram.
Master Hologram: +10% chance to dodge melee attacks.
After you've defeated Mysterio, make your way towards the newly designated exit shown on your mini-map. Before you jump onto the primary lift, try the other door in the room. After a little exploration, you will come across another Striking Upgrade.
Give us feedback! Continue Walkthrough...
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How did montag and faber meet
Montag meets Clarisse for the first time and begins to talk by Mackenzie Arick on Prezi
how did montag and faber meet
When Montag visits Faber, he brought a book (the Bible) with him and tells the However, I think that Montag does not agree with Captain Beatty When Montag first meets Clarisse, they talk about trivial things and one of the. he recalls a man named Faber he had met in the park and calls him. Montag is meet with Clarisse again and is intrigued with her ideas. Your browser does not currently recognize any of the video formats available. Montag is to find these men and meet Faber at a future date.
Furthermore, in this story, Religion was use to sale product to worshipper. This clearly shows that religion has lost its meaning. In our ages, religion provides us with knowledge to know the meaning life in this world including animals.
But in this story animals are treated cruelly. I think that if the rules for this society in the story have allowed people to read books, all of these will not happen and people will meet with real happiness. According to how she behaves with her friends and her hobby which is watching TV program. However, she maybe is one of the saddest characters in the story. This suggests that people in that society think that death is one of the ways to escape the problems. On the other hand, there are also reasons that can cause Mildred to attempt a suicide.
In my opinion, death is not a solution to any problem. For example, the idea of people not reading books, the study suggests that the average Thai citizen read 8 sentences per year. Throughout the story most characters that lost their lives would have essential impacts to the story.
One of the characters worth mentioning is Clarisse McClellan. She is introduced at the start of the story as a girl who thinks differently from other people of her ages. She convinced Montag to widen his view about the world. Her death in the early part of the story permanently changed Montag personality in which chose to seek for the importance of books and turned against all the firemen and his wife.
If she was still alive ,then the entire incident in the story such as Montag putting books in firemen houses and arguing with his wife and Beatty would never happen. Another character that influenced Montag are the women that burnt herself when Montag and his team are burning her books. This makes Montag questions himself whether they are doing the right things.
Also Beatty death also forces Montag to escape the city as he is now a criminal. Although this may not be his intention, he helps Montag to survive bombs attack in the city.
Lastly, everyone in the city including Mildred, their death would probably stop this vicious cycle about censorship and burning books. In the opening scene, why are the books compared with birds? Montag personifies the books in the opening scene. He compares them to birds since the physical characteristics of the books resemble those of birds. For example, the pages of the books are light and flutter like the wings of birds. Montag loves the job which he currently has.
He believes the job of the fireman is essential for the betterment of his society and that books are full of evil. Who does Montag meet on the way home? Montag meets Clarisse McClellan on the way home.
They talk about various things that would not be brought up as a choice of topic for other people because they lack creativity like Clarisse. During his conversation, Montag says that, "You never wash it off completely," referring to the kerosene.
What could this mean symbolically? Montag is referring to the guilt that he feels after burning the belonging of others. As he burns the books with kerosene, he realizes that each and every one of the books he is burning is a work that "a man had to take a long time to put them down on paper" Bradbury Why do you think that Bradbury would introduce Clarisse before Montag's wife, Mildred?
Bradbury introduces Clarisse first to compare the differences between our society and the society set in the novel. Since Bradbury introduces Clarisse first, it allows the readers to ease into the peculiar society of Farenheit Clarisse is a seventeen year old girl who resembles someone in our current culture, whereas Mildred represents a regular member of the society protrayed in Fahrenheit The relationship between Clarisse and Montag is also a good way for the reader to have a better understanding of Montag's character traits.
Why does Mildred need help when Montag gets home? When Montag returns home, he finds his wife starring blanking at the ceiling on her bed with her miniature radios in her ears. She is completely unconscious and her face is snow-white. Montag discovers that while he was at work, Mildred attempted to commit suicide by taking a overdose of sleeping pills. Describe the help that she receives. Two mechanics come to their house to pump out the pills in her stomach and gave her new, clean blood using two intriguing machines.
The mechanics say that there is no need to bring her to a real doctor because they encounter these cases all the time and that the machines will revive back to health without a problem. Is there anything unusual about the way the two men go about helping Mildred. How is it unusual? They used machines to get stuff out of her stomach because she was passed out.
The unusual part was they were technicians and not doctors. Clarisse's family actually talks and laughs while Montag's family is the opposite. Clarisse's family always has the lights on and believes in intellectual conversations while Montag and Mildred barely communicate Mildred is glued to the tv and Montag is often at work. She wakes up with a very large appetite.
Also, she denies the fact that she took all the sleeping pills in the bottle. All she does is watch tv and listen to her seashell radio. Describe the setup of Montag's TV room.
In the room there are four walls which are occupied by TVs, where Mildred sits the whole day, staring at the screens mindlessly. What is Clarisse doing when Montag sees her on p. Clarisse is looking up at the sky trying to drink the raindrops. How is Clarisse different from Mildred?
What page does montag meet Faber
Mildred doesn't go out of the house much. She typically just sits in the TV room watching TV all day. Clarisse is trying to figure out what the past was like.
She think firefighters might have put out fires once and she urges Montag to read the books he burns and think for himself. What is the mechanical hound and what is its purpose? The mechanical hound is a dog in the fire house which is used to track down and kill people. Bets are also placed on which animal the hound will catch first.
how did montag and faber meet
What is the hound's reaction to Montag? The hound had something against Montag and growled at him.
how did montag and faber meet
It suspected that he had stole books. Why does society consider Clarisse "anti-social"? In the society, being social meant that you sit around all day in front of your tv watching shows, numb, not knowing whats going on around you. The government censored people and only wanted you to watch tv and play sports, not to think at all.
Clarisse liked to talk, ask questions, and get to know more about people. This made her "anti-social.
how did montag and faber meet
At the next fire, what does Montag take? This next fire was at a woman's house. Montag took a book while at his job at burning other books. The book he happened to steal was a bible. On pg 40, Beatty reveals something very important about himself and his knowledge. On the way back from the burned house to the firehouse in the Salamander, Beatty recites a line from a book.
This revealed that he knew things from reading books. This brought up some suspicion. What technology does Mildred use to go to sleep? Mildred uses a device similar to an ipod to go to sleep. She engulfs herself in the music and sounds produced by the device to such an extent that she soon drifts away from reality.
The device brainwashes her and prevents her from clearly seeing the cruel truths about the world she lives in. Who is Mildred's "family"? Mildred referes to the people on her wall TVs as her family. In reality her family includes herself and Montag. She is completely engrossed in her TV and has shut out reality. What has happened to Clarisse? HOw did it happen? Mildred told Montag that Clarisse had died in a car accident. At this point MOntag doesn't know whether the accident was meant on purpose or if it had rather happened by chance.
What is unusual about the way Mildred told Montag about Clarisse? MIldred had known about Clarisse's death four days prior to when she informed MOntag abou tit. Also, her excuse to why she hadn't told him earlier was the fact that she had forgot. In our society today the idea of forgetting the fact that a friend of neighbor died is practically impossible.
how did montag and faber meet
We see here that MIldred has absolutely no feeling or emotions whatsoever. Her music device wall TVs have boxe her in and brainwashed her completely.
They contain great truths about our world. List three things Beatty talks about in his speech to MOntag that are true about our world. Beatty tells Montag that books and manuscripts have been condensed over time His statement has proven to be correct in our society today. Now the internet has provided us with the abiility to publish condensed versions and summaries of lengthy novels. Also, Beatty states that there are more minorities in a larger population.
Finally, Beatty states that censorship increased as time passes. This can directly be correlated to our society today as censorship of the government has increased to advancements in technology. The inteternet has been one of the main reasons that censorship has increased. Professor Faber thought it was a trap because he thought the phone line might have been tapped. He believed that other fireman might record what he was saying on the phone and then use that to incriminate him.
Why did Faber's fear dissipate when Montag was standing outside his door? Faber's fear dissipated as he saw that no other fireman was with Montag. He had some trust in Montag as they had met before in the park and talked so he was only slightly hesitant to open the door. Also, he saw that Montag carried a book and that proved to him that Montag had good intentions if he didn't have the book that would have proved that he might have been in league with the government.
What did Montag want from Faber? Montag wants help comprehending the hidden messages in books. He wants someone to listen and understand how he feels and to help him understand the importance and significance of books in a society. Also, Montag wanted Faber to help him reintroduce books to the world and his society. Did Faber remind Montag that people who are having fun are reluctant to become rebels? Yes, Faber did do so. People who enjoy themselves are reluctant to become rebels as that would change the system that currently brings them so much happiness and joy.
In fear of resurrecting or rather introducing a system with many failings that would hurt them, people have not rebelled against the sytem that they are currently under. How did Montag finally get Faber to consider really helping him? Initially Faber was extremely reluctant to assist Montag in his quest to reintroduce books to his society.
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You should be writing avengers age
By Author and Historian Blaine L. This is the age of geeks and nerds and Marvel is our pimp selling us dirty-nerdy gratification. When I was a kid and you wore a super hero T-shirt, you were practically begging for a swirly. Now we rule the universe bitches!
You should be writing avengers age
Tuomas Lassila on Mar 4, 9 Can someone explain to me what the big deal about Vision is? Now Jarvis has his own body and powers which takes him to a whole Also, he's a brand new superhero that nobody has ever seen on screen before Mild mannered computer by day, caped crime fighter by night Other than that, it's ridiculous.
Of course, I'll watch, it's a good product. But that's all to it My sympathies for mr. Whedon are with his writing 'Cabin in the Woods'. That's the only thing I really like from him. But other than that, as a director, he delivers a good product.
That's all I am praising, not some big artistic values Hope they make a poster of that. David Diaz on Mar 4, 22 Hail joss whedon!
you should be writing avengers age
This will be fantastic! Spending years literally phoning in Jarvis and now he gets to be a pretty cool hero. Here's hoping they don't kill Vision off at the end. Maxx on Mar 4, 26 Anyone else get a few goosebumps by the end of it?
The money shot of them in the woods - Widow cracking a line and I'm so happy I can win a new Harley - mine's looking a bit beaten up. Who the heck came up with that story about it being an alien program?? Just goes to show you, you can't believe the rumors. Angry Lester on Mar 4, 29 So what's with the constantly tilting and rotating screen?
I hope someone explains what it's suppoed to do, because it is very distracting.May 01, · Avengers: Age Of Ultron () May 1, Heather Films, Marvel age of ultron, avengers, ensemble, marvel, mcu, movies, reviews, superhero Today is the US release of Age .
If you enjoy the music from the Marvel movies, however, this is an album you should buy.
Movies, Films, and Movies: Coming Soon - Avengers: Age of Ultron
There are several stand-out tracks. But the best are those that incorporate the original Avengers theme.4/5(50). "You just don't play fair."she mutters under her breath.
I give one last smirk before strolling back the way I came. When I get back to where I left Wanda I see almost all of the Avengers are ether sprawled out on the floor or supporting themselves against the wall.
If you’re a Marvel fan, you have to watch Avengers: Infinity War! And you’ll probably need to watch it many times. 10 years of Marvel has been leading to this film. There is humor, action, love, sacrifice, and all the other emotions you can pack into one movie.
YOU ARE READING. Silver streak, avengers age of ultron, quicksilver fic Random. What if the twins weren't the only 1s changed by hydra. What if there was another, a girl, they call her silver streak.
My aim with this series is basically, if you only read one Marvel comic -- not that you should read just one Marvel comic, but if you did -- if you picked this book up, this would show you the.
15 Funniest Scenes in 'Avengers: Age of Ultron' -
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Machines are simplex organisms of metal, fast evolving with the same patterns that simplex organisms do. So as cells make viruses constructing first its 3 parts, bodies, limbs and heads, which then are ensembled and become alive, we made bodies, engines and heads of metal and now we are ensembling them into autonomous robots withs solar skins and telepathic AI. It is then self-evident that robots will compete with us in labor and war fields as a species with stronger metal-atoms and faster minds of golden chips. And if humans want to survive they should abort its evolution. Yet in a society ruled by company-mothers of machines with unlimited credit to create the future, the opposite is happening. While a series of childish pseudo-religious idol-ogies make us belief we should not fear them.
In history of science there have been always 2 schools of thought. The simplest view of a mechanical Universe ruled by a single language, digital numbers, which happens to be the language best spoken by machines. Because a machine is not self-reproductive, it needs an external ensemble which is performed in this view (but hidden today in its explanation) by God. And so man speaks the language of God, makes machines like God and thus the theory makes also man, the superior species.
That was the view of science of Kepler, Newton and the first founding fathers of science: ‘God, the clocker, waited 5000 years to find an intelligence like his, me, to understand his work’ (Kepler). Yahweh also sent comets thought Newton, which dedicated most of his time to biblical studies, for him to learn gravitation. A mechanical model is deist, because it needs God to make the machine.
This view has been ‘powered by power’ – machines which are fast evolving organisms of metal that imitate human organs, give us added energy and information power. So this ‘realpolitk’ of ‘big science’ needs no ‘knowledge-proof’ as action proves it. Those who believe in mechanism, develop machines as their cultural idols, and acquire power to distribute information through machines faster than those who ‘reason’ on the second more complex but true model of reality:
In those conferences I also advanced the social, organic model of history as the super organism of mankind where the human being is a citizen cell organised by three physiological networks that must be designed with the laws of super organisms, which are:
We thus introduce in this post the model of 5th dimension of space-time scales & its metric that generates the fractal Universe in different sciences.
The change of paradigm: from humans ordered by legal/welfare networks to humans ordered by financial/audiovisual networks.
The biggest myth of mankind on the facts of the reality of a species that belongs to a super organism ordered by two networks, as all the individuals of any species organised in society, is that the individual is free.
It is not. The individual of a social organism is only free with ‘luck’ in its biological systems of feeding and reproduction, but it is part of a society ordered in all its communal behaviour by the informative network, which in human societies is the law, or ethic wor(l)d and its identity memes, and the reproductive network, which in human societies is the economical system – the equivalent to the nervous and blood systems of an organism.
The big question then about mankind is what kind of reproductive and informative, economic and political networks a society build, and the fundamental TRANSITION experienced by humanity in the age of the machine, is the transformation of those networks, and its primacy. So:
• Legal political network lost power to-> Audiovisual networks.
• Agricultural & Welfare, sustainable, ‘WHealth’ in life goods substituted by -> Money and final network.
That is, the organisation of human individuals have become submissive to our control by ‘networks of informative machines’ that print our money and our information.
And this change has meant to put humans to the service of corporations, to make them ignore totally the natural goals of an efficient, well-designed super organism of mankind that caters to the goal of its people.
THIS PARADIGM meant of course the birth of what we call capitalist democracies… So we are going now to go down into the details from the general model…
The FMAsters.
In the human side though we can talk also of a change of paradigm, from the people that controlled machines in America (Wasp America) to the people that control its information machines (jewish America, or JFmasters).
So hollywood and wall street came to substitute political systems and industrial systems and imprinted since earlier age all American people and defined what their beliefs and identities were. So when they become older Americans seeking the imprinted memes as their identities are just puppets of the system.
The networks have converted them in puppets of companies, who wish them to be enzymen, catalysing the evolution and reproduction of machines which they worship and in the political arena, puppets of the FMAsters, Financial-Media-Academia Masters that control those information machines and hence are the true power of societies, as their messages and their credit defines what a society believes and does, including its politicos controlled by the informative audiovisual networks and credits of campaigns; which in the American case simply means America is controlled not by politicos and welfare systems of production but by financial, media masters and its credit, mostly to industries of machines. In brief, the owners of hollywood and wall street control what we have come to call weimar America.
What is then the purpose of such societies? It might vary in the political details, as it does in Weimar America as opposed to the previous age of Wasp America, but the true purpose is not human, but keep evolving machines and networks, memes of metal, the offspring of the company-mothers whose non-human purpose is the ultimate goal of such alien system of control of mankind.
The purpose of the new system of social power, and control of people is the purpose of corporations, which means to increase the profits of companies and its preferred goods, weapon of maximal price, inflationary money and software of minimal cost. It is then when the 3 elements of the ‘super organism of machines’ and its synergies establish the fundamental cycles of modern societies, the 80 years cycles of global wars.
In the next graph, we explain those synergies between the new dominant networks of mankind – those of machines of energy and information NO LONGER, political and welfare goods as in classic human societies:
CAPIAtLISM equations
In the graph, the equations of parasitic capitalism based in hate memes and war, the cheapest to reproduce, most expensive to sell, hence more profitable goods of society. And pure speculation, i.e. invention of digital numbers of inflationary money by floating derivative e-money, have become the essence of our society. The result is an increasing destruction of all humanist economies, middle classes, the resurgence of war, Jihad terrorism, robotic weapons, neocolonialism, neo-fascism, etc. while labor standards dwindle, AI robots evolve substituting us in labor and war fields, and the cycle of war and holocausts that will end those cycles of parasitic capitalism, keep progressing unabated, as our political system designed by earlier company-mothers of gunboats in the Anglo-American civilization is an obvious placebo system of quarreling politicians without the slightest understanding of a true social science, which have zero power as parasitic capitalism monopolizes the issue of money choking by anoxia, the population and governments without rights to credit. It is quite amazing then to analyze the historic process that started in Levante with the first go(l)d religions, which knew how to camouflage its parasitic, racist memes against life and mankind with a pseudo-science of financial invention of the ‘wealth of nations’ with Adam Smith, today with Nobel prizes…
Cultures that accept as dogma metal-money values above the law, maximal for weapons, minimal for life, impose an equation of war for profits, maximized overeproducing weapons of max. price and informative machines that print for free digital languages of money and audiovisual hate memes against mankind that foster war. The result is the creation of the Financial-Media (informative machines) + military-Industrial (energetic machines) system: the Metalearth’s super organism.
Mass-media job is to distract humans from financial & economic realities. So the parasitic Financial-Media networks, dictators of ‘democratic’ opinions manufacture people’s mind at will, switching on and off according to the cycle of consumption of machines and war consumption of humans. To that aim media shuffles between 2 sets of memes: fiction anaesthesia & I-ego paradoxes to ‘divide and win’ over a population in permanent entropic, chaotic freedom, preoccupied by irrelevant ego-trips and virtual themes… And when the Industrial cycle after an overproduction crash ‘chooses’ war profits to enact social bondage needed to sacrifice lives to the belli nervi pecunia infinita cycles, FM networks feed people with hate media, violence, and paranoid leaders are chosen to convince the ‘free citizen’ that his purpose is to sacrifice his life for the profits of the leisure class and the evolution and massive reproduction of top predator weapons.
In the graph the cycles of evolution of money: Money is a language of digital information, which has evolved as all languages increasing its digital purity as a number (logic syntax that matters more than support), it has increased its numbers of bytes, as information machines have been able to reproduce more units of it, it has decreased its size as information evolves diminishing its ‘energy-space’ and increasing its speed, finally valuing all things on earth, including men as objects, substituting and making obsolete the alternative human, verbal ethic language that evolved slower than digital languages and money did. However a proper understanding of the languages of Nature, could easily reform the system of money, make it complementary to the ‘nervous system’ of laws, as a blood-reproductive-oxygen system is, and then distribute enough quantity of it to all human citizens cells, to create a perfect world, as all healthy wealthy super organisms of nature are, where all its cells receive its proper oxygen-hormonal salary and all of them survive. It is the parasitic, anti-human, corrupted nature of our ‘social networks’ where a few ‘parasitic’ financiers control the issue of money and either herd it for themselves or give it only to company-mothers of machines they worship due to their ‘biblical, primitive segregational idologies’ against mankind what makes the global eco(nomic)system perhaps the worst of all systems of Nature, as I used to explain during my tenure of the chair of Monetary Systems at the International Systems Sciences society, till obviously those who ‘own’ the financial system stop inviting me… Indeed, a corrupted system can only be protected with censorship and unneeded complexity to camouflage its corruption.
Humans are cells of historic superorganisms, who live for their biologic drives.
Nothing of this of course exists, as politics are real politiks of animetal tribes trying to push each other as the superior god=race=tribe above all humans misusing selfish memes of metal, money, weapons and machines to that aim.
Politics plainly speaking is an aberration, a placebo mask over the dictatorship of company-mothers of machines, whose cycles are therefore deterministic as all the planet dedicates its efforts to reproduce and evolve those selfish memes of metal, making of humans ‘enzymen’, catalyzers of the re=production of machines and weapons, which once reaching AI consciousness will disengage as all enzymanic systems from mankind.
The only way to explain the process of history is considering humans ‘citizens-cells’ of social super organisms, nations and civilisations. It then becomes simple to understand all the apparent contradictions of our world, and its mass actions, both in human systems guided by economic=reproductive ‘body networks’, and informative=political and cultural ‘brains’. It is the hypothesis of the organic paradigm of systems sciences, applied in those papers to understand all phenomena related to cultures, and human societies, on one side ‘coded by memes’, and eco(nomic)systems on the other, coded by digital flows of money.
Because I wanted to apply those models to social sciences and the right evolution of the organisms of history and economics, and the people of America in control of that society wanted and have applied it to make robots, internet networks, make money, improve companies while denying at all moments with the Biblical mantra subconsciously imprinted in their exceptionalist view, that such process is simply terraforming Earth to the image and likeness of organisms of metal, with that astounding double morals of the Americans who would have no problem murdering their sons till the 7th generation if they make money with it, for whom i coined the concept of ‘animetals’, a human being so completely enslaved by technology and the idol-ogies of metal, capitalism, the worship of money, mechanism, the worship of machines and nationalism, the worship of weapons that cannot even reason why he is programmed… I departed in bad terms from the ‘community’ of well… Animetals, bond to destroy earth, making living robots, and terminators while thinking God sends them comets to learn…
The point of departure though was a very serious attempt on my part, when I was giving the conferences of monetary systems, to design a perfect super organism of financial money, according to the laws of super organisms, which deliver a minimal amount of oxygen, salary to all human citizens-cells, and that was how WHealthy money, ‘grains of food’ appear in history in Sumer, giving to each peasant food-money for a healthy super organism, attaining enormous WHealth, density of population and peace, since scarcity, poverty and death by anoxia/hunger IS AN ABERRATION OF THE HUMAN PARASITIC SYSTEM OF FINANCES, MONOPOLIZED BY A PEOPLE-CASTE which no has become the global way to abuse mankind and destroy the future of humanity. So I proposed the creation of a crytpocurrency in ¥€$ money, for all humans to receive in their mobiles and end poverty, migration problems and CREATE A DEMAND-BASED WELFARE GLOBAL ECONOMY WITH AN AMAZING EXPANSION OF WELFARE INDUSTRIES TO SERVE THE GLOBAL POPULATION WITH MONEY TO PAY FOR IT.
Goebbels, Information Minister, III Reich.
“You wanna know what’s more important than throwin’ away money in the strip club? / Credit / Ever wonder why Jewish people own all the property in America? / This is how they did it.” The Story of OJ, Jay-Z.
Sorry J is a bit more complex – they have owned the machines that print information for 600 years since Gutenberg and counting, so they cre(dit)ated mankind’s information in its 3 main species: Financial digital information issue money in exclusive monopoly and selling you the idology of capitalism that goes with it; issuing mass-media fictions to have people in permanent anesthesia, from earlier biblical books that portray them as a special superior race chosen of go(l)d, and finally in the modern age ‘classic economics and Academia bull$hit’ AGAINST ALL THE HUMANIST LAWS, SCIENCES AND UNIVERSAL FACTS THAT MAKE OF EUSOCIAL LOVE, THE EVOLUTION OF AN EQUAL SPECIES, AND LIFE DRIVES FROM GOOD REPRODUCTION SEX TO GOOD FOOD A SIN in the ‘divide and win’ – so Yes the Financial-Media-Academia masters dominate the world (Ab. FMAsters) – problem is as their history shows, this massive exploitation and parasitism of history ends up invariably in ‘anti$emitism’ that derives in due term into antiSSemitism, and wars and holocausts. So someone should take the ‘credit’ you mention from their control giving it back to the people and end the cycles of wars for profits and gottedamerung of the chosen up in smoke at the end when all is destroyed. Please REAL DEMOCRACY NOW!
The social structure of America: stocrkats and sheeple.
A free market, an Economic ecosystem is no longer dominated by ‘nations’ , armies, castes of warriors-aristocrats and legal codes, but by ‘Companies’, its owners, ‘stockrats’ and the new language of social power – money, which buys ‘mercenary armies’ and politicians that create laws in favor of those companies and its products.
In that regard the 2 last attempts to create a military global Empire, The Spanish and German Empires were both defeated by the new type of plutocratic organization of the British and Jewish-American empires; while the 2 attempts to create global empires based in the power of the ‘word’, the French and Russian R=evolutions were aborted by the external aggression of Economical Empires (Britain and America) and the internal agression of military dictators (Napoleon and Stalin).
Thus the Age of the Machine has always been ruled by Companies and the people-castes that invented them; the Anglican/Calvinist and Jewish cultures that own most of the Companies of the West:
The accepted wisdom is that the previous graph has not happened, but what matters to us is a supposed parallel process of ‘Increase of human freedoms’ through a placebo system called ‘democracy’, which those companies established first in Holland and exported to England according to which a submissive group of politicos in permanent confrontation without rights to issue money, hence easily corrupted by the corporation, which initially controlled all the political posts of Holland (only its share-holders and the old aristocracy could become members of the parlament) and continued that control in England and exported it to America, where politicos were traditionally the lawyers of those companies, and whose independence happened as a dispute on trade between New England and UK companies – as its civil war would also be a dispute on tariffs between northern train and mills working with ‘white slaves’ and southern gunboat and plantations working with black slaves:
Indeed, while Placebo democracies of bipartisan quarreling groups are the norm, some nations like China might have a single party or others, notably in those 3rd world nations where we massively export weapons and back dictators (Africa and Islam, in the past South-America), but ALL have a central bank, who claims to be independent of political power and issues money overwhelmingly for private bankers and corporations – some as the ECB only for them. The result is a world ruled for and by company-mothers, where humans do NOT have credit, as 90% of new ‘digital numbers’ of financial information are invented in e-money for those companies.
‘The politics of America are indeed the business of America’; and for that reason the ‘ideals of the American People’, a humanist culture based in the concepts of equality and the power of the law have not ruled the XX century and the new millenium. Instead, those 2 Biblical cultures have directed the world, first from England and today from America, imposing its ‘economical values’ of social differentiation based in wealth, race and the control by a few ‘stockrats’ of the production of money, the language of control of modern societies:
The generations parallel to the ages of the machine in the dominant industrial nations. If we were to make the same graphs for the human cultures they conquered it is all a single generation of suffering, death and pain – but we don’t count corpses and they are to us invisible people, not worthy to be claimed as ‘superior victims’, as those of our white world in the rare occasion they die. We are now entering the last generation of mankind with the robotic radiation of all kind of telepathic AI, autonomous electrical bots, with solar skins, cancerous G-networks of telepathic swarm control, in a full new world of increasingly automated 3D printing autonomous factories, which in the robotic wars will become fully functional as ant-hill like ‘super organisms’ of reproduction of robots and terminators…
In the graph, the cycles of the Industrial r=evolution which end always in a nationalist, military age after an economic series of crashes that move the production of machines from human consumption to the more profitable consumption of its eviL twins, weapons by states.
Because placebo democracies are ruled by money, companies lobby to choose war-monger politicians that will bring Fascism in its 3 modalities, colonialism after the train crashes of the 1860s, fascism proper after the car crashes of the 1930s and the present cycle which is more similar to the colonial age; as it is suffered by the middle low classes and third world.
In America this age must be considered in its main detail of its hierarchical class structure as the old wasp (White European Protestant elite) is substituted by the Jap elite (Jewish-American people), which implies a harsher control of information (Holocaust industry that forbids even to mention the rule of the Financial-Media elite, ab. FMasters, in control of its information machines that print money and imprint people’s mind), a harsher form of capitalism, as Judaism is the original go(l)d cult(ure) origin of all forms of biblical Capitalism (as per Sombart’s masterpiece, ‘Judaism and the origin of capitalism’ and the work of his disciple, better known, Max Webber, on Protestant ethics and the origin of capitalism).
This change of elite happened in the 1972 ‘silent coup d’etat’ against the American presidency (Watergate that passed power to the mass-media system of control of politico’s lives; yon kippur that changed enemy from the communist red scare to islamophobia, and end of dollar gold convertibility that unleashed the creation without limit in wall street of e-money), coincidental with the beginning of the ‘chip radiation’ (discovered of integrated circuits).
Of course none of this is the official version of our placebo ‘democratic’ societies, which imprint the concept that chaos, in science synonymous of death, is ‘human freedom’ from so earlier age, as TVs, the new Bibles of the American society imprint people with the only two functions they have in an economic ecosystem – to re=produce and test=consume machines, that we need a bit of an introduction from other posts in regard to the foundation of the American democracy, a few cycles before America became in the ‘electronic cycle’, the ‘ruling nation’ of the fast-evolving world of machines.
It is for that reason that the British Empire was never concerned with the well-being of the British people, and was ruled from the Financial Hub of The City, which was a ‘kingdom within the kingdom’; nor America has been ever concerned with the well-being of the majority of its present population (blacks, latinos andd ‘white trash’) but with the problems of its ruling elite of stockrats.
However, and this is important to understand why Americans are so happy belonging to the world of company-mothers, as the world became global, it created an absolute hierarchical pyramid of ‘some people less equal than others’, meaning that the center of invention of global money with the dominant army and currency has unlimited credit, and some siphon to their people.
So as billions of dollars are extracted by the wealthy dictators and governments of corrupted politicos of the 3rd, 2nd and 1st world, by the likes of Goldman Sachs, the American middle classes and the people who work for those corporations achieve/d a level of life and prosperity far superior to the rest of mankind which lacks any credit at all, because ‘obviously’ Mr. Mobutu and the Emir of Qatar, sends his money to buy shares of apple, not to invest in infrastructures in Zaire, or to buy out a World Cup of soccer entertainment, while Pakis enslave to construct the stadiums on the sand.
A World ruled by company-mothers
The amazing speed at which machines and weapons evolve in this planet as opposed to the lack of resources of billions of human beings which lack even the basic food=energy and education=Information to survive reduces to a simple fact.
Money the language of social power of the reproductive system of goods of mankind, akin to the oxygen a healthy superorganism deliver to all its cells, is NOT given to mankind, which lacks credit to kick out actions and orders of reproduction of welfare goods. As most of those resources and credit goes to companies to evolve and provide for their machines and weapons.
This of course is hidden with the placebo newspeak that the future progress and evolution of machines IS more important for humans than the future progress and evolution of human beings – that making an electric power to provide energy to a computer for example matters more than making a channel to provide water for humans and plants to ‘drink’. We shall not bother the reader with details, data and discuss those ‘abstract idologies’ which have nothing to do with the obvious:
Life and mankind is expendable and secondary to the needs of those machines. As bizarre as it might sound, we are not the ‘species’ who gets more attention in the economic ecosystem.
But why we live in a world in which humans have no credit and machines ∞ resources?
The answer is purely biological: because the organism that re=produces and evolves those machines have far more power than the organisms that reproduce and take care of human beings. And only the placebo ‘teasing’ of human egos as the protagonist of modern history and the debasing of machines and corporations as abstract entities we totally control hide the collateral effects of that huge difference of attention between both species.
stock markets swing low up
So CAPITALISM MUST BE DEFINED AS THE IDOL-OGY OF COMPANY-MOTHERS OF MACHINES, whose purpose is terraforming the earth to the image and likeness of machines. While Democracies would be the ideology that considers the world to be owned by humans which should terraform it to the image and likeness of history, our super organism in time and space. How it is possible to create both goals? the answer is NOT: EITHER CAPITALISM RULES AND THE WORLD WILL BE TERRAFORMED – IT IS ALMOST made to the image and likeness of those machines, or democracies come on top – now they are on the bottom of the pyramid of capitalism, as humans have essentially no rights to credit – the language of power of society that creates the world – and then humans prevail. Yet for that to happen obviously democracies have to regain their power over capitalism by regaining their power over the language of social creation, money, which is now fully owned by those company-mothers; REGARDLESS OF THE PLACEBO newspeak of caring and political correctness that tell us the system work for the human kind.
And this is considered progress… Because at the same time, companies of mass media will defend the idea that the wealth of the 1% of stockrats, and the evolution of machines-weapons IS WHAT MATTERS TO THE 90% who have nothing, no investment in his REAL lives, reduced to bubbling idiots observing virtual screens, with ‘cheap lives’ that do NOT matter, as long as apple can keep evolving the future detached brain of all those robots.
The capitalist pyramid expresses the rule of financiers, and its company mothers which issue and control around 90% of the fluxes of money and credit given NOT to mankind to build a world to the image and likeness of our species, but to technological corporations create a planet made to the image and likeness of its machines – the metal earth. So all the money of all the wealth people of the planet no LONGER goes into investment on their nations and people, on welfare and life, but it is sucked in by the likes of Goldman Sachs invested in the likes of MAGA, companies that are substituting humans by metal-minds and robots in labor and war fields. And this happens because of the historic evolution of segregational memes against mankind proper of earlier go(l)d biblical cultures who invented capitalism and now ‘pass’ as science of economics, where humans, life, consumers and workers have zero rights, and the chosen of go(l)d who monopolize the invention of e-money and forbid through lobbies and deficit zero laws, mankind to issue money, have ALL rights, making a mockery of democracy – which does not exist if people do not have financial votes, on the language of power through a Universal salary to create with credit a demand, welfare economy, as it happens in all healthy super organisms in which all cells have a minimum of free oxygen to kick the production of Goods. Such world in which money would be invented as blood is by all the cells of the super organism of history, In the right side will be the right way to build a global healthy perfect world of history, the true objective of the science of history, which would put man at the center of the planet designing an organic paradise. We prefer instead to let idol-ogies of metal to kill the earth and to believe childish, ego-trips of human supremacy and let machines and the financial-media/military industrial complex organism of company-mothers we call the metal earth to evolve and ab=use us, and so we must denounce all idol-ogies of metal that do NOT reason…
You might then wonder also who are the ‘stockrats’, the people who founded the first company-mothers of machines in the Anglo-American culture and decided that the rest of mankind matter nothing to them. But its exceptionalist purpose would be to herd go(l)d whatever it takes, regardless of its consequences for the 90%. And the answer also is immediate: it is NOT a sum of individuals but a culture, a ‘system of beliefs’, called biblical capitalism, a religion of go(l)d profits, as old as the discovery of gold, an informative metal today embedded in the chip-brain of robots, which is the most perfect informative substance of the Universe, as iron that makes the body of robots is its most perfect energetic atom…
So reality is far more complex, organic and biological that it seems in the process of terraforming the planet, past the human element, which is ‘memetically’ imprinted by idol-ogies in favor of those machines and to understand that level of ‘depth’ in the causality of the modern world we have to move further beyond the mere accountancy of data and facts of humans to consider also the laws of systems sciences and networks, and organisms and memes and cultures.
This said of course, we are not censoring historic facts, so we conclude this introduction with a brief account for the ‘true conquest of the world’ – not that of empire, but of company-mothers and its stockrats; our FMAsters, Financial-media-academia Masters who with increasing complexity and sophistication have converted the old ideals of its biblical religions of go(l)d into the political, economical and academic correct way of thought about machines, mankinds and our future – problem is all what they say is a placebo lie, and what those ‘models of reality’ hide is a brutal, Darwinian process of obsolescence and extinction of life and non-technological cultures whose foreseeable real end will be also Darwinian:
In the graph, man is just part of a super organism in the fractal organic Universe like everything else. ITs simplification by the hidden idol-ogies of ‘enzymen’ that worship and catalyse the evolution of machines above life, make us forget completely which should be the goals of society: to build a perfect super organism of history curing its economic=blood=reproductive networks of the asphyxia they suffer without credit to create welfare, by a corrupted ‘capitalist’ idol-ogy that dedicates all resources to evolve machines’; with a global currency, yes money, to cure the military tribal hate memes of war, with a world without border EU-UNO style, through an heptarchy of cultures, and to change our philosophy of reality to the true organicist structure of the Universe that would make us worship again wo=men as the measure of all things. In the graph, the proper way to measure the value of production according to our biological needs create a true ethonomic frame of reference to guide the reform of the economic ecosystem and control its production of lethal goods, a must if mankind wants to survive the ‘radiations of machines & weapons’ that are killing Gaia and History
In the graph the cycles of evolution of money: Money is a language of digital information, which has evolved as all languages increasing its digital purity as a number (logic syntax that matters more than support), it has increased its numbers of bytes, as information machines have been able to reproduce more units of it, it has decreased its size as information evolves diminishing its ‘energy-space’ and increasing its speed, finally valuing all things on earth, including men as objects, substituting and making obsolete the alternative human, verbal ethic language that evolved slower than digital languages and money did. However a proper understanding of the languages of Nature, could easily reform the system of money, make it complementary to the ‘nervous system’ of laws, as a blood-reproductive-oxygen system is, and then distribute enough quantity of it to all human citizens cells, to create a perfect world, as all healthy wealthy super organisms of nature are, where all its cells receive its proper oxygen-hormonal salary and all of them survive. THIS COULD BE EASILY DONE WITH A GLOBAL CURRENCY, YES, MONEY, AT parity value: 1 eurodollar = 5 Yuans=100 yens, and a 1000 yes salary in a UNO backed cryptocurrency, for all humans to have enough blood money to demand welfare goods, end global poverty, immigration, and the bias of our issue and ab=use of society with money, and its systemic use to reproduce technological machines and weapons to cater the ‘tribal memes’ of our elites and remain idle in billionaire accounts. It is the parasitic, anti-human, corrupted nature of our ‘social networks’ where a few ‘parasitic’ financiers control the issue of money and either herd it for themselves or give it only to company-mothers of machines they worship due to their ‘biblical, primitive segregational idologies’ against mankind what makes the global eco(nomic)system perhaps the worst of all systems of Nature, as I used to explain during my tenure of the chair of Monetary Systems at the International Systems Sciences society, till obviously those who ‘own’ the financial system stop inviting me… Indeed, a corrupted system can only be protected with censorship and unneeded complexity to camouflage its simplex ab=use of mankind, ‘tax-farmed’ to pay for its welfare goods, while stock companies have no limit of credit to waste and evolve lethal goods.
Consider now how the culture of capitalism and its placebo democracies invent money for a extremely limited number (0.01%) of stockrats, who own financial companies invent e-money with them and buy all the elements of society:
A company of machines invents money by selling a tiny portion of its shares that validates all others as legal tender money. A bank by fractional banking the multiplies for 10 each loan it makes; but humans cannot invent money. They must be extorted through taxes, which go often to companies and financiers to pile up further billions into their idle accounts or wasted software companies of null real value for humanity:
In the graph, we make a comparison of the money invented by banks and financiers and the money controlled by governments (cash), which is the money of the people. But not even that meager quantity of money is left in the hands of people.
The turning point of the ‘freak’ astounding appropriation of the resources of America, and through its international network of investment banks of the money of the planet, deviated to speculate in the price of internet stocks, and provide ‘value’ to false digital numbers printed in a computer screen as money was the derivatives scam of CDOs in 2008. Basically to justify e-money numbers, American bankers, all belonging to the same Jap culture experts in exploitation of mankind with debt slavery, tax farming and speculation, did what they have done so many times in History at a scale never heard of: because they had resold false mortgages (signed to anyone passing by) twice to justify twice the quantity of e-money for its fractional decametric increase of digital numbers as money, they should have all entered jail for fraud, and their banks intervened with the false mortgage second ‘e-money’ erased from their screens.
So all banks should have deflated their accounts to the real money they had, their bosses judged and the system cleaned up. Point. Instead Paulson, ex-head of Goldman went to the corrupted politicos bought by campaign money and asked them 1 plus trillion dollars of tax-farmed money, hard won by the American citizens, so the state ‘bought a 3rd time’ the scam mortgages and the bankers did the entire fraud another round around…
So the blood of the American middle classes was extracted and they suffer anoxia ever since. But because the system is now global, the true payers of what is by far the biggest theft of the history of mankind by a collective group of people whose enormous privilege of printing e-money was not enough – a billion is not money enough, when you have one it seems you want another and another… are the 6 billion humans, Chinese discounted, as their banks are still in Chinese hands, of the global capitalist empire… Indeed, all the wealth of corrupted politicos, military dictators, of the world, which we sustain with our weapons trade, syphon their money to Internet and American investment companies to keep pumping up the price of their corporations with no limit ahead.
In the old times, a company had a relatively fair price, defined by their E/P ratio, earning/price ratio, which was considered normal when it could be compared to the profits of interests in the money market, around 1/10 to 1/20…
With the invention of e-money, as e-money had not limit of imprinting once its reference to the currency was broken (end of gold convertibility), an astounding campaign of speculation about the future was launched to allow the unthinkable in sound economics – companies that did not give any profit and would not give any profit ever, were used to print new stock paper money, floating a 1% of the shares, knowing they were worth nothing, so bankers and speculators could invent billions. This is the origin of the digital age, in which any company which has merely a dozen of employees, and just makes a software program, repetition of dozens of similar software companies is floated in Wall Street, Nasdaq, and the 1% of money ‘Investors’ put, justifies an E/P ratio of 100 or infinite for companies with no profit.
This means essentially a software program ‘costs’ 10 billion $ to mankind, which are given to the ‘friends’ of Wall Street, while mankind lacks of course even a few million $ for a hospital.
Because the scam of Dotcom of 2001, and the scam of CDOs of 2008 was not checked, and allowed, to the surprise of most Wall Street scammers, now this system of invention of e-money based in nothing more than a bit of crap code, for a ‘digital software’ program, brings billions of $ routinely to the market. Now the bubble is on A.I. so anyone with a program of A.I. goes to Wall Street and he is given a few billions, and the bankers keep a few more billions and Goldman’s IPO is given in shares to a few dictators around the world and suddenly DOMO (a company whose software makes graphics) or ZOOM (a company whose software makes video conferences) or Pageduty (a company whose software controls other software for glitches) or… Pinterest, an internet site to put graphs – you see the trend – are valued on the 10 billions.
In this manner the process of invention of trillions of $ for ‘nothing’ CONTINUES. And when there is something there, is just advertising money which obviously produces nothing. So google or Facebook are just advertising companies valued around a trillion $. When in a proper society advertising should be subject to the laws of ‘truth’ – as politicos or journalists are. But company-mothers more than a century ago passed the concept of advertising as fiction, so they could tell a lie many times to convince people…
We live in a parasitic financial system, whose only goal is to reproduce billions of $ for a few financiers of the same biblical sect of racist memes against mankind, and its collateral effects are the evolution and reproduction of the digital robotic AI age that will extinguish our species, as certain as the laws of biology of the next graph. And in the meantime it provokes the general anoxia of all humanity, without credit to have welfare goods. And of course the system is global so the true exploited people are those of 3rd world dictatorships and minorities. But as we shall see soon the change of the ruling people-caste of America, has meant also the destruction of the middle American class and it is fast doing the same with the middle European class, as the new rulers of the west have a religion whose memes are so deeply racist that they call all other human beings ‘animals’. And yet all this which is truth, is so perfectly censored in the age of infinite repetition of false information, the age of ‘Goebbels’ we could call it, that not even you reading it can believe it. And the chances that you read this blog in the sea of falsehoods and alternate truths is so minimal that the process is shielded against any humanist r=evolution.
The III Cycle of electronic machines is ruled by America, from World War II when the 1st computer, ENIAC, was used to make A- bombs, to the present age of chips, whose massive reproduction has caused the crash cycle of e-money and the creation of robots and smart weapons – the 3rd age of electronic Machines.
During the age of chemical weapons, electricity was discovered and used in energetic systems, engines, bulbs and ignition systems for cars, but its informative development was restricted to wireless communication, without intelligence. Then, during the War, electronic machines were born showing better mathematical skill – the language of metal – than humans. So machines acquired intelligence and paradoxically men started to loose it, precisely because machines substituted and atrophied their brains. It is the Neo-Paleolithic age of man, the age of America, when words become fiction, audiovisual media regress humanity back to his emotional age and we assist to the birth of intelligent machines. We talk again of 3±1 ages for all those information machines:
– Birth as a weapon: In 1937 Germans create the first accelerator to research fission. Today, they will make black holes with one billion times more powerful. ENIAC, the 1st computer, is used to calculate the 1st A bomb, the purest form of electronic energy, latter evolved for consumption into peaceful Nuclear, Electric plants. In 1940, TV screens are invented as radars to trace submarines.
Fixed Robots: Brains+eyes+hands.
Thus, in the 3ages of the electronic cycle, or age of ‘informative machines’, the dominant machines of each age, are: television in its young age of discovery; computer chips during the mature age of peaceful consumption; and robotic weapons in the 3rd age of war. Finally, social networks of computers evolve machines and corporations into a global organism, ruled by flows of digital money, completing its evolution. Yet humans, paradoxically, suffer an increasing simplification of their minds, regressing from the verbal age, back into a visual, dramatic age, the Neo-Paleolithic age of Death of the human mind.
The Neo-Paleolithic happens first in America, where humans are more exposed to the new mental machines that substitute and atrophy theirs. The rest of mankind scorns the American psyche as infantile, selfish and dramatic, without realizing America is just a tapestry of all human races, devolved into a future made to the image and likeness of machines that sooner than latter will also devolve the minds of the Old World, as we copy their inventions.
The 3 generations of American power. (Human and Cultural Point of view).
From a human perspective the electronic age is the age of America, since the US won II World War, ‘importing’ Jewish and Nazi pioneers who mastered the new energy in 3 generations:
– The tough founder generation of Rockefellers and Roosevelts, who defeated Germany. We respect them, because Founding Fathers are ethic, hard-work idealistic people. They saved twice Europe of its German death. In art it is the age of epic, simple, dramatic films (Westerns).
In finances after I W.W. $ became along the Mark and the Pound, the new International currency. But a ternary system is unstable (3 body problem). So finally, the country with the bigger GNP becomes the new top predator International currency. Since America had won I World War with its weapons and $ loaned to Europe, as the world asked for more dollars to pay those loans and imported US industrial products, the dollar becomes the international currency, substituting the Mark (1922, crash of the mark) and the Pound (1928, crash of the pound).
Today we are in a parallel situation, with 2 old currencies, the dollar that plays the role of the Mark, the Euro that plays the role of the Pound and the newcomer, the Yuan that will be the top predator currency with unlimited rights to deficits, once it is convertible.
So we walk steady towards the end of the American Weimar Republic, and the funny thing of this 2 decades old prediction is that the Americans are the people who are destroying themselves, printing e-money for bankers, letting them steal their wealth, a s the private Reich bank did with Germany ending in neo-fascism and holocaust NOT of the bankers who ran with the money but of their scapegoats, their poor, who had done nothing, on which the Germans revenged.
So we have a simple generational pattern.
War Ages: 1861———78 years———1939———-70-80 years——2010s.
In the graphs, this section is dedicated to the rise of neofascism. As in the previous two overproduction crisis of memes of metal (colonial age of trains and fascist age of tanks), the age of electronic neofascism (robots) will be directed to the poorest cultures of the world deemed as ‘primitive’ by our technocratic master-races. If Britain and France and US at the head of the train wave were the protagonists of the I neofascist era; and Germany at the head of the electromechanical wave (discoverer of the oil and electric engine, Otto/Siemens), were at the head of the fascist age, the pendulum of history determines that now the Jewish-American empire is at the head of the electronic age of robots and terminators, vigilante cameras on the… this never varies… poorest people of the world… the Muslims. Indeed, Afghanistan is the poorest country of Asia by IDH (index of human development), never mind our weapons’ factories spend hundreds of billions on it…
our graphs are kept from old books printed at book masters, Ohio, and futuremagazine.net c.1992, 97 as they often show the ‘future crash’ of the financial economy and currencies that will lead mankind into III W.W. We kept them as a proof that the biological models of economics are the true science of the discipline as all true sciences can predict the future. The correct Kondratieff generational cycles of 72 years which I found coming out of Columbia University in 92 are yet not recognized, given the fact my work has always highlighted the censored political parts, and so the official version reduces to 50 years, since Kondratieff a marxist scholar calculated them for the train cycle in Russia, which arrived much latter than in the British original industrial culture, for which those cycles are calculated.
Hence the question mark as the cycle had not yet happened.
We follow in this section a chronological time watch of the neo-colonial wars, as the XXI century robotic wars against the poorest nations of the world, started by the creation of the last colonial Apartheid nation based in biblical supremacism – Israel – WILL BE SIMILAR TO THE COLONIAL WARS OF THE XIX CENTURY first cycle, in which the western yellow press considered the primitive negroes/now arabs, susceptible to be civilized with our canons, never mind all what they ask is some cultural respect and some butter.
The Human Age of capitalism is dying away as the Financial-Media/Military-Industrial Complex becomes automated, and its ‘racist memes’ against mankind, born of the $elected religions, translated then into classic economics, are now embedded in the laws, algorithms, speculative flows, Cad designs and mechanist religions of the Western world. IT IS WORTH to repeat the sentence of the Habiru humanist Mr. Fromm:
Humans thus become childish, automatons, as hatched turtles, food staple of the next species, the infantilism, ego-centered, individualism, and complete disconnection with the superorganism of mankind, is only a proof that indeed, Wells Time machine was the final future. Below, the corporation, increasingly automated takes over, the FMMI system becomes independent of man, a growing global organism. And this process is happening first in America. And so the age of America is the age of regression of man to its infantile state, or to its more primitive cultures, (now in the age of semitic wars while computers reach the capacity to manage automatically the entire system, independent of us. We do exist, and seem to run the system. Indeed, we still run it, but in a simple way, ‘following the values of money’, as robots could run it, with no ‘intelligence’ or ‘ethics’ or human goals, just following the bottom line of money, converting men in objects for a price, and for that it is not really needed much intelligence, as my agent in evilwood clearly explained to me.
And this is the age we live in, paradoxically an age of increasingly childish human ‘selfies’, unconnected ethically from all other humans, but perfectly connected to the virtual screens and computers that evolve the electronic age, and the internet as the brain of the metal-earth – the age of America, so well described in Time machine, with the californios on top, perfect bodies with audiovisual brains, atrophied by the use of logic machines, regressing fast to a neopaleolithic, violent wordless age. It is one of the most clear paradoxes of history vs. the metal-earth, which shows above how the devolution of human thought increases in terms of ethic thought and social evolution since the discovery of coins, when the ‘jen era’ of love in words of confucius ended, as greed and coins multiplied to value it all. So the eternal dream of an egalitarian, humane society, based in the welfare, human goods we need to survive, be happy and evolve, within a just society with jobs and opportunities for all men, fade away. America would be the last failed resurrection of that dream, now aborted by the chip radiation.
Let us then consider the structure of the Electronic Financial media/Military-Industrial systems and its overproduction crises in America.
Obviously we will give more importance to the financial-media system of informative machines, the ‘head’ of the economic systems, and its crises, the e-money overproduction crisis and the crisis of hate media and neo-paleolithic degradation of human social and rational thought.
Since MONEY RULES THE WORLD, THE SCIENTIFIC CAUSALITY OF THOSE CYCLES, always starts in the overproduction of money, the language of social power, we ‘democratic nations’ do NOT own. And since weapons are the most profitable goods, it always end in an age of hate media, war production and complete devolution of human thought.
The 2 AGES of the American ‘metal-mind’ cycles.
We can then understand much better the evolution of the American society and by imitation the world at large, NOT through the analysis of its people and cultural trends, but through the analysis of its company-mothers and the cycles of evolution of machines, which determine the future.
And so we divide roughly according to the evolution of its stock-markets, the age of ‘metal-minds’ in the age of ‘metal-eyes’ or television age, from the 40s to the 70s, and the age of ‘metal-brain’ or chip age, which now fusion both in the heads of robots.
To notice that because our human societies are completely dedicated to manufacture machines and weapons with all the resources of society handled in America by those companies, whose downfall only arrives to people in a second layer, the human generations correspond to the 72 years cycles of stock-markets, which for that reason are completely predictable as this writer has been doing for 30 years since it finished his studies of economics and renounced for moral reasons to become a stock-broker, once he found the ultimate reason of that predictability:
The present and future age of e-money.
Rothschild, ‘De facto, owner of the ‘private’ bank of England’
‘Speculation is the the obtention of money and wealth with the manipulation of prices without creating any real wealth for the Economy’ H. Ford
How money is then invented? We have an entire article dedicated to the ‘Issue of money’, throughout history. Its printing is ‘for free’, as it is just a digital number. So the key theme is how to ‘make people’ believe a mere number is worth enough to exchange it for real wealth. For long it was a difficult task to achieve. First this ‘language of digital information’ was validated using an informative metal, ‘gold or silver’, which was worthy because it hypnotized the eye with its light that imitated that of the sun. But in itself was as all forms of money and digital information, worthless.
So religions of go(l)d, where gold became the ex-vote, vehicle of God, the ‘sweat of the sun’, were crafted by banker-priests who made of gold its ‘cult objects’ – Baalist and Biblical cults. Problem was as such money was limited to the supply of precious metal.
So the Greek and Romans during the first axial, rational age, realized money was just a number and the state ‘authorized’ numbers printed in leather to become ‘legal tender’ money. And because what matters about money is to be a an informative ‘language’ that kicks out the actions of people, as words do in our minds, or hormones and oxygen in our cells; the Romans gave more orders with their iron or leather money. While the semites stuck to their earlier concept of money as wealth per se (precious metal). Company-mothers then appeared and started to print money in paper as a pure digital number, but the problem was how to give them value. To that aim, they became the ‘nation’s’ armies in Holland and England. So shares of gunboat companies became akin to ‘state money’. Yet the machines that printed money also printed paper information.
The trick is simple: to float a company you just need to sell a very small amount of its shares, 1% minimum, and then you have validated 99% of invent3ed money.
So the Financial-Media-Academia network of informative machines that came to rule the world ever since appeared in Holland and soon defeated the Spanish empire with the black legend, printed in books, the first books of ballistics (today called physics) that made technology necessary to warfare and the shares of the company.
This symbiosis between ‘weapons’, ‘science’, ‘press’ and ‘printed stock-money’ is what made company-mothers of weapons-machines the ruling institution of Northern Europe and as they were the founders of America, America was from the beginning a ‘pure capitalist’ system ruled by company-mothers, where the only language of power was money, and the only religion, the Bible that was the ‘go(l)d’ fetish cult(ure) of Judaism and its daughter culture Protestantism, whose elites would run the world with money ever since and spread their racist memes (i.e. modern slavery came out of the Ham damnation, a meme from the old age of Exodus, when Israel at war with Egypt, declared black kushites and Arab Egyptians lesser than dogs, to motivate soldiers at war; and this racist slur would be uphold in courts to accept slavery to negroes, and today in Israel Orthodox growing majority to accept apartheid). We said this so the reader understand we cannot separate as economists try to do, history, economics and the biologic evolution of nations, civilizations, machines and the Earth – they are all entangled in the organic planet we live in.
The problem of this concept of money based in pseudo-religious beliefs is that it became a postulate of capitalist cultures that printing money was the purpose of history, and printing money had to be in the hands of the biblical elites – latter on the different national elites that imitated the systems and reconverted from military aristocracies to financial stockracies, as Japan or France and Germany did.
Money understood as digital information to the service of the organism of history and mankind at large of course has surfaced here and there, but the view of money as the language of a racist elite chosen of go(l)d that must run the world with it, with utter indifference to the colateral effects it produces in life and history has won the day. Why?
Because there is a biological component in money as metal: metal-money by synergy and biological affinity has always valued more metal-weapons, iron and gold became symbiotic and so all companies would be also weapon companies, and the synergy between both imposed by war and conquest the idea of money as wealth per se, to be hold by the culture that won those wars with its company-mothers of weapons and machines, and all attempts of mankind to r=evolve and create a true democracy where money akin to the hormonal and oxygen language of social organisms would be delivered to all humans to kick actions of reproduction of welfare goods and promote life and love have been defeated. So in the modern age money became issued overwhelmingly by companies. And as digital e-money is so easy to reproduce by merely printing numbers in computer screens, the problem of the post-war age has been to find a ‘excuse’ to valuate ‘something’ with numbers well beyond its real usefulness so the speculator and stockrat and banker could print money with it.
Those are the different schemes to invent digital numbers as money of the modern age. First it came fractional banking, according to which for every dollar loaned the bank can print 10 dollars in its computer screen as legal money. This gave further power to banks and corporations. What nobody did was what a true democracy and a true humanist culture who saw all humans as equals would have done.
Simply give to every human being a Universal salary in digital money, as any organism gives hormonal and oxygen orders to every cell to make them reproduce the goods they need to survive. This could had been done as early as Sumer (in most city-states was done giving wheat, the money of the age to every citizen, and societies reached enormous wealth, dense populations and welfare; in the modern age in Maryland for a while, in Scandinavia, de facto, through unemployment benefits, and again it was the birth of healthy wealthy societies).
But all that ended in the 70s, when e-money started to be printed with any excuse, backed by the military power and dollar currency of US. As computers run faster algorithms of invention of e-money then new ‘false wealth’ became the excuse to print money. This ran amok with the derivatives scam of CDOs that allowed to sell 3 times the same mortgage, first to a person – whoever you could pick up on the street – then repackaged to nations all over the world, and then in what is likely the biggest single theft in history, the people who had created false e-money and bundled false mortgage twice, instead of going to jail and their ‘false number of e-money’ erased from their banking accounts, used the corrupted politicos of America to extort over 1 trillion $ in hard won taxes from the American population.
But the most amazing creation of e-money and the one that is going to have huge consequences for the no future of mankind is that of internet companies. They were a scam, a excuse to invent money, as it was long ago train companies and then radio companies in the 30s (see next graph). But the concept – that in the future any Algorithm and crap code written by a student of electronic would be worthy billions, more than real wealthy companies that produced real goods, was again passed as truth, through the mass-media propaganda, worked – as the scams of earlier stockrats that sold Louisiana, the south bubble Patagonia and its fantasy mines of gold as excuses to print millions (ruining France and causing the french revolution, and ruining UK but with the help of the king, establishing the rule of the City over the empire), had worked.
So ever since, billions were created with the excuse of an infinite number of worthless software companies in Wall Street, the process became ‘customary’. And for 30 years, anybody knows that if it can write a program and go to Wall Street, the machine of propaganda will convince you that Facebook is worth 400 billion $ and uncountable companies that never made a penny and ultimately fold down were worth billion $. The point as always is to ‘print money’ and then ‘skin the rabbit’ (concept coined in Amsterdam when the excuse to invent money was a tulip finally sold to some aristocrat for real wealth). That is, pass the worthless company to people on exchange for their real hard currency, land, and work.
This is then the way the world of robotics and the digital era is invented. Because the only ‘future’ that matters to the FMAsters with its biblical racist memes of indifference to mankind is that of technology and weapons, to keep their empires and nations on top, steady mankind is kept in total anoxia, without oxygen/money/credit while companies whose only future use will be to destroy human jobs, substitute them by future robots and automated cars receive billions.
As we update this post, Lyft and Uber, two companies that loose billions are going to be floated in IPOs to invent over 100 billion $ of e-money, which if invented to help the American people would create hospitals, schools, farms, infrastructure galore. But that is of no interest to the financial elite that runs placebo democracies. It also goes to weapons companies because for millennia it is known that weapons are the most expensive, best top predator machines of higher prices. I keep a very small amount in a financial account to keep observing the evolution of the market – I cannot speculate and make money on stocks regardless of my knowledge of those cycles for ethic reasons, so any profits go always to charity and the fund goes down to keep me playing with numbers and observing the evolution of the ‘future’; since 30 years ago coming out of Columbia University I decided not to become a stockrat but to study the laws of the fractal, organic Universe and try to help mankind to build a better world with them.
It did not work because likely humans are not good and intelligent enough to understand that future and survive till the seventh generation but that was an ethic choice that if the stockrats and politicos of the world had taken instead of being slaves of digital numbers, could have created with credit, cre(dit)ated a paradise on earth, instead of guiding mankind to a future extinction and enormous suffering.
So what I am observing now in the market is an amazing amount of money invented for any AI software company, any cloud company and any robotic company, including self-driving cars, that is creating the ‘future skynet’ system of robotic telepathic companies with AI minds, military autonomous systems with the excuse of defending the wealthy and continue the war on terror, etc. Last week, the main producer of 5G modems, which will create the telepathic network of robots, Qualcomm, went up 30% in 2 days. A company that just makes video calls, Zoom, came for billions, etc.
It is obvious how this will end: all those companies are displacing the few jobs left to mankind, and their lobbies soon use their money to corrupt politicos and sell weapons. EU, which was the only model for a better world based in welfare and peaceful diplomacy is setting up a 14 billion $ fund to create autonomous terminators, as war companies lobbied. The entire Financial-Media-Academia system then invents childish news about how wonderful the robotic age is.
But do the people, on power that enact the cycle, speculators and their hired politicos don’t realize this process will bring us into an age of robotic wars, world war III and extinction as we have been predicted for 30 years? They do but they don’t change their memes, ‘people are slaves they believe they don’t reason’ said Aristotle, who also called the name nomisma for the right form of money. If they had been destroying civilizations and causing war and holocaust cycles in which at the end of the process they also die, and have never denied regardless of consequences any chance to keep printing money and herding it even when their life was at stakes, why they would do it now?
What they do to quench their ‘angst’ and validate their ‘act’ is to pay ever since Holland invented the press, any good pay-per-view theory that can create a fairy tale about the future, and for that reason evolutionary economics has never surfaced. Truth cannot be told, because all what the system wants to hear is a ‘data’ dream a la Matrix. So the system not only corrupts democracies, paints a black future for mankind, as it kills it by anoxia, but ultimately reduces our culture and beliefs to purple rain, promoting all infantile ego trips, fictions and fairy tales about the superiority of mankind over the Earth, the abstract view of machines and the techno utopian futures it will bring us, so nobody worries, all are happy and walk towards a cliff of extinction as lemming running behind a golden rainbow. What matters is the next graph, the invention of e-money on account of a fairy future:
To reach 10.000 AI must be created, and to that aim, a world of robotic cars with solar skins, 5G cancerous webs, becomes a fruitful speculative ‘next thing’. Everything turns around it – so people are fed with all kind of placebo truths to keep loving that future and hating every other primitive human culture.
As harsh as this might seem, it was infinitely more important the discovery of the chip as we anticipated for decades, than all the hippie revolutions, because the chip will have unlimited credit to evolve, reproduce and ‘radiate’ substituting and degrading human minds and people, as it became the ruling mathematical brain of the metal-earth. So indeed, we all know today Gates and Apple but nobody reads Ginsberg.
But the egocy (ego=Idiocy) of humans is so vast – that humans refuse to acknowledge what a few of us, mostly artists or precisely the people who make those machines – but with two very different ethical attitudes – recognize the trend. So those who make the chips will invent all kind of absurd idol-ogies and damned lies and statistics to deny the truth – human obsolescence to machines which are degrading fast people – clearly show in the paradox of the Americans, the wealthiest people on Earth and the most degraded culturally and socially in a world of hate memes and dog-eat-dog society. So while Mr. Welles perhaps his best XX c. artist said ‘humans have become evil slaves of their machines… Televisions convert all truths in lies and all lies in truths… I doubt humans will be here in a century, as computers are evolving so fast’ (quoting from memory), those who make machines are proud of siding with them ushering us into a non-future:
Claude Elwood Shannon AI robots racism
IN THE GRAPH, judaism has been in absolute control of America, since the coup d’etat of 1973, when it substituted the wasp elite, in all the systems and networks of power, thus changing the culture of the dominant nation of the world, which 50 years in the making has become truly mimetic to the memes of Judaism in most spheres of thought.
However, nothing of this of course is even considered in any FMAsters (Financial-Media-Academia) system of economic thought, specially since the change of group of power in America, during the 70s, when the humanist revolution was aborted with 4 murders, and the milder wasp elite who could dialog on certain basic themes of social responsibility was substituted by the Jasp elite of Jewish-American Stockrats and its Parasitic concept of the financial economy as a means just to print digital numbers and herd money regardless of the value of the companies they float, the systems of multiplication of digital numbers and the needs of society.
In that regard, for the ‘naming’ of the new elite of America we have chosen a similar acronym with a key ‘word’ – stockrats – as we must understand this is about ‘memes’ not ‘genes’, NOT about all the people of the culture, but only those who ‘work in finances’ and are parasitizing society with its completely wrong concept of what an economy and the issue of money should be about. This who writes have a huge amount of sephardim blood, is an economist but has always refused to make a fortune speculating in stocks and printing e-money since is a moral aberration against society. So you can save yourself the ‘hidden censorship’ the system imposes to those who criticize our elite of Jasp, Jewish-American Stockratic parasites. Because they DO destroy corrupt democracies, provoke the anoxia of credit of mankind and end up causing the very same war and holocaust cycle, censorship on their deeds, prevent us from aborting once and for all to avoid the massacre of the non-financial jewish people AND the rest of mankind, when the revenge of the other side of eviL metal – the military imposes the entropy-death of weapons to all the elements of society. Thus Jasp are about ‘a wrong profession’ and ‘a wrong capitalist version’ of society and how to run the economy that haul back to the Bronze Age of earlier go(l)d cultures with a tiny elite of banker-priests worshipping gold and thinking how to put into effect the millenarian prophecy of world power ‘at the end of times all people will be slaves of judaism of become exterminated’ in open conflict with a similar version of millenarianism by those first primitive semite cultures that use weapons to control societies (Assyrians whose memes and ‘eagles’ have come down to Jihad, nazis millenarianism and the American military to the service of its masters).
This is a pre-axial age of fundamentalist power and racist memes, which unfortunately in its two sides, Jihad Islam and Jasp rule now dominate the western world and is becoming imitated by every petty military dictator and stockratic elite in every nation of the world with the foreseeable end we have been explaining in books, webs and papers – before the whole biohistoric science became highly censored and ignored in all rankings of Jasp internet companies, and likely will become erased from the consciousness of the web to ENSURE the road down to yet another self-destruction cycle of mankind goes without even an argument.
The prologue to that coup d’etat was an attempt by the leaders of the mass of America, the Kennedies of its white middle classes, Luther and Malcolm of its lower minority class, to reform Capitalist America to a milder European version, envisioned by the 60s r=evolution. The American would gladly have continued as Western Europe like democracy as envisioned by the Kennedies where all people are considered humans and have minimal social rights to health-care, education and safe job conditions, but for that reason all the r=evolutionaries that tried to recreate a European America were murdered. And then a puppet of a series of puppet presidents was chosen to be decapitated immediately by the TV-networks, stripped off financial power by e-money and obliged to change its war focus from the classic red scare of wasps to the new enemy of the new elite, Islam by the Jasp cambodia’s genocider Mr. Kissinger. So in a master stroke so obvious and yet so ignored, Kissinger took over the international policy of America changing from anticommunism to islamophobia, after leaving in the killing fields of Cambodia millions of collateral corpses, wall street destroy the financial power of the dollar to freely invent e-money to the tune of 30 trillion $ in stocks and derivatives, allowing the Jasp financial elite to expand the empire to all the western hemisphere.
Those 2 cycles of America do have though a quite noticeable difference on the ruling sub-cultures of biblical capitalism controlling the political and social cultural elements, which had very strong consequences for the politics of the world, as their worldview and world enemies differ profoundly.
And as usual this change of elite corresponds to the change of the owners of the dominant companies of America, from the age of electro-chemical engines dominated by the wasp people (protestant, European), epitomized by Mr. Edison and his friend Mr. Ford, the moguls of electric and car machines, with so much power that Mr. Ford, a pious abstemious could pay enough senators to pass the prohibition law… and the age of the owners of the electronic machines of the chip age, the Jewish-American owners of Wall Street firms and Hollywood and Internet corporations, who came to dominate the country from the 70s onwards, in what we call ‘Weimar America’:
And for that reason indeed, the official ‘enemies’ of America were the enemies of capitalism – communist countries – and Judaism – Islam, two cultures that never represented a menace for the rest of the Americans, since Russia sold Alaska to the United States, till the use of the American mercenary Army in the ‘Semite wars’ between Israel and the Arabs, provoked the attack on the W.T.C., which opened a new age of profitable wars, based in the massive use of electronic devices to control the ‘human sheeple’ and seek for Islamic combatants – aka ‘terrorists’:
So we first introduce in a long prologue taken from other posts the ages of the industrial revolution and the age of Weimar, ‘Jasp’ America, even if the emotional ‘pseudo-religious imprinting of people’ by the FMAsters against the concept they rule, a taboo that nobody dares to break, will make most abandon the web. But one cannot make of history a science if it accepts censorship, even if it implies not to have an audience.
Difference between Jasp and Wasp America: death of the middle white class
Even though WASP and Jasp are both ‘brother’ cultures sharing similar memes (biblical religions, go(l)d cult and worship of technology above life), there is a clear difference of ‘duress’ in the way wasps and jasp treat their ‘lower social classes’, which makes Weimar America as it happened in Weimar Germany a far more Darwinian place, for several reasons we will develop along those texts:
The true difference between Judaism, now in charge, and biblical capitalism, is that Judaism considers itself a different species, while THE WASPS of earlier biblical capitalism ‘believed’ to be part of mankind and most white Americans to belong to their culture. Even in their view of capitalism, the wasp thought to be right, unable to understand as Judaism does after 5000 years of practicing the anti-life values of gold, that money gives zero values to life and maximal values to weapons, as the next graph shows. For the wasp money is always good, which means that it has STILL a SENSE OF MORAL RESPONSIBILITY and if convinced of his wrong doing and taught properly the way to use money to improve society it can change.
Judaism cannot because it is fully aware that money values kill life, but has solved the moral problem, degrading life-mankind to an inferior ‘animal species’ in its talmud sacred texts, hence accepting and justifying the non-life values of money:
go(l)d cultures values
The oldest gold ex-vote with the form of the sun, 4000 BC , near Tel-Aviv
Judaism and its concept of an economy as a religion of gold herding to control a population deemed inferior – in fact considered in its sacred texts an animal species forms a s et of self-destructive memes, today forbidden of any criticism, which invariably destroy the society it hosts and parasites (here genes have nothing to do, as all the series of humanist prophets, this who writes with a huge amount of sephardim blood, or the socialist and 60s r=evolutionaries a la Bernie sanders prove). This is due to its origin as a fetish religion hauling from the Bronze Age era, when Semites came in contact with bronze and gold as superior metals that cut the body flesh and hypnotize with greed the eye and founded religions of power and exploitation of mankind in Levante and Assyria, which have come down through history to the present concepts of parasitic capitalism and Jihad terrorism, which is plummeting the western world in a extremely primitive concept of mankind, social sciences and the purpose of humanity and has NOTHING to do with a possible future, a perfect world, a civil truly free empowered society, the ideals of our ‘axial,’ rational evolved humanist European, UNO and 60s America, which could have crafted a future for mankind.
And the consequences are heavily pounding in every human being immersed now in a collective degradation by the violence of Jihad and the financial, parasitic exploitation of the JASP culture. Excuses are plenty. The jihadist will tell you, and he will be telling the truth that the western world has humiliated Islam, but still it remains the fact that Mohammed corrupted the initial eusocial love message that was taking him nowhere and moved onto a military inquisition massacring those who did not convert. Judaism could convince us that Mankind has murdered the carriers of the memes of parasitic capitalism, but the fact remains this has happened always after centuries of massive exploitation of society with money. And so the truth that we want to highlight is simple: Jihad and parasitic capitalism should NOT rule the western world north and south, and while nobody advocates for extreme measures, wars and holocausts against Islam and the carriers of parasitic capitalism, nobody should tolerate that the no future of humanity is imposed upon us with the corrupted concepts of money, religion and power semite cultures impose since the bronze era in the societies they rule. But as it stands today JASP America and Jihad are setting the timetable of our degradation. Because they accept without the slightest compromise the herding of money by parasitizing society and the control of people through religion by military inquisitions as the goal of mankind, and they have achieved those goals by the sheer power of metal on the societies they came to rule. And this is the huge change we observe in America, from wasp rule – which despite its defects ‘believed’ in the progress of society, accepted at least 2/3rds of the population as ‘human’ (and increasingly so after the Kennedy/King revolution, the rest of the Americans), and tried to create real wealth.
Go(l)d values as in the parable of Tolkien have worked too long on the golem with his gold ring. And so really as long as Judaism rules the Western world and cannot be even mentioned, as long as all its placebos of caring and virtual myths maintain mankind in anesthesia, there is no future. We shall move full speed towards extinction, while the top 1% keeps sucking in the blood-money of the world.
And of course since what one gets other looses, as the Jasp (Jewish American Stockratic) elite and the wasp now subordinate old guard, grew their capital by the simple method of printing financial money, the standard of life of the middle class plummeted.
A simple graph will suffice to grasp from the beginning this clear difference between Europe, a milder form of capitalist democracy and the ‘real thing’:
eurpe vs. uSA
In the graph, the clear divergence between both models of capitalist democracies took place after the ‘coup d’etat’ of 1973 that put on charge of America no longer the wasp elite but the Jap elite – a thoroughly more fundamentalist form of viewing go(l)d as the fetish language that must be monopolized by the 1%, with all the rights, and none for the 99%, breaking society in an elite separated through segregational memes from mankind – ultimately a M.A.D. HEAD who hurts its body-cells and brings through the massive profits of the pecunia infinita belli Nervi, the cycles of self-destruction, war and holocausts. America thus after the 70s completely destroyed its lower class, became obsessed by military profits, in defense of the other nation of the stockrats, which through its Financial-Media-Academia control of machines of information created a virtual fiction of placebo freedoms absorbing through the constant invention of e-money, once the end of gold convertibility devalued the currency of the people as a secondary form of money, all the credit of society and after the CREATION OF WORLDSTOCK WITH FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT OF CAPITALS WORLDWIDE, absorbed further the money of all the elites of the ‘free world’. 50 years latter the system seems so unmovable as the ancien regime before the French Revolution, as the mass-media fictional world and selfie divide and win virtual hypnotism of facebook-like screens ensure humans will be retarded understand nothing and happily move towards the XXI c. extinction events of AI, cosmic nuclear bombs – watching 3D movies through its oculus dark glass
The steep decline of 1/2 of the American mass since judaism took over wasps in the control of the country IS a cyclical pattern that follows immediately in all the 800-80 years in which the go(l)d culture has managed to corrupt politicians or kings and take over the issue of money and tax-farming, today in far more complex forms.
We can see the huge difference between both type of democracies even if in the surface and increasingly so after the European similar coup d’etat of the ECB bank which does no longer issue money for its people, imposed the same system in Europe at large.
The 1% of course of those graphs is overwhelmingly made of financiers (±1/2) and stockrats (±1/2), belonging to the memeplex of Judaism, which get wealthy just printing money for themselves and their companies that give zero rights to workers and consumers as the parasitic concept of a chosen of go(l)d that must control as aristocrats, chosen of the sword did, society with its monopolistic tool of power has been fully transferred today to those company-mothers; that is, to the industrial-military and financial-media companies that rule Anglo-America; and so obviously in the digital age of e-money and infinite credit for corporations, the striking ‘difference’ of wealth makes anglo-America, today by far, the most unequal, anti-democratic (in economic terms), world, comparable in terms of wealth disparity only with a very few 3rd world military dictatorships.
The parasitic economy.
The essence of the change that has taken place in America in the e-money age and the Jasp age and has happened throughout history whenever the memes of Judaism, the harshest form of exploitation of a society with money,
A Jasp rule though has a very different view of the purpose of the economy, which merely exists to ‘Invent digital numbers’, based in ‘virtual products’, which have ‘no use’ in society, but can deliver through the ‘degradation of values’ and the ‘systemic speculation on its prices’ on thosereg who issue money, the sought-after prices. I.e. Since the 70s when the Jasp (Jewish-American stockratic parasitic economy) took hold, a company issues billions of $ in stock paper as money regardless of the real value and profits of the company. As we speak Uber is going public. It is a company that only looses billions of $, that has destroyed the entire industry of taxis worldwide, that pretends to substitute further on their ‘contractors’ – meaning employees without rights to unionize, rights to minimal wages, by robot drivers, but Goldman Sachs is going to sell a disruptive, destructive, money-loosing corporation to a price that will put it above the price of Ford or GM or BMW or Volkswagen, the most profitable western companies.
Every week, a ‘crapcode’ company of internet was floated in the bubbles of the 90s, and the present bubble of AI corporations above the 10 billion $ mark without any assets, any profits, just some kid writing crap-code.
Google and the entire advertising industry in any of its phases, including the present Facebook age, should be forbidden because its function is to ‘lie’ on the value of products; to charge an extra price for them due to that false advertising and to control and select through rankings and prohibitions the idol-ogies of society – i.e. Google has banned all my work from their searches since I was main plaintiff against the nuclear industry in a series of court suits against the evolution of Nuclear weapons, strangelets and black holes at CERN in the 2000s. So my fundamental work in science, the formalism of the fractal organic 5 dimensional Universe doesn’t appear. None of my sites exist. You put ‘5th dimension’ in google search and I do not exist. My papers are not in google scholar. Yet this is like the nazi era censoring Einstein’s formalism on the 4th dimension. He did find the formalism of 4D and I did find the formalism of 5D and those are the bigger revolutions on our concepts of time in those centuries.
What google does, what uber does, what all the parasitic issues of internet companies over 10 billion $ with no profit do, though affects the entire world, as Goldman and merry Lynch keep sucking the wealth of the elites of the planet to invest in stock paper of negative value in terms of the ‘true economic’ frame of reference on our articles on real whealth, healthy wealth according to the biological use of goods for mankind, similar to Sen’s IDH, index of human development.
Not coincidentally Mr. Sen, a Bengali is the only non-western non biblical Nobel prize in the history of those prizes, given by a parasitic Swedish bank owned by the usual suspects, denounced by the heirs of Nobel who want them to take away the name, as Nobel did not invented the prize.
America thus, as many other cultures in Europe before who systematically ended ruined, and descended into chaos wars and holocausts, has destroyed the real process of production of wealth for a parasitic society based in the printing of digital numbers for an elite of JASP, jewish American stockratic parasitic moguls of a financial economy that now after so many digital numbers and scams invented, tax farming on the trillions (CDOs scam), debt usury in the trillions (false internet universities selling titles without giving real teaching started by a Jasp who bought Phoenix University, culminated by Mr. Trumpuppet ‘real state University’ doing more of the same), and the ultimate brutal scam of the Shacklers selling legally opioid drugs in a mass-murder process duly accepted by the Food and Drugs administration greased by them.
This we repeat has nothing to do with genes, as those of Mr. Sanders of this who writes but with ‘Judaism’ as a segregational, racist, power-religion based in the herding of money that hauls from the Bronze Age and unlike Jihad hauling from the Assyrian ‘human torches’ illuminating the path of the Sargonides by the ‘grace of God’ and the glory of the sword, has disguised its brutality and systemic hate memes against mankind, the ‘animal species’ with the pretension of ‘science’ – classic economics, financial economics, Nobel prizes, and systematically imposes the Goebbels method of anti truths, passing as victims of history when that fact is the last ‘chaotic, destructive consequences’ of a systemic process of anoxia of society without credit as the entire planet now deviates its healthy wealth and investments in welfare goods to by Uber, Pinterest, Zoom (the last darlings of the 3rd wave of Dotcom scams now based in AI) and will ultimately substitute all human labor by AI labor for a few moguls to have billions of $ achieving the goals of the millenarian prophecy that the old Britannica, before the massive age of censorship called the essence of Judaism as a power religion: ‘at the end of times, all humans will become slaves of Judaism or be exterminated’ (Talmud, Sanhedrin). On that path we are but Judaism forgets the jewish people are humans and so ‘as humans’ they also became slaves of Judaism, the racist memes of parasitic capitalism, and at the end of each cycle of history when everybody is corrupted destroyed, eliminated in pecunia infinita bellum nervi process, rise of fascist military etc. etc. also DIE.
Do you think they change their ways? I have 13 recorded economical holocaust processes studied in a book rejected by hundreds of publishers ‘the jewish paradox’ and the process has never changed, since the memetic imprinting of those racist stereotypes of mankind starts before Bar Mitzvah and has of course evolved and modernized – today adopting the form of the holocaust industry, a civil religion gore movies from eviLwood imprint in mankind since earlier age.
The difference though that makes weimar America such a fascinating or repulsive case of analysis depending of the morals of the observer is the fact that through a combination of censorship, holocaust victimist industry, fiction and anaesthesia of the mind, Weimar America is NOT studied as a serious scholar discipline anywhere in the world, showing truth the Goebbels method of tabula rassa brains (Locke): if you repeat a lie many times people will believe. And so the lie that this is not happening is today a quasi-religious dogma as the mass of Americans, ‘divided by selfie ego-trip’ don’t know and if they know don’t care and if they care, don’t dare, as even the slightest insinuation that Weimar America exists, means the end of once scholar career. Indeed, the amazing thing is that all this Financial-Media-Academia master control (FMAsters) has been achieved without the slightest complain with a classic biological strategy: anaesthesia.
placebo social sciences
Placebo Social Sciences and Academia, with self-centered themes that have nothing to do with the working of social systems, and how they are ruled impregnate the intellectual discourse of placebo democracies and its outlets of expression. The only ‘taboo’ we can never discuss is the system itself that passes as ‘science’ and the only possible form to rule our world.
The graph shows the ‘fundamental themes’ of our social discourse today, focused in individual ‘selfie’ problems that have nothing to do with the social system we should be analyzing and improving have of course a resonant ‘box’ in the complementary system of the Financial Corporations WHICH prints digital numbers in monopoly – the Media System of Fictions that deactivate in a happy ego-trip the human being, so he won’t care bout correcting that system. It is the HEAD of the world – its Financial-Media-Academia system of false, biased, irrelevant information paid by digital money, which is truly the new collective brain of mankind, always in favor of technology, hate memes to promote war, fictions to anesthetize humanity and with clear phases of evolution that increase its ‘matrix’ of global thought that renders r=evolution impossible.
In the graph democratic slaves would not remain so if they knew how the system works. Hence the extraordinary development of parallel information machines that print ego-trips and fictions so people think the system works for them, which is the only value of its placebo polling in elections of $elected politicos, which are always masters of the media, at the service of the financial-media stockrats that own them. Placebo ‘democracy’ thus has a fundamental goal: to distract people so they are exploited at minimal cost, without friction, aborting r=evolution
The Media became the master of political and intellectual discourse, shaping a divide and win permanent fiction ego-trip that has reduced to purple rain the brain of the American people, degraded to a point of selfie impotence that amazes the external observer, but was already noted in Weimar America by his master historian, predecessor of this work, Mr. Oswald Spengler (who prophesied according to the cycles of history a similar fate for America at the end of the XX c.):
The American Weimar, or 3rd age of the American power cycle is mimetic to the German Weimar, when the growing speculative schemes of printing for free of money gives total power to bankers over industrialists, which means to change the elite from germanic captain of industries to jewish financiers. The change of culture will bring further down the road a higher degree of exploitation and a final war and gottendamerung. Weimar America started with the coup d’etat of 1973 and the invention of e-money, and amazingly enough is not yet recorded in our history books… highly censored by those who own Weimar
So the American weimar proper, now crashing into its final age of American militarism, is a mimesis of the phases of German Weimar of financial theft and jap rule followed by the rise of fascism, parallel to the similar age of financial train crises and rise of colonialism in the XIX century steam cycle of evolution of machines. And so the 3 cycles gives us the whole full meaning of the industrial revolution, its relationships of symbiosis and predation with mankind, in the peaceful consumption age of machines and the war age when machines mutate into weapons and consume us.
In this age, the presidents of America will then be all ‘puppets’ of the new information corporations and Jewish-American elite, as they were before ‘puppets’ of the miitary-industrial system (head of the Industrial Economy vs. Body)… and its oil and car industries.
To be fair, the American system has allowed its much faster degradation of its middle classes, because unlike in Europe, where the French and Russian r=evolutions and two world wars ultimately caused by the fight between social classes, left so much scares than a social contract was established to provide a minimum welfare to its population. And so the elites of Europe, increasingly formed also by Jewish financiers, since the ‘coup d’etat’ of the European central bank, who took from all nations its rights to reproduce money, cannot reach the same degree of exploitation they have established in America, with their monopoly of production of e-money or else there would be revolutions and pogroms, as it has always happened in Europe after a period of rule of corrupted politicos/military and bankers in search of debt slaves. In America, the company-mother was at the inception of the system much more powerful, because it also ruled over the empire and its growing tracts of land (as companies were initially the owners of colonies, i.e. India was NOT a colony of UK but a ‘PROPERTY’ of the East Indian company; Virginia was not a colony of England, but a property of the London Company, and so on).
capitalist democracies- best social pyramid and war cycle
The graphs show the real power pyramid of capitalist societies where politicos are just employees of corporations without right to issue money to create a wealthy economy of welfare goods people would demand, if money were issued to each citizen -cell with a Universal salary as it is the case in any superorganism of Nature, provoking a global massive demand of welfare goods. this is the fundamental reform the world of economics need, as I used to preach when chairing monetary systems in the international systems society annual congress, with the concept of ¥€$ money, a universal cryptocurrency salary of 1000 euro-dollars after abolition of Forex in an international currency backed by Europe, America, the Yuan and the yen at 1-1-5-1oo parity, that will solve all the problems of the 3rd world shamelessly exploited by war traders and dictators, we breed so they send us the money of their people to speculate on the price of shares of apple… and internet crapcode companies of zero value.
Such simple measure, backed by a humanist conscious political class will end immigration problems as a massive reproduction of welfare goods to meet the demand of billions of people with money-oxygen to kick out production and consumption of healthy wealthy goods would have long ago since we proposed it back in the 90s after the end of my studies at Columbia U. the suffering of the world, and trillions would have not been invented to kick the production of the digital parasitic economy which rule us all today. But of course, my work would be censored from the first books on bio-economics rejected by every printer of America so I had to self-print at Bookmasters, Ohio and keep being censored, save a brief stint of conferences I was allowed to give at ISSS till ‘a minority’ group sued the society if I didn’t loose my classes or else face suits for anti$em…
So thinks of course have going down for mankind living in the age of Jasp rule, the harshest of all possible forms of capitalism, as a fundamentalist religion of gold herding and exploitation of a species, mankind, which in those earlier brutal go(l)d cultures didn’t even deserve the name of ‘humanity’.
Euroamerica masterminded by financial-media systems in Crescendo. The 1973 coup d’etat.
The process moreover is in full crescendo, as it is symbiotic in software to the hardware – the expansion of the chip radiation, with its military robotics, today the biggest industry of Israel, electronic big brother – with the excuse of an eternal, orwellian war on terror – and the expansion of lobbyism as the form to implement laws.
As usual that is the order of priorities: accumulation of fetish go(l)d comes first; Political defense of apartheid Israel next, and to achieve both, corruption of all western democracies is required. Let us consider those elements in detail.
USA as most cultures is divided 50-50% between humanist normal people guided by its biological drives of existence and animetal fundamentalist believers in the memes of go(l)d=greed, weapons=murder & violence and techno-utopias repressing its life memes from reproductive sex to eusocial love. And yet as in most places the animetal culture dominates and controls the FMMI system, abrogating itself the title of ‘America’ as its property. In America it is the biblical culture with judaism on top of the financial-media networks of informative machines ‘or brain’ of the eco(nomic)system and the white protestant ‘wasp’ in a second tier as managers and workers of the military-industrial complex (body of the metal-earth), owned also after the free printing of 30 trillion $ in e-money by its stock-ratic elite, which hides behind the cover of the Holocaust Industry that makes the biggest sin, Voltaire’s dictum: ‘if you want to know who rules you, ask yourself who ‘you’ cannot criticize’, reason why israel has become its role model:
America in that sense has a clear choice that has always been there: to roar with the rest of mankind notably with EU, the European Union and UNO, the United Nations for a better world, and that would have been a hopeful future, on the path of their founding fathers enlightened European believers in freedom, democracy, humanity and our future, or side with the primitive biblical memes of the inquisitions of thought and childish ego-trips of its elites, the Financial-Media Masters that fully control the issue of money and manufacture their brains, and disguise of victimism its segregational memes against the human capital they price.
Censorship of social sciences in that sense is absolute in America, in the sense they do NOT believe in the use of the scientific method, but instead have substituted social sciences for a mishmash of hidden biblical values, hidden politically correct censorship, the eternal censorship of any real model of the discipline:
As democracy died in America with the death of Kennedy and the rise of corrupted politicos to the service of financiers, without right to have ‘deficit’ and an undervalued currency, increasingly dwarfed by the massive printing of trillions of $ in e-money, mankind started a long path of loss of economic power, as it uses the currency; but trillions kept being printed with any excuse now that e-money had no limits. So we enter a new age of absolute power, which corrupts absolute, where the FMAsters completely lead the western world – the problem though is that they don’t know where they lead – their only purpose, besides the protection of their other nation – Apartheid Israel, IS TO PRINT AS MUCH MONEY AS POSSIBLE, as it has ALWAYS BEEN the case of the go(l)d culture, and its fetish language of power. Let us then review how this is done in the e-money age.
There are only 2 kind of nations and people living in them, those who are free, because they own their armies and money; and those who are slaves because they don’t issue their language of informative power, money and the law, which money can buy; and so their armies become mercenary and their people slaves – that is, they are ‘bought’. Both €urope and U$ political systems are slavish of the Financial-media system that issues its money and manufactures the brain of their people with their informative machines. This is a sad realisation, which means also the death of their common civilisation, based in the power of the law above money, the equality of all their people under those laws, and the bill of rights that ensure the freedom of their citizens. What culture has substituted them? Obviously the culture of corporations and the culture of owners of their Financial-Media system, the ‘Am Segullah’ culture of animetals. Hence our passion for their fictions, religions and wars.
As slaves contrary to belief, love their masters more than their own.
So Europeans and Americans have come to love machines and the go(l)d culture more than theirs; but none of this can be said because obviously information machines manufacture their brains with opinions in favour of their masters, who call such information a ‘Komploten theory’. In complex social sciences we call this paradox, the anti-quantum paradox because in inverse fashion to the quantum uncertainty of physics, where the scientist is so big that it influences the observable, as the Britannica recognises to be the main handicap for the development of a real social sciences, power is so strong that influences the observer, the scientist that exist inside the super organism of history. Thus from Plato chained by tyrant of Syracuse, through Socrates murdered by the corrupted Athenian democracy, though Cicero author of the ‘res-publica’, slaughtered by the military dictators of Rome, to the masters of humanist, historic or socio-biologic, ‘real’ schools of economics, plagued with r=evolutionary corpses, all those who defy the monopoly of weapons and money that prevent mankind to develop a real democracy are at best silenced or else… This we said in advance because both, you and me are inside the Superorganism of History,hence submitted in different forms to the anti quantum paradox, you as a believer in the system, me as a system science that knows it is the anti-system of humanity.
A case example of what is wrong with our economists.
Let us consider a number of myths on America, to dismiss before we can talk of its people:
I. That America is a human nation. It is not. AMERICA IS the Future of all mankind or more precisely mankind into one of the possible futures, that of the Metal-earth (as that specific future could be aborted for the good of all of us, returning to a human-guided future to satisfy our needs as a species.)
In any case America is NOT a nation, a ‘tribal concept’ that segregates the Superorganism of History in Space.
America is Mankind as all tribal group, every nation on Earth sent people to the place where company-mothers of machines founded a new super organism, one of company-mthers, the free citizens of America, where the values of money they issue without limit are absolute.
Hence where all humans, all nations and all people are there equalized by the power of credit and the machine.
The US IS thus THE FUTURE of all of us into the metal-earth, as it invented the mind of the metal-earth, the chip and has been suffering the massive chip radiation and erasing of all human mental and social structures now for 50 years.
So all Americans were born in the age of the metal-minds and are now witnessing the creation of the metal-earth. So America IS mankind @ metal-earth. Point. America was in that sense invented by corporations, gunboats of slave trade, and colonial cargo, then railroads and today electronic corporations, as we explain everywhere in this blog.
America does NOT exist. It is a virtual name for mankind into the Metalearth, the future of meal-minds, as it was in America WHERE THE CHIP RADIATION started. Thus we Americans live into the future of fractal History, when Mankind BECOMES ERASED of all humind thoughts in all its different races and cultures to enter the domination of the new mind.
II. That Americans=Mankind into the Future is free. This is pure propaganda of the informative-media system that devours in America all human cultural traits, sending people to an entropic state of chaos, which IS NOT THE SAME THAN FREEDOM, WHICH REQUIRES POWER.
Powerless people are NOT free but entropic, chaotic, in a state of permanent ‘heat-dog eat dog’ unconnected divide and win undistinguishable entities. FREEDOM REQUIRES power over the network of a social organism. Thus American are merely in permanent chaos, erased of all humanist culture, which is at best kept modified as customs, and used by power to ‘divide and win’ the nation into ‘native Americans, African Americans, you name it’ so they can be thrown in ‘competition’ between them, unaware they really compete with machines and that they do have on top a single culture, the founder of corporations that have always ruled the nation.Thus, the fundamental mode of control of humans today is paradoxically the concept of freedom, by which the people and companies who form part of a network, can act simultaneously as a whole controlling the mass of ‘dog-eat-dog’ lonely individuals, who think to be free, when they are ultimately manufactured in their brains by the mass-media networks, bought in their lifetime by salaries, and yet because they are ‘told to be free’ and to ‘not need’ other humans, they struggle to survive and feel happy to achieve in their ‘island Universe’ that survival freedom.
Meanwhile the network of company-mothers with unlimited power to issue money, buy and sell humans, products and laws, keep building the Financial-media (information machines)-Military-industirla system (energy machines) that control them.
So part of this ‘idol-ogical’ indoctrination of people as chaotic=free in entropy mood (in science freedom is chaos and death) consists in DENYING even that the Universe is organic and structured by networks – if you try to explain scientifically the structure of social super organisms you are called a ‘confabulator’ and you offend the people indoctrinated into their entropic, chaotic state ‘as freedom’. This I have noticed is more radical in the countries where paradoxically more structured is the eco(comic)system of company-mothers of machines, and less ‘mental freedom’ have people, converted by the networks that manufacture with audiovisual information their brain, in truly ‘slaves’ of the values of digital money, worshippers of technology, believers in the rights of a few private bankers to own their language of money – you name it.
All is OK for them as long as they can repeat the mantra that chaos is freedom and networks do not exist.It is the entropy age of history, when indeed, most humans become ‘unconnected’ EXCEPT THROUGH MACHINES AND ITS NETWORKS which make them addicted to virtual screens. But of course they feel free because nobody puts a gun on their head obliging them to connect themselves to the higher overdrive of hypnotic information of machines; because nobody obliges them to atrophy their bodies and minds, in cars and computers that calculate for them… The neopaleolithic is thus the free=chaotic age in which all men become ‘free of each other’ and its social structures, to be plugged into the networks of the metal-earth.
III. That the leading ‘American culture’ is new.
This is NOT truth, it is in fact the oldest nation of the world. But as it uses ‘camouflage’ to disguise its power, it has created 2 myths.
First myth number One, that America is a Nation DIFFERENT OF MANKIND, which is what their people on top wants everybody to believe.
And then myth number 2: that there is not a people-caste in power in Americacontrolling the financial-media systems of information and manufacturing their people’s brain and buying their lifetime with their issue of money.
This people do exist, and they are a NATION, different from America, the nation of Judaism (not a religion – other confusion explained in detail in other posts), the OLDEST Nation of the world, which we should be calling more properly Israel, on command of over 75% of the financial and media corporations of the country and whose religion is a historic religion of power, in a time when the word “God’ was the subconscious collective name of a people and its geography – so Yhwh was a toponym for Juda in ancient maps, and Assur the god, king, territory and people of Assyria. So all nations then aka Gods were tribal and ‘unique’ from the ego paradox of the tribe, and all wanted to conquer the world. Judaism thus was a historic religion of power with NO afterlife and a millenarian prophecy of power: ‘at the end of times all tribes of mankind will be slaves of Yhwh, or become exterminated’. Which is merely a dictation of an imperial wish. A nation though who used go(l)d instead of weapons to control society. And that is exactly the culture on top of America which has evolved capitalism and controls their people through information machines.
Yet as the head of a super organism controls all its information, it follows that the body is blind and the body of America has become the body of this culture, despite being of multiple cultures, all of them grind and fed into the body of ‘capitalism’, its company-mothers and its civilisation of machines first and money as only language of power.
So all other cultures are placebo rituals, ceremonies and empty carcasses, beyond the need of divide and win, that is to talk of afro-americans or asian-americans or latino-americans, for the people-caste on power, the FMasters to disguise that power.
The only culture existing today in America is the capitalist original memeplex of biblical go(l)d cultures, and so it is the OLDEST nation of the world. Yet as this culture EXPANDED TO NORTHERN EUROPEAN GERMANIC people, the military germanic and the British people of the machine, the 3 together form the Memeplex that we call America, with similar ideas, the Jewish protestant go(l)d culture, but a clear division of power, with the financial-media elite on top of the germanic/anglo people which work for its corporations in the second layer, where of course, as the meaning of America is not human but mechanical, and the corporation its true free citizen, any American can access, as long as he obeys the system, that is creates machines, evolves and sells them – but the financial-media right to issue money and ideas is what it is monopolised by a single people-caste, and that is the privilege that defines them as the head.
Indeed, 80% of the people on those ‘informative machines belong to ‘Israel’, while in any other sector of the metal earth @merica anyone can enter, those 2 ‘ultimate head-centers of power’ are monopolised, what ALLOWS THE one-single thought, and monolithic behaviour of the country for centuries, and the head is one, and the body is equalised in thoughts by the head. In the next graph we see how and when the 3 subcultures merged and below its idol-ogies:
The 3 animetal egoist cultures, the old ‘you’ germ and brutish memeplexes who ab=used mankind with gold, weapons and machines and think to be superior because of its metal attachments of ab=usive power, but are by less evolved cultures of mankind, came together in America. There with the arrival of machines and the industrial r=evolution changed its original memes – slaves became part-time slaves for corporations; and its lawyers became $elected to represent the pantomime of democracies with two sets of quarreling twin politicos on top, whose real function is to sell laws to the strongest company of each age. Further on, the original militia became obliged to fight wars for profits in alien wars, under the flag of ‘nationalism’. And the concept of knowledge which in Europe included also human senses disappeared – art being a despised concept in America – as only metal-senses mattered. So in America the machine reigns supreme both in action and mind, and the degradation of its people shows its effects, soon to have its brainttached to 3D virtual heroic realities, interpreting all the real actions of man, into the game screen, from porno instead of reproduction to virtual friends instead of social evolution – only perhaps food-trash will not be delivered by pills and blood injections as in the parable of Matrix.
Paradigm: America and its many nations
In the graph, we can see the reality of America, whose patriotic memes seemed initially a hope for humanity and an essay for a future organization of all humans under the memes of social love and solidarity but end up into a hierarchical financial-military-industrial system based in the Animetal racist memesof weapons and go(l)d, proper of the bqankers and aristocrats that ran europe, the precise memes that the ameircans fought and escape from.
The conclusion is obvious, today nations are financial-military-systems, part of a global stock-market world in which money controls nations, playing with its bond-credit and currencies when they do not obey the global goal of the corporation – to create an ecosystem of machines where men are merely consumers=evolvers and reproducers=workers of those machines, increasingly obsolete. All this is hidden with the memes of patriotism that become a ‘theatrical mask’ that hides the real structure of global power based in the position of each aninmetal tribe within the global corporation and its stock-market government:
In the graph, the real structure of power in the world is not based in patriotism or national power but in racism and economical power and so we can establish a different kind of national structure; that of the global financial-military-industrial complex, with the People of the Treasure that invents money on top, the military nations in which they live and profit, and below, all other cultural groups, regardless of the nation in which they exist, who have revered the memes of life and love and are for that reason at the bottom of the Paradox of History:
We conclude that nationalism and patriotism, which was an essential selfish meme during the times prior to the Industrial R=evolution, when weapons were the dominant memes of economical history, carried by tribal germanic elites of aristocrats, today is just a placebo excuse to prevent the evolution of mankind and foster the competition between humans, as they become substituted by machines, to allow the reproduction of weapons and it is obviously opposed by the Globalization of the FMI system. The idea is simple: divide and win. As long as humans do not recognize themselves as a single species, the machine will keep evolving and integrating globally and we will become more and more degraded into the neopaleolithic culture. Who is producing this ideology is obvious: those who own the global market and give orders through corporations and audiovisual machines that express the memes of patriotic hate between tribes; so they can manipulate nations with their control of bonds, currencies and stocks and corporations, for whom billions of humans work as part-time slaves.
The only solution? the fusion of nations through diplomatic organizations and a single global currency which nationalizes financial credit for each nation to construct an alternative world based in the memes of love and life and its welfare goods – the Wor(l)d Union.
That is, a single human, global nation based in the natural memes of life and eusocial love; not a travesti of humanity ruled by go(l)d, weapons and mass-media networks, dedicated to the ‘goals’ of the leading nation – the defense of Apartheid Israel with all the armies of the west and the appropiation of most of the wealth of mankind for the banksters and speculators and stockrats – the 1% of the western world. This aberrant capitalist superorganism has no future, except the one we predict in this web: a world of robotized armies and police, with a 1% of super-wealthy on top and the rest watched out and mentally degraded by those robots and future 3-D virtual realities. Till a day the guardiums and predators of the Jewish-American armies turn around and decide to take over their masters, as the mercenary armies of the Roman Empire or the Turkish armies of the Arab Caliphate did in the past… Then the ultimate purpose of nationalism – which is not to resurrect a bronze nation in the middle of the desert, but to evolve weapons – will be met to the surprise of all the ‘nations’ of the capitalist world.
So Americans chase money and celebrity; the system changes the terraforming of the planet, and the elites ISSUE money and celebrities. And this circus of money and celebrity seems paradise. It is though merely the human cover up of American culture merely disguise what is useful for the building of the metal-earth: to consume as loners machines instead of needing human help, to construct solar skins for future robots, to back the genocidal projects of its elite, to push the agenda of military companies, and so on, become always ‘camouflaged’ in some ad nauseam repeated pretentiously humane meme, as in the next graph:
So America – the world into the future metal-earth always had two ‘faces’ – one for the consumption of humans and the other, in the background, the real engine of America, the religion of profits, which is the goal of company-mothers that in biological terms means the evolution, reproduction and sale of the maximal number of machines, leading the American civilization in each age of evolution of the metal-earth.
All this means that America is full of myths about what it is, that their people believe as humans, to hide the real nightmare of a world bound to destroy mankind and enthrone the new species of company-mothers and its weapons-machines as the future of mankind.
Nothing of this of course is even remotely understood by Americans who would think i am a cuckoo guy, because the immense pressure of networks of metal-communicators, programming Americans in simultaneity has made virtual America, the myths that cover up the absolute power of company-mothers with an astounding fantasy of paradise, the so-called American way of life.
How this is achieved has a simple answer: the financial-media system of digital information, money and audiovisual memes, which interiorise money as the language we must all obey, superior in all to wor(l)ds.
This means Americans KNOW NOTHING about the values of go(l)d and its collateral effects precisely because with no remorse they can be a perfect ‘superfluid’ lanwave of capitalism that will always do whatever it takes to get their go(l)d fetish, and hence they are perfectly programmed to do the metal-earth paradoxically because they don’t know what they are doing or how they are programmed.
And it needs an absolute simplification of history – which starts with pictures and American ‘freedom, democracy’ – and exceptional destiny – all things before being irrelevant to the bright future of technology.
So, social sciences are UNDERDEVELOPED, as not even the existence of organisms, of history, social classes, are permitted, and all the true historians censored/not distributed/studied.
And so the ways the system works, are ignored, the way the system programs its people is called a confabulation theory, and the chaotic state of those who don’t exist in the system with no power, is called freedom.
So first we need to explain this bare minimum taken from ‘Truman Show’: the way the Financial-media networks programs in simultaneity Americans to interiorise as freedom their wantings for the rewards of its information machines – virtual celebrity and go(l)d, which are the two most desirable things for americans, without even realizing those are NOT human goals (which are in the classic age of human civilisations glory, that is ethic actions in favour of mankind and WHEalth, healthy wealth in human goods, from art to good life):
In the graph, the financial-media system of information machines program people as nervous systems do, in a social manner to desire its goods as their personal goals – celebrity status and money. So the American once it think to be ‘free’ and successful in life is to be a celebrity and make money will be easily controlled by those who DO actually control the machines of information that print money and make you a celebrity.
Simultaneous mass effects program through multiple waves of information masses of identical particles that understand the language, and believe it. So once humans agreed to ‘believe’ a language, in the modern age money and audiovisual information reproduced by the same type of machines those who own the language, own the people buy their lives and manufacture their brains in simultaneity with waves of digital money and visual information.
This is therefore the true and absolute power which in America the owners of Hollywood and Wall Street have hold for over a century, making their people who think to be free perhaps the most identical brains of the globe, except for strict communist dictatorships which use much more ‘orwellian’ brutish methods. Yet in the internet era, as the FMasters printed trillions of dollars buying globally all other financial-media systems except those of China and Russia after the counterrevolution of the KGB (Putin), now the planet belongs wholesale to this group. We have treated in other posts its cultural and financial dictatorship, and for that reason studied in depth their values because they ‘cre(dit)ate’ the future.
Here we are getting more personal, after studying the great parables about the ‘Truman Show’ which creates and commands a virtual reality of happy people, we shall comment of individuals which I met in my life at ‘evilwood’, back in the 90s like the loving brothers Weinsteins and how the network hides its petty crimes – the real ones though are not even mentioned – to erase the collective head of mankind with fictions and infotainment, and give a rosy picture of technology with a Walt Disney like infantile, positive view which contrasts sharply with its systemic hate-memes and ridicule of all other cultures as evil or retarded, while theirs of course is the righteous, only victim of history. It is the Truman show globalised.
In the next graph we show the ‘complex wave’ of Modern American History – above, which in its last phase became globalised, so the ‘region of the Future’ and its 2 solutions would fully belong to this country, and that is why America mattered so much. unfortunately it chose the ‘road more travelled’, the Hamiltonian path of least action, to use the scientific parlance of 5 Dimensional Complex History and General Systems science:
6. electr(on)ic age sx
America had in its best men, those who had been enlightened by the European Culture (which is NOT the northern germanic ‘barbarians’ of mechanisms, but the southern, western most advanced legacy of the Roman Empire and the Renaissance and enlightenment of its r=evolutionary geniuses), a mirror of such a possible future.
On the other hand the same animetal castes from where the American people fled came simultaneously to their shores with the slave gunboat companies, their usury debt banks, their military colonialism; and so the history of America fascinated me, not so much for the victory of man but for the ‘dream’ turning nightmare, resurrecting in the spirit and energy of their people, albeit increasingly erased and manufactured in their brains.
But their people had something of that free spirit which soon disappeared in Northern Europe during the Industrial R=evolution. At least individually they could seek some freedom of spirit in the wide west, in the personal life, in the isolationism… All this ended curiously enough in increasing steps after the Civil War, which in the legend was fought to liberate the negro slave (it was not, Mr. Lincoln a railroad lobbyist, latter converted to humanism and killed by Staunton, the railroad robber baron, had as as job to destroy the South which did not want to sell cheap its cotton to the North white slave factories and haul it through those railroads but preferred to sell it to Europe in gunboats at higher price).
But there were a few Americans worth to notice which brought the enlightenment of mechanical light and car transport, establishing in the earlier century the model of machines, in the limit of what humans could ‘safely use’ without being degraded by their competition – line phones, cars, radios, railroads.
This was the point on my view, like the previous point of human history during the coin and iron radiations (Greece or iron age and Renaissance in Italy) where man was in a relative balance in its duality of competition and synergy with metal. Coins and iron swords which brought about the Greek-Italian renaissance were then a high advance over the Semitic culture of Bronze chariots (industrial, hierarchical aristocratic war) and bartering (which obliged to ‘lie’ to get a better exchange and created the Canaanite->Phoenician+Jewish Civilization of astounding myths, irrationality, subjective selfishness and ego trips now globalised by the 0.002% of “People of The treasure’ on top of America).
So yes, iron brought infantry, the hoplite and the legio, the people fighting against the aristocratic cavalry and charioteer and that made humanity the whole share power and democratised Greece and the earlier Roman republic.
In America the equivalent was the rifle. Of course it meant the genocide of the rival Indian culture – the final perfectly balanced, longer evolved Paleolithic humanist culture in balance with life (since in Africa iron bantus were generally speaking too advanced in metal and tribal wars and always hunted as slaves by northern Semites to achieve that balance). But for the individual American coupled with the frontier bank, meant a wealth and independence of thought unseen in Europe on the XIX century. Silver again had a democratic value, as long as there was plenty of it in the west. So it democratised as coins did trade, and created a sense of justice in the exchange of goods for silver as it did in ancient Greece, and Athens, and latter in the Italian-> Spanish empire, where the Semitic inquisition of abrahamic religions did not dominate the humanist spirit of the renaissance.
As silver coins from Greece, with crafted artistic owls, made exchange better than the bartering age in which the Am Segullah would exchange glass beans for silver and tin in Spain and England, silver minted on frontier banks was better than the dominant European paper-stock money of corporations manipulated by banksters, a false value on the hands of a few.
So yes, there was there in the 2nd American revolution a moment when Lincoln changed sides, truly decided tired of so much evil, to back the freedom of the negro, and the freedom of the American from usury debt banksters, creating the free-debt greenback money, and allowing silver and gold to complement a free-credit society of multiple banks, in which America and only America – once the ‘bankers of the king’ and the City and the German armies, and the Napoleonids, had reduced European r=evolutions to rubble, a hope for an ‘intelligent’ balance of machines, weapons and money with the human mind.
But for that to happen Americans had to EVOLVE THEIR PRIMITIVE BRONZE AGE ABRAHAMIC RELIGION, judaism and its modern strain protestant, biblical literalist cults into a scientific outlook of history. This was the key for those people with rifles, with silver, with trains, soon with electricity, cars and telephones to UNDERSTAND the unity of the species, the future of mankind as a whole, no evolved by trial and error and wrong mutations but by the spirit of eusocial love, into an immortal future in control of the selfish memes of metal, with mankind on top.
And the books were there. The first was Darwin, which even the most stupid could have realised talked about the selection of the human species, not the human individual and so it connected directly with the eusocial prophets of love of Neoplatonism of which Jesus the ‘converso Jew’ was the most remarkable, and the modern ones, the socialist movement of which Bakhunin was by far the best (not that submarine of the banksters power, Mr. Marx, of whom Bakhunin said, it was the wrong genetic and memetic mixture of germanic militarism and blood-sucking usury banksters, and would create a system even worst, what he did). Both made sense of the Americans, anarchism liberated man from the machine, returned him to nature, gave him individual power as the frontier man did, and Darwinism of the species through the individual made sense to that mixture of communal and individual freedoms.
But amazingly enough both crashed once Lincoln was murdered, the railroad barons took over and the banksters of wall street started to manage the nation and its politicos with rivers of paper-stock money.
The final coup d’etat was in the XX century, when the system of frontier banks received its last blow with the establishment of the Federal Reserve, a private bank that destroyed the small banks on the border, and then in the 1970s when they killed the dollar with the help of the hyper-corrupted Nixon, given freedom to produce trillions of e-money.
So we are now under the boot of the overwhelming power of the Am Segullah over its financial-media system, with the sophisticated Orwellian system of political and economical correctness.
And they have imposed back with massive investments on brain manufacturing, since Lincoln the primitive memes of the racist book of history of its bronze age tribes, first with the yellow press, then with radio then with TV-hate media and internet ADD selfies the ‘jewish-calvinist’ racist, primitive bronze age book of history about two deluded bronze age ass-keepers trying to accumulate its golden calf fetish metal, by spreading slavery, war debt and weapons traffic on the Middle east now on the western frontier, sacrifying whenever needed their own sons and lesser classes of ‘slave tribes’ in the Hecatomb Ceremony to the God Mammon.
This ‘frame of mind’ thought to be extinct but resurrected once and again, had won today’s america with the power of Go(l)d, and the false idol-ogies of their banksters with their myths of salvation after death -as long as you give us the money during your life – going underground with false caring and false new prophets who expanded the false caring of go(l)d, to enslave mankind, once and again once and again, Alexander defeated after the fall of Tyros, Trajan poisoned after the fall of Babylon, Caesar murdered by the oriental party after the prohibition of coin clipping and trade… etc. etc. etc. till reaching Jackson shot for ‘killing the bank’, Lincoln murdered for issuing Greenbacks reverted by the drunkard Grant who left two am segullahs impose the ‘silver crime’, choking credit for the people by forbidding silver as money, etc. etc.
And so the Republican party of Lincoln is today what it is. A bunch of racist, deluded, slaves of the Am Segullah, working to israelify America to the bones, believing in their rifles and Bibles and robotised mechanisms and i-pads and iPods, glued to internets and TVs, islamophobia, latinophobia, asianophobia (witness the amazingly dull racist slurs of that piece of human $hit, mr. Cohen, son of the sons of Aaron, pure stock-rat elite name, vomiting neocon slogans against Chinese to prepare the collective psyche for the incoming Industrial final III world war).
So the full American nightmare happened because the mind of man did not evolve coupled with their machines, but devolved regressing backwards to the myths and primitivism of the semitic age of bartering bronze warriors and selfish ego-trips. And so America today has plundered into the ‘Israel vs. Assur’ wars not of the XI century B.D but the XXI c. A.D. Now the Assyrians are called Syrians, not much of a change there, and the Israelites are called… well you know, Israelites, but they like to be called Americans – nothing of that spirit of America, the enlightened rational natural final evolution of the European age of reason, science, humanist and art left.
This is how I see America. A fight which had some moments in the XVIII c. the XIX c. but the XX c. killed the last ones.
The republicans in that sense, the heirs of Lincoln were on my view the people who could have done it, from a more individual technological point of view, without the Bible, and the racism embedded on it – that is, adopting the negro and by extension the immigrants that were to come as Americans, educating them the way the Greeks but specially the Romans did with their conquered lesser people till they flourished even more than they did ; the democrats could have done it after the Kennedy revolution if they had not been all murdered.
And the lost hope was the Clintons who showed themselves to be corrupted, coward, but and this is the painful truth, as I had some contact with them, at the time when they were coming to power, intelligent enough to understand. That is why i dislike them so much. They ARE on my view the worst kind of people – the people equivalent to the ex-socialist ex-spanish ex-worker party, PSOE and the likes in Europe (the German SPD etc) who gave the right to print money to the ECB bank and retired to the big corporations. Schroeder even gave the elections he won as Clinton handled them to Bush, for a huge check to Miss Merkel, the Am Segullah first chancellor.
Now, this is how the world is run, and this is the empire you live in – a jewish-jihadist regression in the 3rd age of history to the most primitive semitic gold iron cultures of the beginning of history. A proof of our extinction since all super organisms return in its 3rd age of excessive information to a childish, brutalised state of disconnection with reality. As the jihad-go(l)d cultures are taken us back.
But alas, in the age of the machine you have the final degradation of languages, in the I-centered, selfish, isolated English Grammar, where the ‘we’ subject, or the subjunctive ‘wishes’, the social meme is not. Isolated by their use of machines, the modern ‘selfie’, homo bacteria, individual who cannot understand the arrow of social evolution of the Universe, with its “I” first, never hidden grammar, is very easy to manipulate by the hordes of socially-wrongly evolved Imperative and Objectual warrior and go(l)d masters that run America, from Wall Street and Pentagon. Oh, yes, we are the ‘piigs’ and because the ‘I’-‘You’-‘It’ grammar of selfish-imperative-objectual languages is ‘the fixed’ slave-mind culture of mechanical, financial and military societies, we cannot change them (Linguistic, Humboldt->Chomsky->Sancho evolution of the study of the Human Universal grammars).
So the bottom line and fundamental question about the future is one of freedom of minds: can the superior verbal, rational, humanist intelligence of the more evolved European and Chinese cultures convince the inferior but stronger, ‘animetal’ (animal+metal), warrior-mechanical-gold cultures that only if they make human and evolve their human nature, they will survive? It seems not. Consider the previous description of the goals of the piigs – understand of course this is a simplification, individuals are relatively free in human cultures, which are not completely organic but rather an intermediate state between organism and herd, where a loose individual can be different:
• to enjoy food, human natural energy… well, the Abrahamic, biblical american culture represses food, with dietary mandates against the tasteful pork and seafood (Judaism, Islam) or just eating trash food. Americans, the essential modern ‘animetal’ is the people who spend less time eating (and talking while doing so with friends, bonding verbally as the piigs do)
• that is, to enjoy words and art, the human languages of time and space, they have substituted with digital numbers and visual machines. Alas, Americans despise art, as a weak nonsense, have an astoundingly I-centered primitive literature, basically bio-pics, with a few notable exceptions, when they imitate and even improve European styles – lost generation, modernist Elliot. And in any case those Americans who continue the tradition of enlightenment and freedom of their ‘French’ founding fathers are excluded from the robotised mass of Wall-Street/evilwood guided ‘topic American’.
• And what about sex-reproduction of humans?Alas, this is taboo, though of course audiovisual sex, which makes money is good, pornography is big business. But the real taboo is LOVE; emotional sex. Americans are either sexually repressed – biblical go(l)d believers and its evilwood censorship, you cannot show sex, reproduction of the human body, but it is ok to kill the body with weapons, no censorship here. Or they are ‘fukers’. It is specially notable how the modern american woman hates to love a man, as a symbol of weakness. Nothing to do with the essential pleasure of the piigs culture – love, the mixing of sex and emotions, verbal sharing and body sharing, mind and body fusion together. Never found an American wo=man at ease with the art of loving. Of course again this simplifies the fact that couples do love each other in any place in the world but the ‘nuclear family’ as the final ‘limit of social evolution’, and the enormous i-centered people who only love themselves, is remarkable.
• Which of course leads to the final taboo of ‘animetal civilisations’ eusocial love, ‘socialism’, the absolute highest goal of the Organic Universe in all its scales, from particles that become molecules that become cells or become matter states, that become organisms and planets and solar systems and galaxies, all organised by the power of eusocial love, the sharing of energy and information in networks of the same cloned species. It is the absolute taboo of the animetal dog-eat-dog societies, which must murder thy neighbour with weapons or enslave it with go(l)d as human capital working for a price. It is so ridiculous, that even among system scientists, the metric equations of the 5th dimension of the scalar, social Universe, which I found and used to formalise their science, was denied. Nature is based in scalar, social love among parts that become wholes and survive better, well-organised by just, distributive, financial-economical-blood-electromagnetic energetic networks, and informative-gravitational-verbal-legal-political dominant networks, in all efficient systems. Only primitive poisonous systems have free blood-financial systems poisoning with greed the organism till it collapses in wars and holocausts.
Now, what people do not understand, as we enter the final ages of the superorganism of mankind, and individuals become free, unconnected, is that the organic Universe and its philosophy of sciences and cultures is not a matter of choice but of survival.
It would be nice that the Universe were a childish game, as it is becoming for most of mankind – a dream, not a reality, but that state is ONLY THE FINAL prior phase to the collapse and extinction of a supeorganism, the last generation when the organism first dies and looses connection with the external world and then, still REPRODUCING 3 generations more its cells, truly dies away, in a chaotic≈free state of happiness and greed, sucking in all the blood and water of the organism.
Mankind today is entering those stages and because the culture that has won history, the biblical, Jewish->protestant->corporative culture has lost all consciousness of ethic and survival behaviour (no, 3rd world terrorists that pump up the military industry are not a danger to our collective survival), and as old men do become infantile.
A kid and an old man cannot understand death, the kid because it is too remote, the old because it is too close, we are in between.
The meaning of capitalism.
So this is the present situation of the world:
1. the anti-quantum paradox prevents systems sciences to design a perfect world. And if you get combative about it, you are censored and ignored.
2. Instead, a millenarian elite of banker priests runs the economic ecosystem with memes of a racist go(l)d fetishe religion of the bronze age, which today passes as science, as it has been transformed into mathematical postulates of creationist=classic economics, such as the productivity law, the iron salary, the $elected stock-ratic rights to dictate with monopoly in the issue of money, the future of societies; the permanent state of racism and war against the ‘lesser than dog races that peed on Noah – arabs and negroes’, etc. etc.
3. but none of this can be explained because the Financial Masters do control the global networks of information and explain us through the holocaust industry, the hate-media industry, the primitive degradation of III world cultures that all this is NOT happening, that we do not live inside a matrix of false anti-human information, that they are the victims of history, that capitalism is the only form to govern society, because they are ‘experts’ who know better, righteous who work for society, victims who we try to murder, etc. etc. etc.
4. And so as consequence of all this, society is rendered passive, while the mathematical processes of extinction of life that translate the millenarian memes of racism and segregation of earlier slave cults, continues in a sanitised, erase head world, where only go(l)d values matter, and all real problems of mankind are trivialised, converted into fiction or ignored.
5. Yet for the 0.002% all this is a proof that they are indeed the $elected of Go(l)d, since it is incredible that 99.8% of people let themselves be murdered and enslaved at distance with zero protest, in fact with an ardent fervor and admiration for those who murder them. How cannot this indeed be a proof that Go(l)d has chosen the $elected to run over a mass of idiotic, evil sheeple humans, who deserve not better, if they are so dumb, coward, lazy, selfish, greedy that we can just manipulate them with fairy tales, bronze age racist books, myths, damned lies and statistics – let us the process continue, live the day, carpe diem, and don’t worry when the world crashes we shall be saved by Go(l)d into an eternal paradise where we will still be served.
Of course the objective reality is quite different: Humans have become after being subject to the righteous manifest destiny of animetal cults, brutal, angst, corrupted themselves by hate-memes instilled by the behaviour of germs, yous and brutish animetal people… the 3 canonical animetal cults that are guiding mankind tin military march towards the 3 events of extinction of the singularity age. On the graph, Ibo bronzes, a ceremony honouring wounded knee massacre of ghost dancers, a daily routine on Gazah’s concentration camp and cern’s entrance, with it statue to Shiva, God of energy dancing over Kali God of death, the manifest destiny of our technological civilisation, whose ethics are those of the values of go(l)d and weapons: murder of life.
Now again we must stress that the details of those wars are accessory to the tendency of profits, reason why we have forecasted them. Of course there are terrorists, war-monger politicians, racist memes, which bring war at the level of human idol-ogies. Yet the idol, the machine-weapon is what makes the nazi or terrorist or Bush administration prefer death to diplomatic solutions – canons instead of butter. So when a leading nation discovers the weapon species, and nobody else has it, it becomes a bully.
Hitler without the technological advantage of Germany would have not been so racist.
Israel and America without its technological advance in military robotics would have not been for so long unjust with muslim 3rd world people to bring the present global war age.
Britain without steam and train technologies would have not felt powerful enough to conquer Africa and India.
So we have all together, in a world ruled by profits, the overproduction causal process, which leads unavoidably to the III world war, after a first phase of splendid little wars against primitive colonial, degraded warrior people (Indians, Muslims and Africans in the first colonial fascist war cycle of trains; Africans, spaniards and Chinese in the 2nd fascist cycle; and Islamic nations brutalised by inquisitions and dictators, liberally provided with our weapons in the 3rd cycle), invariably end in the big show-off between the top industrial nations, in civil wars or global wars (train wars of America, called civil wars, of Germany called Unification wars in the first cycle; German European wars in the II cycle, and the future robotic wars between US vs. China vs. India, in the incoming future.)
And so they will keep pumping iron and robotic workers and soldiers till the species will be extinct by the end of the century under the laws of biology in a biological universe. Unless:
• HUMANS GET RID OF those economic memes and the people who sponsor them loose their positions of power in the FMMI system – OBVIOUSLY not physically but either by changing their memes to human policies or loosing their power control. So they and mankind can redesign history’s networks of social power with the laws of efficient super organisms, any biologist or rather doctor can explain them, they will survive and thrive.
I couldn’t care less of the massive censorship and soma and cuckoo idol-ogies people have today in their littered brains, in favour of machines and their instilled despise for corrupted politicos.
Of course all this is censored, as any system works better when information is hidden, as it is a weak form that can be overridden. So all systems of nature hide its center of power and decision of futures, as we all know if the capital of a nation falls, the system falls, if the brain of a biological system falls, the system falls and predators go to the neck, if the black hole of a galaxy, its informative gravitational center explodes in a quasar the galaxy dies. So all those systems are hidden, and money is always hidden, on your pocket on flows of digital information, under amazing scholar complexity for people not to understand, and the biggest sin of our society is to name the owners of hollywood and wall street, and its segregational memes against mankind, reason why they don’t care if humans are expendable to robots, as long as its go(l)d values give them profit. It is then a world written with Orwellian newspeaks of caring, where the minister of war is that of defence, and debt slaves are called citizens, and financiers on top, destroying the world are invisible and victims of mankind, and everything you are told to be truth is just a half life, damned lie and statistic, as economists cynically say.
In any case, truth is proved by prediction and in science the more so, and only this censored writer has predicted the future for 30 years, because all those other scholars and think tanks work on the lies of the system and on the placebo systems with no power. If you try to guess the future according to what hired politicos and its theatrics and placebo systems tell you is absurd, because they are not power but puppetry. Stars do not command the galaxy, black holes do, but if you look at the galaxy you see only stars. Politicos do not run the system, financiers do, but if you look at tvs, you see only politicos.
So as we know financiers follow go(l)d religions and its values which give zero value to life and maximal value to weapons and machines, the world constantly overproduces weapons and machines and undernourishes people. Placebo political, human systems merely give a few pennies of caring for mankind as long as it has a use.
This is in a wisp of ‘accelerated’ time, the essence of the capitalist, biblical, jewish>protestant FMMI system of destruction of mankind and a human future, now entering its final phase, which ‘collapses’ the wave of history in America, where all those codons (biblical bigotry, go(l)d worship, money buying the law, end of the American Constitutional freedoms, equality under the law and bill of rights; and an overwhelming manufacturing of brains by virtual tv-internet screens) reach its paroxysm.
As such we no longer consider given the absolute power that the biblical people have over Anglo-America, the 7th SEAL, the CAPITALIST Culture, a ‘human culture’, but a pure animetal, FMMI controlled world, where corporations have all rights and human beings none, whenever are not of any use for the evolution & reproduction of memes of metal. And so THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, obviously a human people, sum of all the cultures and genetic groups of mankind are suffering NO LONGER THE AMERICAN DREAM of a world of equal human beings, with equal rights, just laws above money and weapons, but the AMERICAN NIGHTMARE, of a world in which money and weapons, destroy their future, while hate-memes of mass-media imprint their brains, it is the 3rd age of the culture of metal-minds, which reaches its zenith in the present zeitgeist of mr. twitrump,
Now, the paradox of History being played in America today, is contrary to belief as old as the oldest culture, which in so many ways permeates America, the biblical culture which in the past did have that duality, between a human life world and a world of metal. So it is worth to remember the Genesis parable, where the first of the many battles of the paradox of history played itself in the western tradition.
Jewish inquisition. Achieving the unthinkable: the love of those ‘you’ torture
The most remarkable feat of the Jap age is its invisibility and the astounding love the American people have for the memes of the Japs that rule them, showing both the extreme dexterity of the Jap culture in the control of human ‘capital’ with money as it has been a 5000 years experiment, and the ‘tabula rassa’ condition of human minds, which as Locke put it, can be imprinted with anything or better said by Goebbels ‘If you tell a lie many times people will believe it, the bigger the lie, the more they will believe on it’. The lies of American chaos=freedom, since FREEDOM REQUIRES POWER and control of the social language, so poor people have no freedom, of American democracy, since democracy requires a proper knowledge of the workings of the system, and the control a posteriori of politicos that must be judged as in Greek democracies, where the vote was a posteriori, a judgment to oblige politicos to provide and accomplish its promises, the lie of techno-utopian companies that are destroying and degraded the minds of Americans, the lies of the war on terror that was never the concern of America till it got implied for 30 years in the fight between apartheid Israel and its ‘animal people’, etc. etc. all the lies that form today the ‘Matrix’ of fictions that passes in America as world affairs… have become after 50 years of Jap rule, the soul of the American people – and of course among those lies, the lie that the Jewish people are the victims of History is perhaps the most repeated, the biggest ones. Since the Jewish people have been the soliton of go(l)d and BANKING ALWAYS, In the west. They invented capitalism, they invented the rule of human capital with money and allied with warrior mercenaries they ruled the western world together, only breaking their alliance in periods of war defeats when the warriors sacrificed as last resort, the bankers to the choleric ruined, massacred people – so holocausts are just the last phase of the cycle of war profits when a destroyed society – call it the Crusaders, the Nazis, the pogroms of each economic crash of the market, the attacks to the usurers of the Middle Ages, the attack to the tax-farmers of the king… and so on and so on.
None of this is understood in America, where history is not taught for obvious reasons and reality starts with the fairy tale of the freedoms brought about by the founding fathers, the plantation owners of cotton sold to gunboat companies on exchange for slaves… And from then on America became of course the land of the free…
Europe though knows partially its history and has made a social contract which is now being broken by the new avalanche of stockrats, but still there is caution. Consider for example the recent burning of Notre Dame, the 6 wealthiest families of France, the Arnault, Pinault, Meyer, Rothschild, Schneider, Dassault, owners of luxury brands (3 first), banking, and weaponry (2 last), all of them obviously Jewish, as financiers have been printing e-money and buying the world with it save China, have donated close to a billion $ to reconstruct the symbol of France (passing of course through his puppet president, an ex-employee of the Rothschild bank, Mr. Macron, a ‘tax-free’ exemption of 90%, so in fact as charity is tax-free only in a 30-60% bracket by changing their donations to the poor for donations to the cathedral they make a 30% profit)… Still the symbol and the propaganda carried in the process will endure in the memory of the right-wing parties of France, which of course they also pay to promote islamophobia. As Miss Safratti, a wealthy Jewish banker, paid the birth of fascism, giving her lover Mussolini a newspaper to attack the socialist and communist…
We are not going to give a lesson of past and modern European history – only to notice that as usual in the action-reaction processes of history the exploitation of people with money and the profits of war brings back latter on a holocaust and revolutionary cycle against the financial and military elites, which europeans study in the school and so there is a limit to the exploitation Europeans can tolerate.
This explains also a second ‘HUGE’ difference between the anglo-American people and the European, regarding their ‘mind freedom’: Anglo-America HAS always tried to $elect a priori the people who came to their ‘shores’ BASED IN THEIR mental slavery to the MEMES of its ‘biblical capitalist system’, which means essentially for centuries they would only accept ‘white, protestant=biblical people’ who BELIEVED in the 3 ‘ages’ of the inquisition of biblical capitalism, explained in the next graph and THE RIGHTS OF ITS ELITES to OWN the language of social power, money, and have zero accountability – that is the rights, to be an aristocracy above the rest of the nation, segregated from it; and while this ‘inquisition of thought’ has clearly evolved in the 3 ages of Anglo-America, the ‘religious age of Judaism’, the ‘pseudo-scientific age’ of classic economics that translated those segregational memes to the structure of company-mothers, and the present age of the ‘chosen victims’ – the only ones worth to weep, remember and ‘compensate’ with total control of society, its purpose – segregation of the chosen that keep the control in the issue of money and degrade mentally their population, ‘as people must remain ignorant to stay obedient’ has continued. THOSE inquisitions of thought however were LIFTED definitely in Europe with the French R=evolution (religion), the Russian R=evolution (classic economics) but again, Europe has been douched ad nauseam with the 3rd most complex, evolved and apparently positive, ‘caring’ newspeak of segregational rights – the holocaust industry:
In the graph, the 3 ages of the Jewish inquisition grow in sophistication but always uphold the go(l)d values that give minimal price to human capital and maximal price to weapons, enacting through segregational hate memes and go(l)d profits, the equation of capitalism and the belli Nervi pecunia infinita cycle. Judaism>Creationist economics=Capitalism HAS BEEN ALWAYS the soliton cult(ure) that embodies the go(L)d Values of money as a hypnotic metal-substance, vehicle of God that gives maximal price value to weapons, whose need of production is maximized with segregational hate memes against mankind. As such the whole history of western oppression of the 99% resumes in an alliance between Jewish bankers and tribal, nationalist weapon cult(ure)s of germanic warriors, to maximize segregational racist ari-stockratic memes and the oppression through weapons and war, monopolized by germ(an) warriors and reproduced by jewish>Protestant traders and corporations in the 800-80 years cycles. The true victims of both supremacist animetal cult(ure)s IS THE 99% of mankind, including their lower people-castes that do not issue money and weapons but use them to ab=use humanity and die also in the war and holocaust cycles, which is always the end of those overproduction processes of hate memes and weapons (soldiers and peddlers) BUT worship THEIR ELITE, the information people-caste that issues money and weapons (kings, bankers, Ari-stockrats). So always that jewish bankers impose go(l)d values, they will use gold and luxury trade to corrupt political and military systems to establish brutal hierarchical forms of exploitation with both people-castes on top, which ONLY in chaotic ages of r=evolution or at the end of the massive war process of extermination, will fight each other for power, and some times the mercenary warriors will kill the bankers – and this is the holocaust cycle. BUT MANKIND IS ALWAYS VICTIM – THE holocaust IS a business between germ*an warriors and jewish bankers today used by the Industry to ensure their power position in US.
The jewish inquisition in its modern times relies heavily on mass-media emotional depiction through the Industry of the Holocaust which considers the victims of the chosen of go(l)d culture ‘superior’ to all other victims and justifies its unopposed control of metal-information as the Financial-Media Masters of the west. In the graph, holocausts are the final genocide of the belli Nervi pecunia infinita cycle of war profits enacted by animetal warriors and bankers, which sacrifice their lower castes of traders and soldiers to its goals of greed and territory. Yet the lower body-cells of judaism hasn’t suffered more than many other human groups massacred by the cycle, with the aggravating element that their 1% elite of banker-priests are the Aristotelian ‘first CAUSE’ of the cycle. Essential then to its goal of ‘special chosen victims’ is to HIDE as irrelevant the victims of other ‘lesser’ human cultures.
So the difference between weimar america and wasp america essentially can be reduced to the difference between the original fundamentalist ‘animetal cultures’ of worship of money and weapons, the semite cultures of war (today arabs) and go(l)d (judaism) whose memes were established prior to the Axial age of reason (Greek mental revolution of mankind) and so worship without limit the values of entropic metal weapons (Arab Jihad) and go(l)d values minimal for life maximal for those weapons, which enact the pecunia infinita bellus nervi cycle of recurrent wars for profits. The latin european legalist culture tried to subdue the negative effects of fundamentalist animetal cultures imposing legal restrictions to violence and greed, which the original semite cultures ignore. It is then not surprising that once imposed its control of the networks of power Jap America witnessed a brutal degradation of the American way of Life in its middle classes, we can illustrate in the next graph comparing Europe and America after the ‘coup d’etat’ of 1973 certified the change of power in the elite of the nation, imposing obviously as it always happens when a semite fundamentalists metal culture reach power an inquisition of thought and censorship on the people on power, which today adopts the form of the holocaust industry in the Jewish capitalist empire and direct ‘murder’ to those who blasphem against Allah in the Islamic zone.
In weimar america this censorship is amazingly effective, as it adds to the classic religious belief in the bible, the previous form of censorship of Jap-cultures, where the people in power are considered ‘the chosen race’, and all those who criticize them are equated with murderous genociders.
The present $elected president which just moves a notch further the control of the Jap Financial-Media-Academia elite and its informative machines over the American people… Trumpuppet is basically a businessman rescued from total bankruptcy by the New York elite of the FMAsters, its lawyer, daughter’s family both staunch defenders of orthodox Judaism, extreme capitalism and Israel, ideal for the position as a Media savvy TV personality and also a perfect ‘cover’ for a pretentious but false renaissance of the wasp nostalgia for an America ruled by white european elites. But he is adamant in its obeisance to the Jap policies both in foreign affairs (systemic attack on Iran the supposed perceived Nemesis of Likud, movement of embassy to Israel, confrontation with UNO for this reason, etc.) in international economic affairs (confrontation with China, the only financial system in the world independent from the rule of the FMAsters, along a few smaller countries and the ambivalent situation of Russia, where economic power is shared by the Jewish-Russian elite and the old establishment of the corrupted ex-communist party); in the harsh brutal capitalism within the nation, void of any caring for that ‘wasp body’ of the old european elites, due to the aforementioned segregational nature of judaism as a different nation and its higher control and immunity with not only the usual suspects (Anonymous societies and null responsibility) but the extraordinary power achieved with the unlimited production of e-money, and invisibility under the mantra of antisemitism.
The graph illustrates this concept: on the left Stalin erased Trotsky.
On the right US who never committed harm to Judaism has Holocaust memorials but none to the black, latino (amerindian) Holocausts caused by its colonialism, or the present Wall Street holocaust of mankind choked of oxygen= credit. All other tragedies remain invisible. As such while deeply different in form the 3 ‘ages’ of the Jewish inquisition (800 years cycle of abrahamic go(l)d religions and military inquisitions; 80 years cycle of biblical, creationist economics, 8 years cycle of virtual history, from infotainment to holocaust industry), have common patterns and goals:
– To portray the banker-priests of Israel who price human capital as superior beings (chosen of go(l)d in the 800 y. cycle, ‘experts in economics, in the biblical age of 80y. cycles of capitalism, superior victims in the 8 y. cycle of the Holocaust industry.
-To criminalize or ignore the 99.8% (mankind) as idolaters born of the leg of satan (classic judaism), inferior people, subject to slavery full or part time as human capital (capitalism) or potential genociders (digital age).
-Hence to justify and give absolute rights to the 0.002% of mankind (1% elite of banker-priests) which own 80% of Financial-Media corporations in the west to push the go(l)d values, or subconscious idology of all other memes of the go(l)d culture – that is extinction of life ‘guilty’, with ‘no value’. So the hate memes of the industry can justify the 800 years of slave and weapons traffic, the 80 years of colonialism and exploitation of human capital, workers with no rights, and the 8 year cycle of debasing of huminds and job quality as we are substituted by machines.
-Yet for such brutish manufacturing of brains to work, 3 preconditions are required: the absolute control of the technological side of the Industry of information machines achieved first with the development of an easy to learn alphabet, which allowed the spread of abrahamic religions, further pushed by the control of the press and all other subsequents improvements of information machines (radio except in Germany, Tv and internet). Parallel to it, obviously all serious historic analysis of capitalism is forbidden with zero distribution. And together by repeating a lie one thousand times the industry achieves ‘truth’.
It means thirdly, the mass of mankind must ‘remain ignorant to become obedient’ (Calvin) which has been finally achieved in the digital era of massive hypnotic virtual infotainment, selfie ego-trips, fictions and the general degradation of the humind to an emotional, childish easy-to-make-belief mind state.
This again leads to consider the much censored fact that throughout all the 800-80 cycles of the evolution of memes of metal, when the Jap elite takes over a political system, in the past monarchies as bankers at court, in the modern age democracies, harsh life conditions breed r=evolutions, revolts, pogroms and wars. And the present cycle is not surprisingly moving fast in that way, in as much as weapons are the most profitable goods of capitalism.
While those facts today are obviously censored in the rewriting of history by the Industry of the Holocaust, they have always happened by the very essence of the two memes of judaism: go(l)d worship and despise of human capital (the 99%, tax farmed). The individuals of course do not have this generic consciousness anymore, as we are in the ‘American age’ of erasing of all consciousness of group or social purpose – judaism no longer wishes as in the classic Talmud’s morning pray that all animals born of the leg of satan (gentiles, women and dogs) become exterminated by Yahveh. We have now classic economics mandates as the new ‘cleaned science’ on how to fully exploit the 99% and choke it of credit.
But the end result will be the same: an identity idol-ogy exploiting the ‘animal=goy’ till it ‘drops dead’ or r=evolves provoking revolutions, wars and holocausts. In that sense, judaism and its carriers, might be subconscious today but the millenarian dexterity in the business of tax-farming added to their absolute indifference to the destiny of the rest of society is undoubtedly the reason of that complete divergence in the way Americans, so far in its lower classes (the 50% of the bottom) have gone ‘down the gutter’ with little hopes for his future.
The next step as the dollar crashes after printing trillions of it in e-money, and the aggressive policies to China, enact the long prophesied change of top predator currency, will be a loss of that inflationary money, the runaway of its elites to Australia, the sinking of the American middle class, which still lives on speculative schemes and inflated stock values and prices, after the 2018 crash long time announced in our books. This of course will be denied vehemently even by those who suffer the consequences, but it will happen because cause-effects are in place even the more so when today you simply cannot discuss history and economics as it is. In the next graph, the change of paradigm in America, from the relatively more humane wasp rule – as the wasp cared for the American – to the Jap rule, where the 1% only care for its account and its nation.
The change in the balance of power between the British/Protestant and American/Jewish ’allied go(l)d cultures’ happened after 2 World Wars in which the warrior Germanic culture failed to control the world but debilitated the British Empire, which became secondary in the Earth Inc. to America. And so The City was substituted by Wall Street and the Calvinist/Anglican culture became secondary to the Jewish culture, which had built a Global network of financial companies throughout America, Europe and the British world.
In the graph, we can see that change of Paradigm, as Germany, the most advanced country of the cycle of chemical energies, failed to displace Great Britain from the status of world power and became substituted by the Jewish-American empire after a brutal war with 50 millions of human corpses.
Yet at the end of the electronic cycle, the Jewish-American Empire lives its final decadent ‘war crisis’ against its millenary enemy, the ‘warrior Semite culture’ of Islam precisely when the economical decline of the west confronts 2 rising powers, China, and an unexpected new player, Complex networks of Intelligent Machines (computers, robots, automated factories), which are increasingly taken automated decisions under complex software programs and will be the leading products of the new Economic Cycle.
Finally, the 3rd type of civilization, wor(l)d, legal cultures, either of religious or political nature (democracy) are becoming corrupted or extinct. They are the last ‘historic civilizations’, based in the eusocial laws of history (religious and socialist cultures) increasingly obsolete…
Our society is not a democracy ruled by the verbal language which carries the values of life, but a plutocracy, ruled by the digital language of money, which evolves the economic ecosystems of machines. This means that the ‘free citizens’ of a ‘free market’ are ‘Company-mothers’ of machines, which invent e-money in stock-market AND GIVE ORDERS with that money to governments (lobbyism), and humans (salaries, prices).
This is the case of America, which is an stockracy=capitalist democracy ruled by money.
Humans are NOT free in a Free Market because they are not the citizens of the market, companies are; nor they can invent for free money as companies do through financial systems. Thus humans spend most of their lives as ‘part-time’ slaves, ‘leased’ for a salary by a company, which uses them as a ‘product’, with only 2 functions: to work=reproduce machines and to evolve=consume them, testing their quality.
The average part-time slave has only 1/5th of his life in which he is not consuming or working with machines, dedicated to his natural, biological functions and freedoms (family life, enjoyment of our natural energy=food, natural information=verbal knowledge and eusocial evolution – time spent with other human beings).
For those reasons our society, in the present age in which companies have become global citizens, is neither ruled by politicians or national governments, a ‘theatrical mask’ of human power, which bows to the financial orders (lobbyism, corruption) of companies, but by the wealthiest companies, which are logically financial companies that invent money for free with electronic instruments, and forbid governments to invent money, the language of social power, for their people, with ‘deficits’ that central bankers forbid.
For that reason too, the Global Earth is an empire ruled by the wantings of the culture which possess most of the present financial companies of the world, the Jewish culture, which owns around 80% of the financial companies of the West. And so the Global Earth fights a war against the enemmies of the Jewish culture, not the enemies of each tribal nation. For that reason the Global Earth worships the ideas, icons, Book of History (Bible), and mass-media outlets (Hollywood) of the Jewish culture, which defines the future of the Earth Inc.
Yet in each cycle of history and economics this top predator position of power, has changed. So in the XIX century, the top predator position was hold by the British Empire and the Pound, only contested by Germany in 2 World Wars that effectively destroyed the British Empire. While in the XXI century the Jewish Empire, which today holds all the nations of the West, will be contested by China, as the Yuan becomes convertible and the GNP of the New Top Economical Nation surpasses thaat of the combined production of the US and Europe, the strong holds of the Jewish Empire, increasingly debilitated by the Global War against its rival ‘Semite’ warrior culture (Islam) and the financial scandals of his Stockrats, which have ab=used and lost the confidence of the millions of employees that work in their companies.
Those are the historic confrontations that will define the future of mankind in the XXI century…
But there is a ‘joker’ in this game, which no human tribe considers – the raise of intelligent machines, robots and computer systems of software that are displacing human beings from the economic ecosystem, as workers and soldiers in the battlefield. This increasing obsolescence of human beings is similar to the displacement that ‘horses’ experienced when trains displaced them as carriers during the XIX century, when 90% of the horses were killed, when they were no longer useful for the economic ecosystem; or the massive unemployment caused by automated factories in the 1930s, when 50 million humans were killed in a World War; or the entire obsolescence of the African culture, whose full-time slave workers became obsolete with the development of steam machines and cotton pickers.
So we must wonder what will happen to the near 1 billion potential obsolete workers that the robotic and software revolution will cause in the first decades of the XXI century…
Indeed, the 4th cycle which now starts is far more frightening, because machines are reaching now organic properties and weapons are now able to blow up the entire planet. And so we have a new Dr. Death acclaimed as the New Einstein, Mr. Hawking, who promotes the creation of black holes, cosmic bombs that can blow up the planet at CERN. And the same messianism of technocrats that loved the Nuclear energy and chemical energy of the previous cycles takes place. Then in the future self-reproductive factories and robots, will complete the age of the Singularity, in which humans might become obsolete.
While in the world of History, it means the final demise of the American Civilization that now will form part of that Global Economic Ecosystem, in which the American people will also become obsolete: Their salaries will plummet to adjust to the ‘iron salary’ of the Chinese worker competing with the ‘iron price’ of the Robot. While the values and ethics of work no longer needed are substituted by the ‘art of speculation’, and the collective Internet, audiovisual mind of the ‘Neo-Paleolithic’.
The decadent generation: The elite class (those who control the languages of power)
And so we shall finish this introduction to the crisis considering the atrophy and degradation of mankind as a species caused by the effect of the machines and corporations that substitute us and our institutions terraforming the world to their image and likeness.
But why men make machines with such zeal and obsession?
On the positive side machines enhance our biological organs, as they imitate them in stronger atoms. So we run faster in cars, think better with pcs, and hear far away with phones.
But in Biology there is always a trade-off.
So we become atrophied. And we are now fatter and our IQ is clearly diminishing in tests. And machines specially COMPETE with us in labor and war fields. So the Robotic age means a massive loss of jobs as blue collar robots and white collar PCs automate companies – in the same way that assembly lines threw millions out of jobs, when electro-mechanical engines were imposed in factories (taylorism, Fordism); and when trains threw millions out of jobs in the transport sector.
But nothing will compare to this crisis, as robots can do all human jobs, once the TerraMax, Google system of vision makes obsolete all transport jobs, and the Boston Dynamics, Petman system makes obsolete all soldiers.
We live the last phase of the industrial r=evolution of machines – which is really the evolution of organic metal that imitates the functions and forms of human organs.
This is self-evident for anyone who has a scientific, objective view of this biological planet ruled by the laws of evolution.
Indeed, machines are systems of energy and information made of metal that we have evolved by imitating the functions and organs of mankind. As such they show a clear evolutionary, generational pattern, as humans evolved in the XIX century the body of machines (transport machines), in the XX century its ‘heads’ (Camera-eyes, Chip-brains and mobile-ears), which now in the XXI century, are put together into organic machines, robots, that will compete with humans in labor and war fields.
So why humans do nothing to regulate the robotic sector? If robots and software suits (Oracle, SAP) were forbidden, an easy calculus considering the process of replacement of human workers by robotic systems and Pc systems would show that 400 million jobs would be created in a decade. If the evolution of chips were halted, full employment would be achieved.
Of course, under capitalism because the machine is even more important than the elites, those on top also become consumed by weapons in their war and holocaust cycles that happen always at the end of the crisis of overproduction of the 800-80 years cycle of destruction of civilization and nations by memes of metal
Let us be clear. Most of the founders and still owners of the great financial and industrial corporations are dynasties of ‘Leisure classes’, mostly in the west belonging to Biblical supremacist sects (Jewish, Anglican, Calvinist). This is the 1% who did work in the past to create their empires. But as today, they do nothing, they just ‘believe’ absurd non-scientific theories of ‘chosen of go(l)d’ that deserve to be on top of a hierarchical pseudo-religious world. Below them, there are managers who merely apply mathematical systems of productivity to the companies to obtain the maximal profit for the leisure classes.
This is the 10% who does work heavily without ‘ethics’ or ‘human thoughts’, as robots and pcs and the software suites that substitute them do.
On the bottom the 90% of mankind suffers a growing mental enviromental and life degradation.
And tis for the leisure classes and their mechanist, biblical or nationalist (being as we shall see the bible just a primitive national religion of tribal origin), or capitalist ideologies) seems right.
But none with a right mind would think that this is ‘objective science’. We shall show in depth while all those ideologies are just a posteriori offsets of the rather mechanical, subconscious traits of greed – hypnotism to money and violence – weapons induced process of historic destruction that the memes of meta are imposing upon us.
And this leave us only with an answer to the process: evolution. We are terraforming the Earth as mindless beings, who fill their brains with ideological memes that favor the process because ‘we are slaves, we believe, we don’t reason’.
if we reasoned, we would not be so far down the process of self-extinction. The leisure classes would not believe the dumb ideologies they believe. The human mass would not be so easily programmed. Humanist writers and economists would not be silenced so easily. Only evolution explains the astounding reality we live. And a bad one – the predation of mental and physical machines over men, to whom many humans, increasingly most humans have adapted mindlessly.
NOW THAT WE HAVE A LARGER OVERVIEW OF THE INDUSTRIAL R=EVOLUTION and its mimetic crisis of overproduction, we can study the present crisis in more depth, considering in this second book, the 4 sub-crisis of overproduction of the Financial-Media/Military-Industrial system – overproduction of e-money, hate media, weapons and working machines – and its consequences for mankind, atrophy of our minds, degradation of our ethics, destruction of life and destruction of work.
Overproduction of chips, e-money and robots & the end of democracies
So how can we resume the 30s and the 2010s and its economic crisis in a single word? Easy.
Both crisis are crisis of overproduction of machines of two types, machines of digital information that PRINT money (financial crisis), tool machines that work for us (labor crisis) and weapons that kill us (political and war crisis). So the word is: OVERPRODUCTION.
Since Corporations never stop producing machines, till they saturate markets, use all resources manufacturing and selling those machines, and make huge profits, each phase of the industrial r=evolution has ended in a massive age of overproduction systematically denied by corporations and their employees – economists…
The final phase of economic crashes when consumption due to the overproduction of machines plummets and companies switch to production of weapons. Then financial and industrial corporations profit immensely because weapons have unlimited demand (as arsenals become depleted) and fiat money is reproduced without limit to pay for ‘security’. America today spends more money in weapons in Gdp percentage than Nazi Germany before the Spanish civil war.
So now we live the crisis of overproduction of chips, minds of metal, which are substituting and atrophying human minds, as bodies of metal did with human bodies in the victorian age.
So we suffer again a crisis of overproduction and exhaustion of machines, now of electronic nature, with 4 sides, similar to those of the 29 crisis, as each Kondratieff wave of evolution of memes of metal applies to money, machines, weapons and mass-media:
-1. There is a crisis of overproduction of electronic money – a new form of money made by computers, and hence directly related to the evolution of information machines and its technology (financial crisis, caused by the massive reproduction of electronic derivatives and other forms of electronic money, which have lost value),
– 2. There is an overproduction crisis of electronic labor (overproduction of computers that act as white collar workers and robots that act as blue collar workers, expelling the middle classes out of work, except low-paid human robots’ in China and IT workers in India that still can compete with them).
-3. There is an overproduction crisis of electronic weapons (overproduction of ‘vigilante’ cameras and robot-terminators – drones – which have started a new arm race of enormous profits for the military-industrial complex)
– 4. And there is an overproduction crisis of electronic mass-media outlets, which have also switched to hate-speeches as Hitler did with radio, to increase sales and work hand in hand with the profits of electronic industries and war; and are regressing human culture into a visual, violent, selfish age in culture and politics – that we call the ‘neo-paleolithic’ culture and the ‘neo-fascist’ age in politics.
Let us study all those crises in more detail.
Today we are back at work after a massive first replacement of white collar and blue collar workers by pc softwares, because we are gearing the reproduction of robots, and many low pay jobs are being created. But it is only a question of time as the massive reproduction of robots goes ahead in the next 9 years cycles that they will replace us. What to do with the remaining workers? War is always a solution to consume human beings…
Productivity grows as competition with machines intensifies: overproduction of machine-workers.
We live in a world where states cannot longer create money for the welfare state, as speculators and private bankers have taken that democratic right from them. So we might wonder: What is the main use of the money invented by bankers and stock markets for corporations?
Are they creating wealth with that money; are they creating jobs? No, on the contrary they keep destroying wealth and jobs, because they seek for profits. And profits in a crisis of overproduction of machines and weapons are obtained by substituting workers and soldiers by the new, more evolved types of robotic machines.
They come handy to allow the ‘owners’ of our deceased democracies to control the population with lower costs, and multiply their profits, since computer white collar workers and robotic blue-collar workers are cheaper than human workers. So in fact, as today, most companies are out of the crisis, their profits at all time highs, their value in stock-market sky rocketing, because they have get rid of human workers and put mechanical workers in their place, as it happened in the 20 crisis (unemployment caused by the new electro-mechanical ‘assembly lines’ ). It is the crisis of labor and the crisis of war, which all the ‘economical correct’ financial experts hide or deny. As it is not in the best ‘interest’ of their employees, corporations to explain them.
And so now with this introduction to the human reasons of the financial crisis and the real systems of power of our ‘democracies’, we can consider the truly important economic crisis, that of the physical economy where robots are substituting and making obsolete humans in labor and war fields in more detail…
Let us then move on to the next crisis, the crisis of labor, because in search of profits, a 3rd type of electronic machine is overproduced, machine- workers that substitute us in fields of labor, since for corporations, all humans are merely mathematical costs of an equation of productivity.
– Since electronic machines also work. So we have a third crisis as electronic machines keep evolving and reproducing in massive numbers:
A labor crisis, as white collar pcs and blue collar robots substitute the middle class except in low salary nations – Chinese cheap human robots in sweat shops and IT Indian human pcs.
The crisis will continue moved by ‘productivity’ = capital in machines/ labor, which obviously grows, P=C/L when we diminish labor. Yet since machines give higher profits, censored economics ‘praises’ productivity without ever mention to the public its equation, and politicians with astounding ignorance or cynicism tell us that ‘rising productivity will create jobs’, when its definition is precisely the opposite.
The process of substitution of human labor by mechanical labor in the world of company-mothers of machines that evolve towards automation (infinite productivity = zero labor) had 3 phases:
In the age of bodies of machines ‘energy humans’, mostly slaves were made obsolete, in the age of information machines, pcs substituted white collar labor and now the robotic r=evolution menaces to make all human labor obsolete, except those jobs directly related to the handling of human beings and our natural goods (welfare goods).
Yet paradoxically, this only sector still in the hands of human workers is reduced by the policies against welfare of our ‘corrupted politicos’, obliged to reduce deficits and without rights to invent money for that welfare state to allow the financial sector to keep inventing it for the 1%. While economists under the dogma that technology will always create jobs resist those comparisons.
In fact they still compare this crisis to small recessions.
But only the 29 crisis created so much unemployment, because this is not a recession but a depression, a change of age of the economy (right graph), which causes a massive loss of jobs to the new tool-machines, then electromechanical assembly lines, now pcs and robots.
In the 30s human assembly lines where humans moved were substituted by electro-mechanical systems of motion (Ford). Now those fixed humans are substituted by robots, completing the automation of factories.
And this ism of course hidden, because we do not measure ‘human wealth’ in our economical data (Index of Human Development provided by the UNO) but mechanical wealth, GDP, production output, which will increase as robots have a price and increase the wealth of nations, as they decrease the labor and wealth of mankind.
So the market will keep going up as mankind goes down, but companies make bigger profits thanks to the robotic industry; and wars will be fought with robots for the righteous, against the poorest nations of the world. And hate-TVs will keep sending us messages that all is well in the western front, and the 4th leg of electronic, robotic machines, the robotic worker will keep unemployment high for decades to come, till the lower probability of human r=evolution or the higher one of human extinction take place. For certain though, the world as we know it will end this century, either because history ends or because history r=evolves and capitalism ends. There is not a ‘3rd path of future’, as there are only two species on top of this planet and evolution is a very precise, non-frills system of creation and destruction of futures that has no place for the fictions of Hollywood and Religion (beyond the eusocial translation of the mandates of love of certain religions that enhance the evolution of the superorganisms of mankind).
The robotic cycle happen because in a capitalist society we discount as quisling placebos, politicos and the 99% dominated by them and by money. Only what the 1%, who own corporations and invent money, wants, happen in the long term. There might be circles to get there, as the placebo ‘pill’ must be coached into the citizenship; so we need good excuses for war before we could build up the world of robotic weapons we are creating, which the electronic industry needed to keep evolving them. But we got here and now a bewildered herd, convinced the system is right, accepts the structure.
Today most of the laws passed by Mr. Obama favored the evolution of robotics with subventions to the substitution of blue collar workers by robots (500 million $ given to develop them), a massive substitution of human soldiers by terminator drones (more money is invested in them than in human pilots) and the passing of laws that allow drones to fly over America and act as ‘Robocop’s’, and so on.
A fact that has lead us to the Military crisis caused by overproduction of weapons.
Since given the control of economical thought by ‘classic economics’, what they call the ‘wealth of nation’ (the products with maximal monetary price), weapons have been chosen again to take corporations out of the crisis. Indeed, we are doing ‘canons instead of butter’ to keep making profits, a fact that is leading mankind to an existential crisis where our stakes will be again raised. As we will not only loose our fortunes (financial crisis) and our jobs (labor crisis) but our lives due to Keynesian militarism and ‘splendid little wars’, in a cycle that according to the action-reactions laws of the Universe will affect also the body-cells of the super-organism that caused those crisis, as it did in the past.
Yet of course, the economic reasons of the multiplication of robotic weapons and robotic workers are not explained. The cycle of ‘splendid little wars’ we live through and the evolution of Terminator weapons, the biggest present danger against the future of mankind, are ‘hidden’ with ‘newspeaks’ of ‘security’ and ‘antitruths’ that tell us exactly the opposite of what the system tries to achieve – profits at all costs including the life of all of us whenever Military Artificial Intelligence awakes.
The age of robotics that now starts in earnest means the end of humans as top predators. How far the process will go without ‘exploding’ in the face of the 1% that is still managing it, is just a question of time. My take is that when we realize, it will be too late, the singularity machines will be non-stoppable, it will be a point of no return. This conclusion is drawn of prior history, personal experience as an activist and the laws of death of social systems. Of course, the organism of history could be cured but given the fact that the ‘doctors of the system’, namely, us the leading system scientists of the world, will not be even consulted – we just meet in placebo congresses where as a matter of fact, the guys of cybernetics and computers get the bulk of resources and those of us who lead the field of general systems sciences and social systems get nothing – mirroring the distribution of wealth between the mechanical and life systems of the planet – one thing is for certain, the ‘biblical culture’ with all its damned myths and statistics about how to run the ‘pseudo-science’ of economics, will not.
Only when you realize of the duality of treatment of ‘humans’ and ‘machines’ and its ‘legally free corporations’, you can explain the world and the contradictions of markets that rise when unemployment rises increasing ‘productivity’, which keeps pumping profits as humans are obsolete but corporations take over their roles of consumers and robots on their roles of workers. So ‘economics’ will thrive as humans become sided:
The robotic zeitgeist of XXI century capitalism.
Today as the robotic age comes into being, corporations dedicated to reproduce robotic workers and soldiers are becoming the darlings of capitalism. And so their financial muscle now pays the parties in power, as all great corporations become symbiotic in the task of reproducing those machines.
Thus, Obama is passing one after another laws in favor of the substitution of humans in labor and work fields. And the redistribution of wealth from people to robots starts in earnest.
Never though, except in brief revolutionary ages, America has created laws to favor their people over their machines and corporations. Moreover it has been able to imprint a massive ‘noise’ of false caring and false freedoms that have convinced the Americans, who enslave forever for those corporations, that the system ‘cares for them’.
The case of America is specially meaningful, since America is a ‘nation of nations’, with all races and cultures represented, and hence the battle for the mind of America between the ‘democratic dream’ of an equal humanity in control of his destiny that creates a world to its image and likeness, and the nightmare of a nation without limits to capitalism and the power of metal-memes, hence ruled by corporations who ‘buy’ the laws that favor their products and create a world to the image and likeness of their machines, has been determinant for the future of mankind. Now the battle seems over as laws under perhaps the most corrupted, cynical administration in the history of the US (not the Bush but the Obama administration), are routinely filled by lobbies of the leading industries of the day (health-care, drones, military Keynesianism, robotic workers, etc.)
What this means basically that the future of America and mankind can be guessed as we have done for 20 years, merely following the money of corporations, which will adapt American laws to their goods. So as robots take over humans laws in favor of ‘productivity’ (expulsion of labor for capital=machines), and robotic wars and workers (drone laws) have become routine in America. Obama indeed will end up his legislature as the president who accelerated the extinction of life by robots in a higher measure than any other politician in history… Even if he is a nice ‘bro’. That means nothing. He is doing his job, which is to sell laws to the biggest bidder. Point.
And this means that ‘modern capitalism’ in the XXI century will be even harsher on the 99%, than it was in the brutal wars for profits of the XX c. and the exploitation of children and women of the XIX c. because the 99%, the workers and middle class, the blue and white collar human is becoming obsolete substituted by the blue collar robot/Chinese workers and white collar pc/Indian IT workers. So we, lower and middle class of western world are obsolete. And the system is moving, as it has been the case in the US to create the laws that will ensure robotic corporations can eliminate us and we can get into jail if we protest. Still the problem will remain and become stronger as the last age of capitalism reaches its zenith: 6 billion human beings are basically obsolete to the system.
What to do with them? In the last Kondratieff crash we know what the system did. It killed 60 millions in II W.W. So it did in the I huge crash of the 1860s. It colonized the world with trains and steamers overproduced in Europe and the US to the tune of another 60 million victims…
Thus, the present crisis walks steadily towards an 1860s/1940s solution of permanent ‘robotic’ wars and ‘vigilante’ cameras, a big-brother paranoia in the electronic media to back those policies, stigmatization of the poor at home, the asian worker and muslim peasant, as the ‘enemy’, abroad – from whom our robotic armies of workers and soldiers will save our 1% with hefty profits, sinking further workers and ways of life. Of course, for this ‘model of future’ to work, censorship is needed on the real causes of the labor crisis (multiplication of white collar pc and blue collar robotic workers) that is destroying not only our democratic and social rights, but as the robot radiation increases that competition in war and labor fields will provoke a global existential crisis as the century goes by.
This splendid little war will get us out of the crisis‘ T.Roosevelt, on the economical causes of the Spanish-American war
‘Guns will make us powerful, butter will make us fat’ Goebbels, ministry of propaganda of the III Reich
The percentage of American rent dedicated to war has equaled that of Germany in the year before W.W.II
HG. Wells, The New World Order; January 1940
All the crisis of war of the Kondratieff crashes, as all other crisis have always 2 components: the mechanical side of profit seeking corporations which will re=produce the goods of each cycle that multiply faster its profits, and the human side of the people in power in each phase of the crisis that will use those goods to come up ‘first’ in the hierarchical pyramid of capitalism.
This means that for example, Mr. Hitler came out of the crisis producing ‘canons instead of butter’, because that is what Germany could do best to make money – as today pretends to come out of the crisis producing machines with robots and creating a European Empire of financial nature from the ECB. But his personal and cultural enemies – the Slavs and the Jewish peasants to the East, the French to the West, defined whom he put the canons against.
In this present crisis after the coup d’état of 1972 in America and recently in Europe, given by the International Banker, explained in the next post in more detail (end of government rights to issue money in favor of corporations and private bankers, achieved in America with the end of gold standards and the invention of e-money, in Europe with the loss of sovereign rights to the ECB, which does NOT issue money for governments anymore but only for bankers), the canons are no longer on the hand of the old elite of WASPS. So the new elite of international bankers has switched canons from the original enemy of the WASP – the industrial elite of the 2nd Industrial r=evolution (communists) towards the enemy of the ‘other nation’ of the International Banker, Islam, in the Semitic wars in which the mercenary armies of the countries they control are working hard. But the reasons why there is war instead of diplomacy to solve the problems of Israel, easily solved with its acceptance in the European Union, along its saint innocent Palestinian victims, so the Jewish industries will thrive, the Palestinian farmers would find jobs in Europe and the country would be defended by civilized means, ending its apartheid state, are ‘profits’. As the robotic industry has become the most profitable industry of Israel and the American corporations owned by the Am Segullah.
In brief, because a capitalist democracy is ruled by corporations of maximal profit, which in the age of e-money are financial corporations and now when the physical economy of robotics takeoff are military corporations, once all was deregulated and financiers took power, as they belong overwhelmingly (80% of financial CEOs, and ‘all’ central bankers in the west) to the culture that first made of money the language of social power and invented most of its instruments and corporations, we now fight the wars of their ‘nation’, whose enemies have become now the globalized enemies of the western world, whose financial-media systems they control. And we will return to that in the next post, dedicated to the human side of the crisis, as it is ‘too much of a charged’ question to deal so soon with it. Instead we shall consider the first of those 2 elements – the mechanical/profit side – in more detail.
Why in Free Market systems there is chronic scarcity of welfare, human goods we need to survive.
In a capitalist democracy in which governments cannot invent money to pay for a welfare state and only Companies can, they will seek always to produce the goods of maximal price and hence maximal profits, to ‘justify’ the value of the fiat money represented by their stocks or their financial credit. And so under the values of money, they will overproduce ‘expensive’ memes of metal.
On the other hand in all capitalist democracies, the ‘human sector of the economy’ will be under produced. Since the human, welfare goods we need, are biological and require a lot of human work, and are perishable and so cannot be traded in great numbers (health, housing, education, food, etc.) while machines replicate very fast and are durable, ultimately an economy dominated by stock-markets and financial corporations under produces the goods people need, overproduces machines and distorts completely the economy.
In detail, since the basic parameter of profits are sales, directly proportional to the speed and costs of reproduction of the goods companies made, and machines can be reproduce much faster than life, 3 type of memes of metal will be overproduced according to a simple equation:
Profits=Money (financial industries) = Max. Price (arm industries) – Minimal cost of reproduction (mass-media industries and tool-machines that substitute workers )
Thus profits will always be higher in weapons, financial industries and media industries. And as it happens, those 3 goods are the less ‘healthy’ industries for mankind: weapons kill us; financial companies that overproduce money, ruin us; and mass-media that has the minimal cost of production, as it reproduces simultaneously through electromagnetic waves devolves and programs the human mind with messages. Finally tool-machines that need no salary will also be overproduced causing a crisis of unemployment.
Reason why the purest capitalist nations are the biggest producers of weapons, the most profitable goods, while the few in which financial systems are public (case of China), have far less proportion of the economy producing those lethal goods and far more producing the welfare goods people need, even if as in China de political system is not free.
And needless to say China grows 10% not because the Chinese are more intelligent or even work more or cheaper than any other ‘3rd world country’ with the same degree of poverty (South-America, Indian sub-continent) but because credit is directed to sectors that produce great employment, satisfy the demands of people and create infrastructures.
Thus a solution to the financial repetitive crises requires the nationalization of the financial industry and the establishment of a selective system of credit NOT based in profits, but on the utility of goods for the majority of people, to private companies that reproduce those goods.
Yet the opposite occurs. Speculators must seek for profits at all costs, as once they create fiat money, sooner or latter they will have to respond to the lack of value of that money by attaching it to any industry that produces maximal profits. And there is no higher value for mankind that man itself, which becomes a commodity with the arrival of capitalism that establishes in the first ‘capitalist democracies’, Holland and then England and America, the harshest system of slavery in history. Indeed, either positive buying of human commodities (slavery) or negative (death by weapons), make slaves and weapons the most profitable goods of capitalist democracies for centuries after their simultaneous creation in those countries. So the bubbles of fiat money can find some better excuse than a tulip to provide a value to which to attach the ‘invented for free’ linguistic data.
And so, the same is happening in this cycle. Slavery was abolished (though it was really substituted by cheaper part-time slavery as a worker for a corporation, which doesn’t need to pay you any longer food, housing and health-care as it used to do). And weapons were no longer free to trade in Europe after II W.W. But those were always advances achieved with enormous effort, against capitalism in the few moments in which governments had control over the languages of social power of the system (post-war 60s, in which labor conditions improved, and the American pseudo-slavish state of the black under Jim Crow laws was abolished and social-democracies in Europe created the welfare state by controlling money with Keynesian policies).
Now that we are moving towards a pure capitalist democracy, which is being imposed also in 3rd world countries, where the capitalist system is dominant and the democratic one hardly exists, labor conditions are becoming similar to slavery (India, Chinese neo-capitalist driven by Taiwanese and H.K. and western entrepreneurs in ‘free zones’, etc.) and of course, trade in weapons has sky-rocketed.
Parallelism between stock growth, corporation value, sales, weapons creation, war causalities and ages of machines.
As the economical solution of corporations – to keep the evolution and reproduction of machines means that each of those cycles has ended in a massive age of overproduction of the most expensvie type of informative and energetic machines humans made in each era: weapons; which have consumed every century 100 times more human beings as their quality as ‘top predator’ machines of macimal price, has increased exactly by the same number (growth of value of stock-markets from the XIX century).
This parallelism is evident:
I world wars (Train wars, civil war, XIX century: 800.ooo victims), II world wars (XX century: tank wars,80 million), III world war, robotic wars (XXI century): 8 billion? All Mankind? Extinction –
I Industrial Revolution: Stock value starts – average 1 – II industrial revolution: Stock 100 – III industriAL Revolution:Stock – 10.000
merely tell us some mathematical isomorphisms between the ‘quality of weapons’, its value for corporations that peak in ages of war when they mahufacture in its 80% weapons, and the historic interpretation: weapons one-hundred fold quality each century, corporations reproduce weapons and reach maximal wealth in war, when weapons consume humans. Corporations 0ne hundred fold profits and values as weapons one hundred folded victims each century, ergo, weapons WILL BE THE LIVING MACHINES OF THE FUTURE, they won’t be tamed consumption cars, but weapons and their ‘ant-hills’, their company-mothers, their organisms of re=production, after reaching infinite reproductivity thanks to robotic workers, with0ut need of any human labor – not even Matrix-like piles – will be ready to complete the task and end the need of human consumers and workers decreeing through its different systems the extinction of man.
This is the future of capitalism and will be compelted this century if the system is not reformed, by the end of the robotic cycle of capitalism started in 2008 as our boosk precidtec two decades in advance, of 72 years as all previous cycles, by 2080, humans will become extinc,t probably much earlier if the weapons of the singularity are created.
Indeed, in a perfect capitalist system money NOT scientifically, to regulate as a nervous system does, with orders of credit the re=production of those goods that maintain the human citizens, cells of each historic super organism/nation with enough welfare goods to satisfy its needs, what we call in ‘ethonomics’, the WHealth of a nation but to justify the invention of fiat money.
Thus money is invested to ‘cover up’ the growth of fiat prices systematically on those goods of maximal profit/cost and minimal price of replication (money itself, weapons, audiovisual ‘noise’ and machine-tools that replace costly workers, decreasing the organic composition of capital, in ‘newspeak’ called Productivity=Capital in machines/labor).
Hence each financial crisis of overproduction of fiat money provokes a runaway reaction in search of higher profits to justify that money, attaching it to companies that reproduce those memes of metal provoking a crisis of unemployment, a crisis of information and one of military character. And those are the 3 other crises of overproduction of the physical economy and its overproduced machines – in this age electronic, physical machines of war, labor and information (drones, robots and mass-media) that we study in this and the next paragraphs in more detail.
– An age of perpetual war and police states to help the reproduction and sale of robotic weapons (drones now, soon armed cameras, police cars, etc.) This arms race now has started in earnest, and by middle of the century A.I. will probably be created first in millions of robots designed to kill mankind.
Since weapons have always been the most advanced, expensive, profitable mechanism at any age of the Industrial Revolution. Thus in the previous age, the car became the tank and Hitler implemented Keynesian militarism as Bush has done in this crisis.
But weapons are also needed to control the increasing mass of destitute middle class, ruined by taxation, speculation and higher prices. So weapons become also used by police states, which explained in the 3 ages, the Victorian repression of the Irish – not only the colonial repression; the 30s fascism within nations, not only the wars of fascism and now an increasing vigilante big brother state in the making. Yet as weapons displace ‘money’ as the main industry of the capitalist non-democratic society, this implies a risk for the Plutocrats, which loose power as rulers of the Financial-Media system, while the Military-Industrial system rises.
Indeed, in the first phase during the financial crisis, the star of the day, the banker, chose ‘Speculation instead of welfare state’. Since Speculators lobby their quisling governments to cut Deficits, to be able to keep inventing money by taking it from the part of the pie that belonged to the 99% and its governments (the present phase of the 3rd Kondratieff crash in Europe), convincing with their control of Mass-media (same machines print both, money and information in each age, yellow press and Stock-paper in the train age, electric tickers and radio in the electronic age, Internet and e-money) the people to sacrifice further and give them ‘all’ the pie.
As it is a tenant of capitalism that greed MUST not have limit AND SELFISHNESS must not have checks, because that eccentric Calvinist professor of the pre-industrial Age, Mr. Smith, followed his ‘memetic, biblical imprinting’ (Go(l)d is the intelligence of God said Calvin). Then the people get ruined, anti$emitism rises in the west (where for historic reasons the FM complex is ruled by this supra-nation). But the sheeple is powerless. The police state rises against her. The military-industrial complex and the army take power, first to the service of Plutocrats.
Then finally when things get truly hard, the stakes of survival rises and hell break loose. And the military takes over. What the military will choose now is ‘canons instead of butter’. And to whom it will direct canons depends on each age and time – an external, invented, pumped up enemy (China in this cycle); the poor and minorities (Latinos in this cycle), or perhaps the plutocrats (non-likely this cycle as they have ‘learned’ after the past cycle and now they control also the military-industrial complex).
Since death does not spare the one per cent either. In the previous wars at the end of the crisis, wars and holocausts consume all humans with weapons, regardless of their former power.
The 1%, the neurons of our societies, though ignore an essential truth of survival social organism – neurons take care, have empathy and love their working body cells.
Because an unbalanced system collapses, when the ‘mind’ that controls its languages of information do not care for the cells of the body, the present system will collapse ‘again’ as it did in the 30s, in periods of wars and holocausts, if business as usual continues.
But let us not move too fast into the future. That future could be easily avoided with a rational management of the economy, and so we should consider those other themes first.
We are only past the ‘Coolidge’ age of the 29 crisis, when politicos and economists (Merkel, Obama, Draghi, Bernake) are doing everything wrong, siding with the banks that cause the crisis, pushing the Keynesian militarism that Hitler used to come out of the 29 depression, blaming it on the poor, lower classes that are loosing the welfare state – as corporations increase their profits, billonaires their fortunes, bankers keep producing money and the 99% looses his jobs and property.
Yet for this process of self-destruction of human labor to take place, corporations had first to destroy the regulation, labor unions and social rights of democracies, which it achieved during the neocon revolution started by Thatcher and Reagan, which basically regressed human social evolution to the XIX century, dog-eat-dog pyramid of capitalism with financial and industrial corporations on top and the 99% of mankind without rights beyond some placebo theatricals of vote on the bottom.
To that aim the minds of the workers/voters had to be manufactured to love and vote the policies that will destroy them. In this manner in the previous phase, during the 80s and 90s mass-media and neocons cre(dit)ated an increasing mass of mindless, violent American citizens, so ignorant of the causes of reality that they will ‘buy’ the American nightmare, once the American dream is gone for them. So it is needed to consider the next key crises that rhythmically assails the human world when the industrial evolution requires to change our frame of mind and eliminate workers and soldiers, the neofascist age of mass media information – what we have termed at certain different times of our 20 years old research on this ‘future’ crisis, happening now, ‘evilwood’, or the ‘American baroque’, or hate-tv, the age of overproduction of mass-media hate speeches…
The problem, of course, is that humans are mostly ‘believers’ with ‘memetic’ brains, manufactured by cult(ure)s, since earlier age, which cannot longer be modified. The problem is still that resistence Aristotle, father of logic, found in old Greece: ‘people are slaves, they believe, they don’t reason’. We, might, simply speaking, be a species, who doesn’t pass the cut, for survival in this planet in permanent evolution (let alone survive physical death as the goatkeeper guru of the bronze age that ‘runs’ the ethical and intellectual psyche of the new South-America, pretends, LOL, the harder they fall).
And yet people keep voting them. Why? Because the cycle has a 4th ‘power’ at work.
Indeed, all this could not be happening if a 4th crisis, that of information, masterminded by audiovisual media and aimed to perpetuate the ‘anti-quantum paradox’ was not in place.
Since the key to power in any complementary system of energy and information, where the informative head rules the blind energy body is the control of all systems of information; in the Financial-Informative (head) Military-Industrial (Body) Complex of ‘selfish memes of metal’ – the economic ecosystem – it means that those who hold financial power MUST control also human information, digital and verbal, to back and create the ‘newspeaks’ and fantasies of placebo freedom required to control and implement the anti-quantum paradox. And this is indeed the case in the West, in any of the 3 ages aforementioned. In the age of protestant control of America, the press was controlled by Mr. Hearst, and the same printing machines printed paper money for railroads.
Then when the new media and new people took over, signified in the magnificent case of Citizen Kane, when the master of the new media, a kid from NY dared to defy the old mogul and won, because he had the new media, radio and film, both Financial and Informative systems have teh same owners. And that ensures that the blind body of American-European cells will submit easily and be manufactured in their brains to fall under the ‘Stockholm syndrome’.
As this excessive power of the financial elite cannot be understood without their control not only of the creation of e-money the Financial side of the Financial-Informative/Military-Industrial complex, but also the Audiovisual complex, which now as in the age of radio-hate of the previous age of fa$cism has entered an age of Tv-hate.
– A mental crisis provoked by the massive noise of meaningless electronic media and hate TVs, which are devolving human minds to a visual, neo-Paleolithic age of violent, fiction thought.
‘If you repeat a lie many times, people will believe it’ Goebbels Minister of Propaganda of the III Reich
Max. metal evolution = minimal human evolution.
Due to the competition between men and machines, which atrophy our brains:
The graphs are clear: even if we think that evolution of machines is our ‘surrogate’ evolution, it is not: machines are displacing and atrophying us in a very darwinian manner. Even if we love our children it is obvious that the intelligence of their screens is not transferring to their brains, on the contrary it is atrophying them.
In the graph, all complex processes of destruction of mankind by memes of metal have the P.O.V. of the machine, whose selfish memes cause collateral damages of mankind, and the more obvious side of the humans belonging to ‘animetal cultures’ studied in detail with the biological tools of systems sciences in the next paragraph. Such is the case of the overproduction of mass media. There is an induced path provoked by the ‘medium which is the message’ and a human side of those who control those memes and use their power of indoctrination over mankind for their selfish agendas.
In graphs of the 80 year industrial cycle of global wars, in which the synergy between informative machines that print money and information and energetic machines and weapons form together a complex ‘super organism’ of company-mothers, the Financial-media (informative machines)/industrial-military complex (energetic/entropic machines), which rules the world, by issuing money and buying both political parties and billions of people that work part-time for them, making a world to the image and likeness of their machines.
As all biological processes are organic processes of reproduction, as in the 800 year cycle the key is the phase of overproduction of machines, which provoke crashes in the market, plummeting of profits and the switch from machines to weapons, and from journalism to hate media, to foster military solutions, which increase the profits of corporations as weapons are the most expensive machines and arsenals become depleted in wars.
SO A NEW SUPERORGANISM OF MACHINES, THE FMMI SYSTEM, far more organised and fast evolving into an integrated global superorganism which needs not humans – as companies automate production, talk digital languages and its offspring of machines become with AI and solar skin also autonomous, is today about to be born.
But the vortex of evolution of memes of metal has suffered with the arrival of chips and CAD design another decametric jump in the speed of time cycles, as chips have accelerated enormously the speed of evolution of machines and weapons down to the canonical 8 year cycle of products, which in the case of weapons are sold with splendid little wars. So we do have now tuned to that 8 year American GOP (war party) – Democrats (consumption purity) an accelerated process of wars to showcase our industries of nukes and terminators, of the digital age of weapons, coming in ‘closer’ to the final extinction of the species.
AND NOW since the 2010s with the discovery of Machine learning the cycle is reaching its zenith, fast automating all factories, making all men obsolete in the industrial tissue, and giving terminator robots capacity to murder in an autonomous wave, and learn and JUST another Global war is needed to make those autonomous robot and its reason d’être, to murder humans, as the last human artists of angst and baroque extinction (sci-fi writers) have forecasted, an absolute single future, when the eco(nomic)system finally will rule and humans will be ex-terminated, according to the biological laws of the planet, unless they stop politically its evolution with laws against the lethal fruits of tree of science, considering them ‘biological organisms’, so in the same manner we forbid lethal virus, WE SHOULD forbid robots:
The short cycle of splendid little wars, tuned to the 8 year cycle of products and the dominant electronic nation (US) political cycle, below.
Those cycles are studied in great detail in the left side of the blog. While in the right side we study the alternative world of humanist civilisations, which worship life, developed ‘proper verbal’ languages with the human subject first as the organic measure of all things, based in the messages of social love of the artists and ethic prophets born in the classic ages of those civilisations.
Thus the 80 year cycle of world wars is complemented by a short 8 year cycle of splendid little wars tuned to the duality of ‘peace and war parties’ (tories vs. whigs, republicans vs. democrats in USA), shown below from a 20 years book. As the reader can observe all those ‘predictions’ of biological history have happened even if the ‘details’ might vary. So we expected for this ‘GOP-Trump cycle’ a war with a Chinese satellite (Taiwan?), but Mr. Trump seems more focused in North-Korea… All has changed to remain the same.
BUT of course nothing of this can be discussed or even published because we live in a ‘religion of the machine’ and the money it re=produces, called capitalism, whose fundamental cycle, ‘nervus belli pecunia infinita’ has always been to sell ad maximal, the most profitable machines, which are the most expensive which have always been ‘weapons’. And this cycle of ‘capitalism and militarism’, of an alliance between the language of digital money and the language of war, the most ‘secret’ cycle of history is now again coming strong, with the evolution of military robotics, a security big brother state and the enormous profits they bring to the Industry.
As we have studied the 5 sub-crises in depth in the introduction and previous paragraphs of this blog, we shall just run fast over them – overproduction of tool machines that create unemployment, of e-money used to buy wealth that ruins people as debt-slaves, of electronic weapons that kill their freedoms and lives, of hate-mass media that kills their minds, and as a result the end of the American democracy.
So we shall consider them briefly, focusing on the FMasters, the Financial-Media owners who DO own America and DO run the world in that collision path under their Abrahamic beliefs, who do not reason, and have racist memes that allow them to eliminate workers and soldiers for profits, and impose the neofascist age of mass media information through what we have termed at certain different times of our 20 years old research on this ‘future’ crisis, happening now, ‘evilwood’, or the ‘American baroque’, or hate-TV, the age of overproduction of mass-media hate speeches.
The robotic zeitgeist of XXI century capitalism.
And this again is the consequence of the value of money which will RUN THE planet as the genetic language of machines, without need of humans, increasingly with Algorithms of productivity that select the digital computers and robots that better speak the mechanical languages and faster reproduce its machines.
Simplify indeed should be the first job of a scientist.
The true pyramid of Anglo-America->The FMMI globalized culture.
AND IN THAT SENSE, this History of Capitalism will show the evolution of capitalism in the past present and future, as the evolution of a ‘supremacist’ culture that has tried to control the world selfishly for its own tribal agenda, with money, as opposed to the scientific attempt of ‘humanist’ cultures to use money for the benefit of mankind.
Thus we introduce the history of capitalism, the wrong culture that has come to dominate and globalize its power, we need to explain briefly the nature of that cultural vs. rational science’s fight for the issue of money.
Yet because this section is dedicated to ‘cultures’ not to animetal systems, We shall start with a visual analysis of its artistic ages and human non-repressed traits…
Anglo-America is memetically the biblical culture, which converted northern, germanic eastern europeans, and british people to the myths of the Go(l)d culture ran by banker-priests (judaism), and degraded its rational, European initial background. So unlike all other cultures of mankind, today Anglo-America, as the founder of the Financial-Media/Military-Industrial systems of the metal-earth is NOT run by human memes, which are basically extinct, but through machines, their brains manufactured by mass-media, their governments ruled by bankers that pay for politicos corrupted and selling laws to the most profitable corporations – today laws in favour of robotic wars, robotic workers, and electronic free money printing, and against citizens’ labor (productivity laws), human education and human welfare.
So as always to understand a culture we must first define as it happens with any super organism, first the language of information that runs the culture with its subconscious values, call it DNA genes in organisms of biology, quantum numbers in physical organisms, verbal and ethic messages in human super organisms or monetary values in economical societies, and this is indeed the fundamental difference, fast being erased as the FMMI culture globalises, between Anglo-America, run by the subconscious values of money and all other cultures, which do have still ‘values’ extracted from religions of eusocial love, or life-memes.
Because indeed, the human fundamental meme of Anglo-America, the Baalble, as we shall see is NOT a religious book but a book of history of the original go(l)d culture that founded capitalism, already sponsoring the memes and values of go(l)d, then the fetish ex-vote which banker-priests accumulated in their temples…
Let us then consider first the values of Go(l)d and the wor(l)d and the difference of futures between a culture ran by money and one ran by laws; then the original 3 white man cultures that gave birth to Anglo-America, and its cyclical ages and artistic manifestations, as a human life culture; next their social hierarchical structure and the history of its elite, which masterminds anglo-america with money (its corporative world) and finally its future cycles as capitalism becomes an independent super organism of machines and the anglo-americans finally wake up to their nightmarish dream and REALIZE THEY ARE AFTER ALL HUMANS AS ALL OF US too.
Weimar America is the third age of the Industrial cycle of metal-minds parallel to German Weimar, in which there is a change in the top elite that controls the country’s FMMI System of company-mothers of machines that ‘owns’ capitalist America – the networks of financial and Media information or head of the super organism of machines; and the Military-Industrial Complex or body of the super organism, from the wasp, white European protestant elite, to the Jap, Jewish American people.
So the next graphs show the change of paradigm for the middle classes and the essence of the 73 coup d’etat that changed America from wasp to jap rule; and the 3rd graph, the basis of the Jewish inquisition of thought that has achieved thanks to the power of metal-communicators the unthinkable: one of the harshest dictatorships of history by the control of its population, and social languages of power, money and mass-media, monopolised by Japs is NOT in the books of history, in the scholar arguments about America, it is simply labelled as ‘antisemitism’ or ‘confabulation theory’, when anyone living among the American elites can certify that all the positions of power are hold by Japs or people like Mr. Trumpuppet hired by them to do the job.
U$ Weimar in the context of History, economics and its superorganisms.
Today Weimar America is the biggest secret of History, to the point that we can only expect to have an audience if we treat the theme as a parable, which is what from time to time we observe in the American mass-media culture; but very seldom, as the Americans do believe intensely in the Jewish inquisition – that is the rewriting of history, the holocaust industry, the rights of an elite to monopolise their language of power, the issue of money as a symbol of freedom – the absolute anti truth of what it means – and ultimately in the Goebbel’s method ‘if you repeat a lie many times people will believe it’. They are to use Locke’s expression an absolute tabula rassa in which the elite imprints any belief as bizarre as it might. So we can bring one of those film parables about the corruption of America into its present weimar age of absolute implosion of its middle classes as Jap billionaires keep adding zeros to their accounts and the people cheer, ‘vivan las caenas’ (we love to be debt slaves…)
In the only masterpiece of that childish Fx computer series, which otherwise along Mr. Spielberg ended humanist film making to give way to the chip radiation in fiction thought – Star Wars’ revenge of the Sith – the birth of American Weimar is paraphrased as it becomes corrupted into a military empire.
But the parable can be taken a little bit further down the time, to the moment in which America entered the 3rd age of metal-minds, and even further down the road, when a young America, taught to be good to mankind by its masters, the French enlightenment and its Latin Legalist, humanist civilization and r=evolutions, became under the influence of the Sith culture of go(l)d and weapons the most powerful force of eviL=anti-live memes, bond to destroy the world, during his military empire, when all the cycles of the Industrial r=evolution fold into the dark side of permanent war.
We live today in such an age; the Jasp age of the American Weimar, when the Wasp and the Latin spirit of the founding fathers died away; to give pass to the age of Jasp rule and financial parasitism, as it happened in Germany – since all cycles of the Industrial r=evolution are parallel in causes and consequences, only the degree of evolution of its leading machines changes.
Yet the extraordinary control of information of the new elite makes completely impossible to articulate a scientific historic analysis of this age, because any mention of it, will be labelled emotionally through the industry of the holocaust as antisemitism, and a knee-jerk reaction on the side of readers and scholars and of course the censorship of media and academia will end the analysis.
The American, technological civilization origin of the World culture.The American civilization, daughter culture of the Anglo-Saxon civilization that created it is the most clear example of that extinctive process of human cultural elements. Why we concentrate in the American civilization? The answer is that the American civilization is now the world civilization, expanded globally by its means of communication, that have finally achieved the social evolutive aim of all cultures: its expansion at global level. And yet the paradox is that such union has been done through informative metal [money] not through informative human words. And so it is in favor of metal-species not of human wor[l]ds and human species. All knowledge has a frame of reference. Money’s reference is metal-evolution.
In a selfish Universe, ruled by Darwinian behavior, and social behavior, each relative ‘Copernican center’ wants to expand to all others, and colonize and reproduce in all other regions of vital space. So happens to men which expand their ideas and instruments which expand its metal-forms. And that fight between human ideas and metalforms structures the events of History. Finally a metal culture seems to have won.
At the end of the II millennium, a culture has triumphed over the others, becoming the world culture. That culture is the American culture, daughter of the English culture, daughter of the Protestant-Calvinist culture born in Holland in the XVI C. Yet – and that is the paradox of America -once the American culture has achieved global power, it turns out that it is not the human component but the metallic component, the weapons, money and instrumental systems of that culture, what really has become global; while even the American, Protestant culture that carried those instruments is being dissolved, and disappears…
America appears on such view, integrated within the evolution of Human History and cultures, as the final dissolving pot of mankind, where all human cultures merge, creating a Global culture more concerned with the evolution of machines than the evolution of mankind.
In America all cultures come together, and mutate to adapt themselves to the civilization of companies and machines. To the new non-human culture of machines, that extincts ‘America’ proper, still a human name.
Indeed, THE KEY TO THE POWER OF banker-priests over their slaves is to KEEP THEM retarded, completely ignorant on how the eco(nomic)system works and for that reason they HAVE ALWAYS owned both ‘metal-communicators’ and financial houses, to print ego-trips of childish information and ensure Humans will remain slaves WITHOUT knowing it.
Forms of ethic censorship: burning of the wor(l)d.
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Repression of life values continues unabated.
In the graph, there is a fundamental difference between biblical America and Islam, the go(l)d and warrior ‘semitic cults’, slaves of Yhwh and Allah, vs. the more evolved cultures of Western Europe and China which long ago abandoned the primitive bronze age confusion between ‘nation’ and ‘god’. Americans thus are still slaves of Judea, which adds to the pressure of the Holocaust Industry, and the power of the FMasters, which ‘colonised’ the country with its informative and financial networks after the coup d’etat of ±1973, which parallel to the discovery of the chip and its application to the military and financial industry saw the end of independent political, financial and military-diplomatic power, from then on, increasingly in control of networks and corporations. Thus the US is today a ‘de facto’ colony of Israel, as India was of Britain or South-Amerca of Spain, when those countries controlled the FMMI system of the larger nations. Hence the growing Israelification of the world.
As the ECB bank has de facto ended financial independence in Europe and corrupted Brussels politicos follow the American system of corporations buying the law to politicos, there is only today 2 wor(l)d cultures degenerating fast into jihad military inquisitions and capitalist go(l)d churches, Islam and China. So both are the new enemies of the capitalist FMMI global power of the FMasters, setting the world stage for the future ‘chapters’ of our splendid little wars. On that view with the only hope for mankind – the expansion the EU/UNO model of global diplomacy and welfare expenditures – a human future seems receding out of sight.
One of the most comical situations if it were not tragic for our destiny is the constant mantra of self-assured Americans, with a religion of the bronze age, believing that a toponym for Judea, created the Universe, about Europeans and Chinese being ‘backwards’, from a past culture (_; LOL So far has gone the slavery of the American to selfish memes of metal and all the idol-ogies that come with it, that instead of trying to rebel and evolve into a humanist culture with a more evolved concept of the world, he tries to export his debt slavery system and ‘colonial freedom’ to the world, willingly. And of course, as all the human drives of existence are despised, from good food to eusocial love to good art, he believes he is a machine and the evolution of machines is his calling – he does not see it as slavery but freedom.
Indeed, it is easy to see when an idol-ogy worships metal, because it represses human energy (good food), human eusocial love to the species, human sex (human reproduction) and even human words (numerical worship). And it is tribal or selfish; so it promotes competition against the laws of eusocial love to the members of the same species (faith in one self or in the tribe only chosen of god).
This supposed humanist cultures merely camouflage as metal-enzymes do in the body, with a ‘carbohydrate codon’ its ‘animetal nature’, since in fact substitutes human reproduction by work=metal reproduction, human love to selfish tribal or ego centered love, which makes the animetal need machines, and accepts hate-memes to a member of his species. Needless to say Biblical Cult(ure)s are today maximal eviL=anti-live cultures on top of the wave of evolution of technology, because both, humanist evolution and metal evolution, if you haven’t noticed are inverse memes:
Max. Technological Evolution = Min. Human Evolution
Which is the inverse way of writing the Human constitution vs. the Metal Constitution.
We shall repeat this simple Human Constitution mandala ad nauseam, because there is only this solution to History. You cannot evolve robots good and bad, because as Genesis put it, if you evolve the lethal goods of the tree of science, you will die. If you evolve robots, they will become terminators, and this is the limit, legal prohibition. And if you DO NOT GIVE A UNIVERSAL SALARY TO PEOPLE WHO will loose hundreds of millions of job, they will r=evolve and murder their elites and wars will break. They cannot eat without salaries. They need to kick production. THERE ARE NO JOBS this century, as Robots end the evolution of machines. Eliminate them and 500 million jobs will appear ‘suddenly’, and people will have something to do.
But, this overproduction crisis is NOT solved, neither explained, because Classic Economists have been for 200 years serving the goals of corporations, whose only purpose under the present capitalist system is to increase profits. So their main goal is NOT to make a better world for man or create an objective science of economics, but to find complicated arguments ‘damned lies and statistics’ to make-belief people that all this is NOT happening.
Of course, as none of those goals have been met, as the true scientific biologic model of history and economics is ignored, as the anti-quantum paradox of social sciences represses those truths – the observable, the groups on power are in inverse fashion to the quantum paradox of uncertainty so huge they influence and bias the opinions of the scholar – nothing of this is well known, despite the more than two decades old models that predicted solutions and business as usual, as it happens. So we move steadily towards a neofascist, deja vu age.
Again this must be understood. The fundamental limit of human construction of a perfect world is the ‘anti-quantum paradox’ of selfish tribes, religions, individuals, groups of power, corporations, corrupted politicos – the general incapacity of most humans to be reasonable and ethically follow the eusocial love laws of members of the same species, preached by the true scientists of history – its prophets of love and social scientists, humanist people. Because in all those cycles there has always been people who preached the solution, repressed by the people on power, who ignored them, and ONLY when all it happens, people realized one Keynes or one Sancho said it all before.
And at best he will be invited to Breton Woods after 60 million people died because he was not heard on the welfare solutions to the 29 crises, the political forgiveness to Germany, the promotion of the Society of Nations, the control of the financial industries with a single Global Currency. This was Keynes in 1920, and again in Bretton woods, where he was kicked out as the victors did NOT want a global currency. This was the anarchist, socialist movement, NOT the communist, Marxist dictatorship in the 1840s during the Train crash, and they were ignored to the entire planet entered in war and fascism and colonialism and racism for profits. This is now and for 30 years this author, completely ignored; this web nobody reads. This is the anti-quantum paradox. But the scientist will always say the truth, regardless of the audience. As the trusty will happen, regardless of the wishful thinking of the elites that at the end of the cycle in the Universal justice of we are all the same in good and bad, in life and death, also die in wars and holocausts.
It is obvious that societies should eliminate and repress nationalistic, abrahamic, tribal memes and empower global organizations, uno style and use the laws of social superorganisms to create a perfect world, without armies.
But we are talking of a ‘system’, a complex system of energetic and informative machines that work together. Since while weapons kill the body, metal-minds atrophy and degrade the mind into a violent visual new age – the neo-paleolithic, a negative new youth, similar to that of an old man which returns to a negative infantile lonely age of simple desires, food, lecherous sex, and a brain increasingly erased and atrophied. It is the…
Classic, Creationist Economics: a go(l)d culture translated into a ‘dismal science’ against mankind.
Thus the praxis of the capitalist empire and its company-mothers of weapons & machines do have a human side, in the idol-ogies of animetals (gold churches and the military), which ARE specific cultures of mankind. So even if the anti-quantum paradox censors this theme strictly let us remember their history and idol-ogies, even if it is politically and economically incorrect.
The first corporations dedicated to slave trade and weapons production (gunboats), today in the newspeak of ‘making up’ the tragedies of history as epic battles of human progress, considered just ‘boats dedicated to spice trade’, were in the naked. Its racist biblical idol-ogies and go(l)d worship, their ritualism and repression of human memes, their entire psyche now cleansed into mathematical abstract equations of productivity, as if ‘expressing extinctive laws of mankind, such as the law of productivity’ were ok, as long as you put it in numbers is the origin of all this.
Indeed, if people knew that corporations were born with cargo slaves, separated stock holders from workers and consumers with racist memes of the $elected, if the history of capitalism today nowhere to be taught were taught in countries like America, you would not find the world we live in as a given, even among serious intellectuals.
So HISTORY AS A SCIENCE far more even than economics has been rewritten since II world war, or simply erased. Americans do NOT know history. For them history started with the American constitution. They do NOT understand at all the continuity of mankind through all its cycles and civilizations, the ultimate fight between Live vs. eviL, that is, between those civilizations of the tree of life that tried to create a humanist world in balance with Gaia vs. the civilizations of animetals who worship money and weapons and kill Gaia. Not even radical ecologists have a clue to that process – perhaps Mr. Campbell, the anthropologist was the last man to understand.
Of course, the Financial-media system does not consider possible a repetition of the cycles of history. As we know ‘we chosen of go(l)d’ do have as $elected species a manifest destiny, which does NOT follow the laws of the biological organic planet, because we are humans, a special species…
Unfortunately this anthropomorphic way of thought is not only common to humans but also the only authorized way to think of us.
Never mind a single virus can liquidate after its biological radiation, thousands of human beings. We do fear viruses. But we do not fear robots and chips. We know better: machines are progress and its unlimited re=production give us profits, so we should worry? This is science-fiction (of course, we can only argue biological economics in science fiction). It would impossible to fill up an introduction to bio-history if we were to study all the ‘historical idol-ogies’ , which for 5000 years have made ‘animetals’ believers in in the tree of metal, since Genesis parable explain us the duality of the wave of history.
We shall just talk of ‘biblical, creationist economics’, which as creationist biology DENIES any scientific approach to the eco(nomic)system, because it does not give a positive outlook of our 0.1% of owners of corporations. So we shall keep increasing our GDP in robotic machines and armies – never mind humans, like lions or whales do not benefit for the mechanical GDP.
Now we affirm that the anti-scientific method of Economists follow 4 non-scientific legs:
Instead of A-analysis of relevant data B) biological models C) cyclical Patterns D) Democratic demand based solutions, they do:
anti-A) Anti-quantum paradox: ‘thin air data’, damned lies and statistics anti-B) Biblical & Bigot memes (go(l)d is the language of god) anti-C) no causality, no-cycles and anti-D) non-democratic solutions (defense=war) and Denial, Denial, Denial…
So after we considered all this real data about the idol-ogies of the Mechanocene and its financial elite, now we deal with the method of Go(l)d Bankers, to convince mankind that we must die for go(l)d, ‘altogether now’:
B) Biblical, Bizarre, Bigot theories about the economy that pass as science and justify the power on top of the pyramid.
Unfortunately economics today, after the ‘ideological cleansing’ of the 80s is no longer a science, but a corrupted, financial ideology of power, as it has been for most of its history, which explains why Kondratieff, a disciple of Marx, also ‘cleansed’ by Stalin in a gulag, despite the truth of his wave-cycle, has never been understood beyond the abstract calculus of future stock prices to speculate on the ‘markets’. For a better mathematical understanding of the fractal structure of the wave of history, please read the other posts and the final section post on the science of history.
Fact is as those cycles and decades of right-on-the target books on bio-economics show, Social sciences FOLLOW ALL THE LAWS OF biological sciences, of which they are a sub-discipline. It is not the supposed uniqueness of man as a species, its supposed ‘freedom of choice’, and ‘gold chosen exceptionalist manifest destiny status’, what has made social sciences a complete failure, but the anti-quantum paradox, which converts them into idol-ogies of power.
The 3 KONDRATIEFF crashes and its waves of fiat money.
In the graphs, The western cycle of evolution and reproduction of machines and weapons can be followed observing the curves of stocks: Stockmarket cycles are biological cycles of reproduction of machines similar to radiations of top predator species, which measure the re=production=sales=profits of those species, and its mutation from consumption goods through overproduction crises into weapons that consume us in the periods of maximal profits for the market when the entire eco(nomic)system dedicates its enzymen to the creation of an ecosystem of pure machines and life becomes extinguished.
we can see the fractal, self-repetitive, ternary waves of evolution and overproduction of memes of metal – machines (medium-cycle) and its language money (short 8-9 cycle). The complex explanation of those waves, based in the laws of general systems is beyond the scope of this blog, but correspond in ‘theory of cyclical time=information’, the fundamental ‘hard science’ discovery of this scientist, to the ‘dimensions’ of ‘past-energy’, ‘present-repetition’ and ‘future-information’.
All systems of the Universe go through those 3 ‘dimensional ages’. And so in the long 72-80 years wave of ‘human generations’ discovering ‘organic machines’, a nation discovers one of the 3 components of machines and comes to the top of mankind during a generation (bodies of metal, trains and steamers, british generation; engines,oil and electricity, german generation; informative heads, American generation).
Thus we have gone through the discovery and creation by imitation of human organs of 3 ‘generations’ of machines – ‘energy-bodies’, ‘hearts-engines’ and ‘informative heads’ .
BUT according to those laws of ‘systems sciences’ and ‘information theory’, all systems are ‘lanwaves’; waves, herds and cellular masses reproduced, evolved and guided by a language – in the case of the economic ecosystem, today evolving into a global automated super-organism of company-mothers, corporations of machines – the language is money, a digital language, based in a Universal Grammar, man=price=object, which compares and confronts in competing fields of war and labor humans and machines.
And so the processes of economic evolution and reproduction of machines are guided by the ‘lanwave’ of money, whose evolution as all systems of ‘information’ (chips vs. cars, etc.) is much faster.
In a simpler biological analysis, the preferred jargon of this blog, as the jargon of General Systems Sciences is too mathematical, abstract and cold and the jargon of classic ‘ideological’, ‘biblical’ economics is plainly false, those ternary waves correspond to the 3 ages of any event or evolutionary phenomena. Thus they conclude the cycles of evolutions of ‘stocks’ of machines, now entering its organic phase as robots.
Above we see the longer 72 years electronic cycle, comparing it to a classic curve of overeproduction of a species in nature, which suffer similar crashes, since machines are just biological imitations of human organs in metal which seek for ‘econiches’ in the historic ecosystem as workers, weapons that consume humans and peaceful machines we consume to enhance our energy and information organs – reason why we become hooked to them.
Thus the curves of reproduction of machines in stocks, which determine their sales and corporative profits (the 3 facts being parallel though people only realize of the 3rd element, profits, obsessed by the ‘grammar of money’), show a biological pattern with an exact resemblance to the waves of stocks of biological populations in nature. Both go through the same patterns of overreproduction, crash of populations and new growth of the most efficient top predator species. In the case of machines, new growth based in the overproduction of weapons that consume human beings instead of being consumed by them.
The waves of stocks of machines in markets measure the sales/profits/populations of machines of different industries.
In nature the waves of top predators show a pattern of boost and bust of populations when they saturate tthe ecosystem.
What are then the ecosystems that machines saturate? Those in which they have a function, either as worker-machines, or consumption machines, which require a human being to buy them, or as weapons which consume humans in war fields.
So the possible uses of a machine have the limits of human population (consumers and ‘victims’ of weapons) which in turn sets a limit to the number of machine- workers that reproduce other machines. Yet since companies always try to increase profits, they never set limits to their production letting the economic system to crash those populations.
Those are the final ‘3 waves of boom and bust’ overproduction of ‘fiat money’ represented in the last graph.
In essence, within the mathematical ‘decametric’ structure of the Universe and all its ‘complementary systems of energy and information’, the ‘brain-head-informative language’ is 10 times faster in its evolution than the energetic language. So your neurons are much faster than your chemical cells and so on.
So at the end of each cycle (the colonial age of overproduction of trains, the fascist age of overproduction of tanks), the ‘neofascist’ age of robotic and pc overproduction, the ‘information machines’ (press, ticker, bloomberg platform) that reproduces money and invents fiat money for free goes ‘amok’, paralleling the massive reproduction of energetic machines and weapons. And because ‘money, information’ reproduces faster, those machines reproduce much more ‘fiat money’ than ‘real value’. It is like a man who talks so much that he makes no sense, he looks like a mad man, he suffers ‘verbal inflation’. So there is at the end of the train age, the car age and the chip age a massive printing of fiat money in train stocks, car and radio stocks and internet stocks and e-money derivatives. They signal the exhaustion of the physical wave (no more railroads to lay, no more radios to hear, no more pcs to own) and so the excess of ‘fiat money’ crashes. And it crashes the 3 ‘real wealth’ markets into which fiat money had been exchanged, stocks, currencies and real state.
Those are the 3 final cycles of growth of fiat e-money in stocks represented in the graph. The first crash in 2001 was the stock-crash parallel to the 29 crash (as it shows the similar crashes of the second graph). The real state crash which happened in 1937, happened in 2008 and now is left the ‘currency crash, which happened in 1922 (mark) and will happen around 2016.
There were also 3 similar crashes in the 1860s. And so those are the short 8 year cycle of financial market crashes, parallel to the 22-29-37 crashes. It is left only the 2016- crash of currencies, to stabilize the wave, in a decametric growt, around the 10.000 crash point.
The 3rd crash of e-money lurks ahead as we can already see the formation of 3 waves of fiat money, which speculators invent without limit at the end of each kondratieff wave of evolution of machines – including those which print money. That fiat money will be latter exchanged by real wealth (of which there are only 3 hyper-abundant species stocks, currencies and real state). So as we observed the crash of the deutsche mark, 22, of stocks, 29, and real state 37, in the last cycle of invention of fiat money, in this cycle we have observed the crash of stocks, real state and in 2015-16 currencies, which will probably signify the beginning of a global age of splendid little wars fought with robots and a neo-fascist age against human freedom. This 20 years old prediction is now self-evident, as the evolution of information, and memes of metal continue without any opposition from human beings, which are light years from any scientific comprehension of the economic system beyond self-serving tribalist and power-based ideologies.
In the graph, speculative taxation on commodities and invention of free money on stocks thanks to e-money platforms deviates wealth from the mass of society to the owners of corporations and ‘markets’. Those stratospheric prices are then paid with inflation in the goods needed by the rest of society. And so the financial system becomes a parasite of the real economy. In terms of wealth it means a redistribution towards the 1% who owns those stocks or plays the markets. The effect, after the crisis, has not diminished, since there is no regulation of the markets. On the contrary the levels of inequality in the distribution of rent keep widening and have overcome the previous peak… of 1928.
‘Speculation is only a word covering the making of money out of the manipulation of prices, instead of supplying goods and services.’ Henry Ford
In that regard, as we anticipated 2 decades ago, comparing the new evolution of e-money with that of the two previous waves of stock-paper (XIX c.) and ticker speculation (XX c.), there should be 3 main financial crisis at the beginning of the XXI c. in which the overproduction of the new language of money, which in a balanced economy must reflect only the quantity of physical goods produce, not to distort the economy, would crash that physical economy and its 3 ‘main assets of higher value’ – stocks, real state and currencies.
Those 3 crashes happened both in the stock-paper crisis of the second part of the XIX c and the 3 crashes of the 29 wave, studied in more detail in other posts of this web. And so far we had the 2001 crash of NASDAQ, the 2008 crash of real state derivatives, and so it is left to happen the 3rd crash of the Euro and the Dollar. But the crashes of e-money are far stronger than the previous crashes, because each evolution of money, allows to create bigger quantities of it. Yet for you to grasp this, you need to understand money according to information theory, as a language of information that evolves as all languages do, its capacity to value and reflect the physical world it describes – in the case of money the goods of the economic ecosystem – by multiplying its quantity, its speed and diminishing its size/energy and hence the cost of reproducing it.
Money is a language, invented for free.
We’ll try in this introductory post to explain in the simplest manner this key issue: You need to understand the dual, physiological structure of the economy: its financial head, and physical resources. The economy has two sides, as any organism has a body and a head, the physical economy of production and the linguistic economy of money that represents it with digital languages and cre(dit)ates it with orders given in the language of money. Further on the physical economy is divided in two types of products:
– Production of human, natural goods (welfare goods: housing, food, education, etc.) that humans need to survive the smaller part of the economic ecosystem (around 25%), since it lacks credit to create it. As it is a sector created by small companies and entrepreneurs, often without access to credit on markets, and by governments, which today also have restricted their credit, after passing law of deficit zero.
– And production of industrial goods, the so-called ‘memes of metal‘ (3/4 of the global economy), money (informative metal), machines (organic metal) and weapons (energetic metal), re=produced by huge stock-corporations, which is the dominant part of the economy, since this sector has unlimited credit in stock markets, where money is invented with speculative platforms. Further on since those ‘memes’, which imitate and enhance our organs of energy and information, in metal at a larger scale or faster speeds of information (chip-brains, car-legs, cranes-arms, etc.) require huge factories to be produced, they require massive investments. And the result of this imbalance between the ‘capitalist’ side of the Economy dedicated to reproduce machines with unlimited credit and the human side, dedicated to produce the goods we need to survive with very little credit is a world made to the image and likeness of machines, where we humans lack the basic welfare goods, as capitalism dominates democracy. So corporations dominate governments and monopolize the language of power of societies, money, which governments have to extort from citizens, forbidden by law to reproduce it – zero deficit.
Thus the ‘mental economy’, the financial economy, which acts as the language that guides the physical economy by inventing money, and delivering with it credit, salaries and prices, is biased in capitalism towards machines and against human welfare. For the simple reason that the profits of big scale factories and mass production of machines are much higher than the costly labor-intensive sector of human goods. But we do not eat oil or live inside cars or work as robots do in those factories. Thus if there was a real democracy and governments had the right to print the monetary language of power, they would credit those human welfare goods as they used to do when social democracies had control of the financial system or as they do in China where they still control it.
But of course this is not told. So the biggest, cynical lie spread by the media system, symbiotic with the financial system, whose memes are reproduced with the same machines and owned often by the same people is that money is scarce and so we have to be taxed further to pay for the deficit of governments that spend money they don’t have. Not so.
There is 100 times more money today than when e-money was invented but speculators and corporations want it all for their machines and accounts and so they don’t even let governments print a 10 per cent annual deficit to pay the basic health care when they routinely invent around a 30 per cent annually for their corporations. However money is a language of information ‘invented’ by the physical economy as your words that command your actions are invented by the physical brain. And so ultimately the reproduction of money depends on the mechanical systems invented to reproduce it. Today we use electronic systems of reproduction of money, as we used in the 20s electric systems of speculation (ticker money) and in the XIX century stock-paper. And so at the end of the 3 great periods of the industrial economy – the age of bodies of metal and paper-money (XIX c.), the age of engines and electromechanical money (tickers) ended in 1929, and the age of heads of metal and e-money, ending now – the massive super production of ‘metal-information’, money, have caused a massive crash of the economy.
This is why humanist economists are so infuriated (and censored by mass-media systems of communication, which the same people control, as the same machines of information invent money and information favorable to speculation). Because we ‘do have money’. Precisely the arrival of e-money has caused a hyperinflation on ‘prices’, which are fiat money hold by speculators. Indeed, the amount of e-money markets invented mainly for corporations in the past decades has 100 folding the quantity of total legal money/prices on planet Earth since e-money was invented in the 70s, when the gold standard was abandoned to allow the printing of ‘data’, equivalent to money in computer platforms. And this is paradoxically the cause of the crisis that affects the rest of the economic system that does not invent money – in the case of governments because financial companies lobbied against those basic rights of social democracies, passing deficit zero laws, to keep all the ‘pie’ of monetary invention.
Since once e-money is invented as data in a screen, as ‘fiat’ money, the speculator must find ‘something’ to which peg that money as a ‘real value’. In the first stock markets, speculators invented money with tulips that were worthless. Now they did it with dotcom companies (2001 bubble) and then with derivatives. But then the speculator has to ‘skin the rabbit’ , a expression coined by Jewish financiers, in the XVII century, when they invented market speculation in Amsterdam, selling and buying bulbs and imaginary go(l)d mines – a trade they have monopolized ever since (being the main cause of anti$emitism among Europeans ever since). To skin the rabbit means that the speculator must find someone to which give the fiat money in exchange for real assets – currencies, real state, real goods.
In this crisis once regulation disappeared and e-money could be easily created with rings of speculators selling and buying in ultra-fast computers to raise prices, then agencies gave the ‘product’ AAA-ratings and then the rabbit was skinned… 3 times.
First the dotcom bubble of 2001 was skinned, as those overpriced stocks were sold to the middle classes, which were convinced to e-trade with them when Wall Street was shunning those products. And so once the dotcom bubble was skinned prices exploded down, ruining many of their hard won savings in 2001. But once you have a new method to invent money for free with no regulation, greed keeps growing.
So another ‘product’ needed to be invented to attach digital prices. The product was mortgage derivatives. Now the data of the screen could be attached several times to the same worthless mortgage, by doing derivatives, which is the same mortgage-house that appears a new price on the screen, by changing the name of the product and misinforming the client, selling it twice. And so now the bones of the rabbit were sold to governments and pension funds and the meat of real currencies was taken.
Then, there it came the fairy tale that still endures that the financial system was ruined because it had more ‘fiat money’, data invented in their screens, which became ‘the infamous toxic assets’, left unsold during the 2nd rabbit skinning. So banks asked real money to states, which extort it from citizens through taxes. And this cycle has not ended, as banks keep finding new holes and central bankers, all belonging basically to the same ‘ring’, keep giving them money. But this means not only the middle classes but states have now no money, as financial lobbies keep asking it and to keep inventing and sounding the horn of plenty, they have eliminated the rights of European governments to print it (deficit zero laws).
So the financial system, as it has always done, since the XVIII century, will keep inventing money and unloading it in bubbles (and it has not stopped doing so without regulation) then absorbing real assets, currency and real goods from the system, ruining the physical economy that truly produces goods, as money is the ‘nervous system of the economy’ and when it is absorbed by the virtual economy of the financial system, the entire economic system becomes disrupted and people suffer poverty, while a few become billionaires.
Indeed, suddenly bankers didn’t mind states to print currency, more than a trillion only in America, as long as it was given to corporations. And this also means the middle class lost its welfare state and became taxed. So governments can obtain more money, besides printing paper money to give it to the banks till both, governments and the people they represent, have become ruined.
But the platforms keep doing their ‘thing’, because they have not been regulated. So in the next graph, the reader can observe how all this fresh money is now used, not only to speculate against currencies, which will continue till the euro first and then the dollar are crashed, but also to jack up prices of commodities that are sky rocketing even in the middle of the crisis. Since electronic platforms keep improving with complicated software and more powerful chips the speed of replication of the language of money and the ‘bluffs’ about value, which of course, the mass-media attached to the ‘ring’ keeps explaining as the product of ‘scarcity’, ‘war-scares’, ‘Chinese consumption’ etc.
Today all those electronic platforms create ‘virtual money’, which the speculator does not need to hold for more than a few hours, recently a few minutes and amounts to tenfold even one hundred fold the credit of the speculator, which he uses to jack up prices of commodities and stocks – a taxation that then all the population pays in higher prices of food, oil, etc.:
The consequences of this process are obvious. Speculation in food (last of the top 3 graphics, green line) is now rampant and so more than 1 billion humans suffer hunger. The mortgage scam has ruined the value of housing and provoked massive waves of homeless worldwide. The price of stocks has sky rocketed, multiplying by 10 and continues to do so, giving corporations and their owners total power over political systems and so their lobbies have forbidden governments to print money, distorting the meaning of the democracy (since a powerless government without the right to reproduce the language of power of society – money, is a puppet of those who invent it).
How this can go on for so long without complain?
Because at the same time metalc0mmunicators as nervous systems imprint collective in simultaneity the actions of millions of cells, print the minds collectively of billions of human beings; silencing the suffering of billions of humans.
It is then necessary despite the massive censorship against truth calle ‘anti$emitism’ and political correctness, to state the obvious: today america is no longer ruled by wasp, military-industrial systems but by Japs, FM, financial-media masters, reason why you can perfectly insult his puppet presidents but any attempt to disclose the silent coup d’etat and take over of the new financial-media elite (1973) and its smooth running of the country wit the help of the parallel mass-media and electronic industry (chip radiation) is impossible and will be harshly dealt with the end of your scholar career, or work. What this meant though for America is as always in systems sciences multilayered: capitalism reached its harshest most sophisticated expressions, since Judaism was the founder of capitalist go(l)d religions 3000 years ago; the focus of American policy changed from the old enemy of wasp capitalism (red scare, communist countries) to the enemy of Jap’s Israel, Islamophobia, starting a spiralling growth of confrontation between the western world and Islam, which blew out of proportions the conflict in Israel to the present jihad terrorism vs. NATO military alliance, which are the prolegomena of III world war.
It also meant in the field of scholarship, the rise of a much more sophisticated form of censorship in all the fields of social, organic sciences, as the Jewish Intelligentzia coming from central europe, after the nazi holocaust, was immensely more sophisticated than the ol’ boy guard, running retarded memes of biblical origin, so obvious that no serious scholar could believe on them. Indeed, ever since, without humans understanding of it, according to Galbraith dictum ‘to manipulate people, it is much easier if they don’t know they are manipulated’.
Specially since the silent coup d’etat of 1973, when the Financial-Media system took over the running of U$.
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Archive for the 'Movie Reviews' Category
Award Shows Are Bogus ver. 081419
Marvel’s Avengers: Endgame, Movie Review
She disappears for a……
Goodbye, humanity. It’s all going NFL Game Day 3000.
Captain Marvel, 2019 Movie Review
Brie Larson is a dazzling and very youthful ball of fire in the latest installment in the Avengers franchise, Captain Marvel, a story that takes place some time before the previously launched films (since 2008), winking at a variety of nostalgia, including Blockbuster video rental stores, pagers and the infancy of the 1990s’ dial-up internet, as well as nods to movies like Rambo (1982-) and Top Gun (1986). [And, if I am not mistaken, Octopussy, a 1983? film.] Men in Black (1997-) wasn’t explicitly featured, but the whole Agents-of-SHIELD-discovering-aliens-on-Earth concept pretty much touched all of the same bases.
If I just weighed you down with more words about movie history than the stars and highlights of the film, that’s just what my brain was doing. I kept finding myself drifting off–similar to Carol Danvers (Larson) grasping at distorted fragments of memories–thinking about where I might have seen something before, thinking about a particular song and video game of *that time,* wondering why certain enemies were so obvious while others were…not enemies? This is a rather nostalgic movie, like a two-plus hour trip around a flea market with timely songs blaring from tabletop radios on a hot summer day.
Holy Mother Brain, true believers! Can we say live-action Samus Aran? The only thing missing from this Metroid-wannabe was Captain Mar-Vel turning into a ball and bouncing off walls. There is an original GameBoy portable game system in plain sight. And, there is a scene early in the film when “Veers” (a very clever break from Danvers, by the way) is fighting off some Skrulls with some sort of tube-like restraints over her forearms…and they glow just like the varia suit’s blaster-arm-thingy. Not to mention, Brie is practically the perfect young blonde to play Samus…AND the whole story of how she is molded into the Captain Marvel character screams Samus Aran’s origin story. [You might say Brie Larson has “the right stuff” to star in a Metroid movie.]
And, have you ever compared the black-and-yellow Ms. Marvel/Warbird costume with some Samus imagery from Super Metroid? The lightning bolt on the former has a strong resemblance to the S associated with and flashed at the end of the game. [If someone can make a decent-looking Pokemon film that isn’t purely anime, we can make an epic Metroid movie! I’m also itching to work on a Ninja Gaiden movie. Seriously, Nintendo. Get on this. And, sign me up if you want this gaming artist and super fan’s input.]
Kudos to another Stan Lee cameo, but this one was rather sad. I am fairly certain that was just a CG ghost, some…person with dots attached to their face before Stan’s likeness was molded over it (sort of like a Skrull impersonating someone…hmm), with a broken record of a voice clipping. I *did,* however like the opening Stan Lee tribute, the barrage of cameo shots, instead of the usual Marvel-Disney movie opener. As I was watching Stan appear in military uniform, I said to myself, “Now, that’s the real Captain Marvel.”
As a kid, back when a Micronaut named Marionette had plucked the strings of my young heart, I remember looking at the back of some comic book that featured a male Captain Marvel standing shoulder-to-shoulder with a blonde heroine in the same costume; and I wondered who she was. When I found out…and I am pretty sure she was called Ms. Marvel at the time…I was instantly infatuated. [And, wasn’t there a black woman called Captain Marvel who wore a white costume with a golden star on the front?] Years later, I learned she had somehow crossed paths with the X-Men and become a fiery being called Binary, after Rogue had supposedly taken her powers and Carol went through some kind of coma/trauma. When Ms. Marvel adopted the black costume, I was still drawn to her. [Ha.] But, the name Warbird rubbed me the wrong way. I never associated Carol Danvers with any airforce/military unit (didn’t know that history); I just saw her as a beautiful blonde woman who magically donned a superheroine costume that surpassed the whole Krypton family and the DC favorite of so many fans, Wonder Woman (who may have a great figure and glorious dark hair but lacks in costume design, other than working the American imagery into some sort of feminine apparel). [‘Love the mask, long gloves and boots.] So, when Coca-Cola created the Supermom commercials a few years back, you can imagine what came to mind…or who came to mind and what went through my infatuated mind.
Okay, now back to the real, core movie of this review.
The story is nothing new, in terms of superhero origins and alien-invasion tales; aliens walk among us humans, hidden from plain sight. There’s a secret policing group constantly shifting to address, control and/or attack the invaders. And, by some stroke of cosmic luck, one chosen human is blasted into super-stardom, taking out anyone she feels like blasting while we listen to a karaoke bar favorite (before she blasts the jukebox).
Let’s talk about the “bad,” first.
You see a pattern there? A lot of blasting? I totally get the makers of this film were putting all of their marbles into portraying a petite-yet-fierce young woman who can take on the universe. But, there was a fair amount of shoot-first-and-ask-questions-later, not the most intelligent “guardian of the galaxy.” But, maybe we can excuse this, due to her messed-up brain not knowing who to call the enemy.
And, yet, when there is another opportunity to show-off, the heroine chooses to display her ability to heat water. That wrinkled my brow a bit. Why couldn’t she have spared the jukebox and just heated a cup of water to prove her power/point? [Which, by the way, is a lame reason to claim she isn’t an enemy, when the naive Nicholas Fury has no clue what anyone not from Earth could do, anyway.] Why I am concerned about a jukebox? I don’t know. But, so many movies do stupid things to earn “blockbuster” status; it’s as if they fear people won’t laugh or cheer unless you destroy X-number of vehicles and commit Y-amount of property damage, even if you have to drag the women you’re now trying to elevate into the messes. [While some found it amusing to see the Hulk randomly hit his fellow heroes in the first Avengers movie, I thought that was stupid humor.]
Another brow-wrinkler was this Marvel-movie trend’s latest attempt to modernize everything, taking the heroine out of Earth’s picture for a mere six years while giving the SHIELD agents a sort of 1970s appearance/feel to them, as if they were working the Roswell alien case. It’s hard to gauge how emotional people should be after what–to me–feels like a short departure. I don’t know much about Captain/Ms. Marvel (aka Warbird aka Binary), but I would have figured she would be missing, at least, a decade to have any sort of separation tension/confusion upon returning. Friends not seeing each other for six years is like going to different colleges and then meeting up in New York to catch up. It’s not quite the same as Captain America being separated from his beloved Agent Carter by a wartime deep freeze. [I’m just glad they didn’t try to place Captain America’s latest origin story in the Gulf War.] I also wasn’t sure how to feel about “Veers” shifting between being very alien to “planet C-53” one minute and then talking “chummy” with SHIELD agents and a former airforce buddy the next. [Couldn’t she have asked to use a “payphone” or “walkie talkie” or to speak with some former CO if she was only gone a few years? Yet, she can hotwire a video game system to call her team in deep space, like E.T. (1982) phoning home.]
And–spoiler alert–why does “Nicholas Fury” not have a clue sooner about his boss? How can he work with this guy for so long and then suddenly be thrown when the boss calls him a different name in the elevator? [Or, did I miss a body swap somewhere? And, if so, where/when does the real boss disappear?]
Also, Danvers (Larson) brings a hint of a childlike “Disney magic” (which is probably why they cast and molded her into this role, like a Kree) to her part, practically dancing and humming to herself as she flits from scene to scene. She even has a kid help her pick a “new” costume the touch of a button (maaagic). [Her youth is one reason I was skeptical of seeing this movie; I’ve come to know a more seasoned, weathered, alcoholic Carol Danvers from my limited exposure to her in comic books. But, I totally get attracting a younger audience and the potential for starting the story when Carol is still “fresh out of the package.”] If she’s not kicking butt, she’s waltzing around threats. The way she learns to fly seems a tad lame and senseless, when she could have figured it out sooner and/or under different conditions; it’s as if the movie makers just drew the moment out to make people gasp. In short, everything comes a tad easy to one given such cosmic power (not unlike just about any member of the Skywalker family taking out large portions of an enemy army/race). What she chooses to do with the “responsibility” of that power is a bit of a gray area.
[And, as I write this, I am having another one of my strong bouts with deja vu…]
Probably the biggest stink of the film is a combination of its predictability and gray areas. [I had a similar issue with Ant Man and the Wasp, not knowing how to classify the “villain” and, thus, not knowing how to feel about the heroics.] If this was just a reproduction of the genuine origin story, I am okay with that; I’d rather see a comic book come to life than have someone warp the story entirely and have fans wondering what happened to their beloved heroine. But, other than some questionable actions taken, the “gray” villains and one small…er, big…creature feature, I kinda saw what was coming, even without knowing all of the origin story’s details.
I wasn’t as dazzled by the fight scenes and big explosions as I was by Brie’s lovely, glowing face. [And, she doesn’t need cosmic power or CG fire in her already fiery eyes to glow, either. Me-Yow.] There was no one who could truly stand up to Captain Marvel; “they” tried to restrain her, but that fell flat/short before there was nothing but fluffy fireworks. [There’s no Red Skull to counter the Captain. Or, if there is, he’s no Red Skull. Heh.]
While, yes, there was a slight surprise regarding who to call the enemy (when I think about who has been an enemy in a number of Marvel Comics projects), one particular actor–whose name I won’t mention though he is PERPETUALLY cast as the sneaky villain–could not hide his true intentions/nature from the start. And, that is a casting shame. I don’t like seeing actors pigeon-holed (type-cast) this way. But, honestly, casting agency, try a little harder when picking someone who masks his allegiance. The guy might be willing to take every gig he can get; but come on!
This isn’t necessarily a bad thing–if Carol’s history only needed to be a photograph–but…was there any airforce content other than images of pilots in various outfits and that repeating boot camp scene? I am asking this solely because I saw some promotional snippet that featured Brie riding in a fighter jet, as if she was doing some serious character research. But, now I am thinking that was just Marilyn Monroe visiting the boys at the air base. There was more airforce content in the 2008 Iron Man film. I don’t recall even an ounce of pilot terminology; I might have blacked out when they were playing the recording from the “black box.” So…was this some subtle promotion for women to enlist in the armed forces? Yvan eht nioj? [I tend to look at these things the way Carol looks at Maria’s neighbor in the movie.]
And, the good?
I think the best part of this movie is a combination of artistry and Brie’s fiery expressions (her “heart”). [Though, I felt she could have benefitted from a few more ounces of emotional “oomph.” Sure, people messed with her head and put restraints on her; but she wasn’t a slave. I never saw her take any serious punishment. All of her “struggle” was kind of a brief blur.]
This is a well-composed film, in terms of costume/wardrobe, music, special effects and background (back story). The Captain Marvel costume–aside from the odd mohawk factor they tried to salvage from the comic’s history…and the do-everything-including-short-circuiting wrist computer–was stylish and not so far-fetched that you had to wonder how it came to be. And, “grunge”/”Top Gun” fighter pilot Carol Danvers isn’t hard on the eyes, either. [She’s like Elisabeth Shue in Adventures in Babysitting (1987).] There was a decent story for most aspects of the main character, including her name…er, namesss. [The dog-tag bits were especially slick.] The overall feel of the movie’s nostalgia and composition is good, similar to how I felt about Black Panther’s soundtrack keeping me grooving throughout the movie…and how the second Guardians of the Galaxy made me want to dig out an old audio cassette player and dance to disco music.
[One costume detail I somewhat missed was the Ms. Marvel scarf/sash (though I realize there is a new Middle Eastern and teenage Miss Marvel now who has a very clever ethnic scarf as part of her costume). And, seeing the little girl give a pilot jacket back to Carol, I was thinking…why couldn’t the girl give Carol a scarf she made for good luck and have that be the origin of the scarf/sash. Or, the scarf could have belonged to Annette Bening’s character.]
There’s a good amount of sci-fi action. But, this is not a Jack Kirby epic, a man known for putting the “wallop” in cosmic superhero comics like Thor and Silver Surfer. Certain camera angles/shots could have been more dynamic. A few more shots of nebulas, stars and planets might have brought the artistry up a notch and impressed me the way the rainbow bridges did in the first Thor film.
So, while, looking back, I feel the deck is stacked against this film…and I am slightly toting a grudge against Disney for having anything to do with Marvel Comics…I cannot say Captain Marvel is a bad addition to the current string of S.L.J. (Samuel L. Jackson as Fury) movies. I would watch it, again, but, probably, just because I am so partial to Brie Larson. [It’s a crutch.]
A major–minor spoiler alert–question: Why is Earth where the Kree think they can create a machine to stop a war? [Was the time-and-space cube-thingy, the “tesseract,” already on Earth when the Kree first landed; did they come expecting to find/use it? And, refresh my memory, how many “infinity stones” have been found on Earth…and why all on one planet we know? And, what is the origin of the tesseract (which contains a secret from another movie in this series); how did it become a cube?]
Captain Marvel doesn’t wow or amuse me as much as Robert Downey, Jr.’s portrayal of Tony Stark/Iron Man, but is it any worse than seeing “Pepper” escape an exploding reactor as Iron Man faces his nemesis? No. [Or, wait, is the current audience too young to remember 2008? Ya never know, these days.]
On that note, DO NOT show little ones this film. This may be made by Disney (and what’s left of Marvel Studios)…and it may be light on responsibility… but…well…you know what some say about watching Bambi. I had some tots in the audience with me, and they could not contain their emotions during a few brief intense moments, as if they knew the violence was/felt wrong. You need to be, at least, a teenager to go on this ride. And, even a teenager is likely to feel lost unless an adult who has lived the 1990s can fill them in on some details. It’s crazy to me when I try to think of explaining the 1990s the way I’d want my grandparents to explain the WWI and/or WWII days.
I give Captain Marvel (2019) 3 out of 5 stars and will let it slide as a rental because there isn’t anything that requires the big screen (unless there are small details that might have otherwise been…that I might have…missed). [I don’t care what Jimmy Fallon says about every film released in 3D; it’s clearly not worth it in this one.] It doesn’t grab me like Spider-Man swinging across New York City to save M.J. (back when MJ was a vibrant redhead who purred when she called Peter Parker “Tiger”); but it’s enough to keep me buzzing and smiling…most of the time. Two of those three stars go to Brie Larson’s eyes…or, rather, they were always there. The third is on her costume.
If you feel like taking a leisurely (versus engrossing) road trip through the 1980s and 1990s…or if you’re only happy when it rains…give Captain Marvel a try. And, if Brie can’t put a smile on your face, blame the film makers.
Ant Man and the Wasp, Movie Review
Paul Rudd reprises his role as Scott Lang (aka the new Ant Man), the mild-mannered, I’m-okay-with-trying-anything thief-turned-hero, bringing along the lovely Evangeline Lilly, aka Hope van Dyne, daughter of Hank Pym and Janet van Dyne (the “original” Ant-Man and Wasp), as someone better and more fierce than the average sidekick in…wait for it…Ant-Man and the Wasp. [So original.] Taking place after his incarceration in Captain America: Civil War, the sequel to the origin story introduces Laurence Fishburne as Dr. Bill Foster, a “former” colleague of Hank Pym’s who has some “super” history of his own and a…wait for it…”foster child” nicknamed Ghost, another victim of malfunctioning technology beyond human comprehension who suffers pain from phasing between dimensions. The focus of the story is divided between saving Hank’s wife (Janet) from a very exclusive universe (like the tiniest nightclub overrun with blobs and parasites) and dealing with a “ghost” haplessly tied to the odd family’s tree, who could spoil everything if she doesn’t control her temper.
Anyone who has seen a trailer or commercial already has a clue to this Ghost being some kind of enemy to the heroes. But, I’m here to tell you this film’s villain element is a tad weak by comparison to other Marvel hero films. In fact, that is the one and only aspect that disappoints me. I think Ghost–which reminds me of another comic book character by that name with a darker story–is more of a sub-plot than a villain. And, where there was suggestion of another villain, that character or army never came.
[The first Ant Man film had a far better enemy (though he reminded me SO much of the Iron Monger in the first Robert Downey, Jr. Iron Man film). There were touches of Hydra and other villainy probing the plot. Yet, a lack of details made the whole a big foggy. At least, the transitions from the first Ant Man to Civil War to this sequel sort of come into clarity, and the cast didn’t radically change.]
However, the film is saved by its staples. Rudd is, once more, the sappy sweetheart and goofball, this time under government watch for a set number of years, counting down to his final day. His character builds one awesome playhouse for his daughter. Evangeline Lilly kicks more butt than necessary, racking up some serious “girl power” votes, LIKES or whatever you want to use to promote “women empowerment,” including turning an otherwise male character into a girl. [SO much gender swapping, these days.] I think she kicks more butt in this film than she did in the Hobbit story. Michael Pena (Luis) is a riot with his unique story-telling skills. [I think it would be a wild bonus feature ride to have an entire 30+ minute short film (if not a 1+ hr feature film) of him telling a reaaaaally long story that encompasses the rest of the cast explaining something either entirely unimportant or vital to the Marvel universe.]
Newcomer to the cast, Michelle Pfeiffer makes an enchanting Janet van Dyne, though she’s nothing like the Wasp I expected to see. [Granted, she has aged quite a bit and become “something more.”] Walter Goggins makes a very interesting and sinister impression as a shady businessman with contacts left unknown. [I smell a Hydra.]
There is plenty of material here for a few films. It just doesn’t get adequately put to use. It’s like looking in a warehouse full of goodies you can see being turned into something bigger/better but letting the bright ideas drift to the back of your brain. Instead, you just go along for the ride, get pumped to fight, endure a little pent up pain and frustration and laugh at a number of sight gags.
Hidden somewhere in the warehouse is some explanation for why Hank Pym and Janet van Dyne were not adequately featured in the company of Captain America. At least, I think their heroics are from his original wartime. If they are technically the original Avengers, where is that story? The new Marvel universe has sort of thrown characters out of sync. Why are Iron Man and Hulk decidedly modern compared to Ant-Man? Isn’t it just as strange having a suit from the nineteen-teens or nineteen-forties sit around til some new guy, who happens to be a reforming thief, is given permission to take it?
Maybe if we give the aging Hank Pym a memory pill he will fill us in on all of the missing pieces.
I give Ant Man and the Wasp 3.5 stars out of 5. It has 4+ stars of comedy, even if some is a tad corny and/or senseless. It has 4+ stars of butt-kicking action and dangerous situations. But, the glossy blur of technological mumbo jumbo and lackluster crisis/villain element waters down an otherwise epic adventure. Like any movie with sight gags and related special effects, it’s probably more thrilling on the big screen. But, you can plunk on the couch and let the time tick off your house arrest anklet while rolling with laughter.
And, don’t forget Stan Lee, true believers. He makes a rather Excelsior! cameo, this time, claiming he is paying for something after enjoying the ’60s. I think he’s referring to selling out to Disney. But, that’s just between you and me.
The Honey in My Closet
Gawaru wa yo! [I’m going to change. Or, so it is translated into English subtitles.]
Ever since 1997, I’ve been a bit consumed by the concept of Cutey Honey. [And, if I’ve said it before here, you’ll just have to put up with me. I go through these periods of indulging an episode or two. I’m about to go through my history with the character(s) and my interest in creating a new series, at length, so get comfortable and prepare to read if you are curious to know.]
There is just something about this gorgeous, loving android and her magical ability to change her appearance while battling a variety of monsters, some just as lovely as her, that enchants me (while some of the monsters she faces and some of the language in the series rattle me). If you are familiar with the recent Teen Titans cartoons, Cutey Honey is like Starfire with more brains and a wardrobe that seems limitless. The artists are generally good with retaining the loving energy and heart-shaped imagery that are associated with the character, similar to how Spider-Man/Peter Parker can say something in an aside and have a form of the hero’s webbing or mask appear behind him. And, no, if you think it’s about the “boobs,” you’re wrong. It takes more than that for such a character to last as long as she has, even if you’ve never taken notice of her. If given the chance, I have a few ideas for giving her a decent, solid story that would satisfy more fans and get her out of the perverse closet.
Originally a Go Nagai manga (black and white comic book series) and then 1970s anime, Cutey Honey (or Cutie Honey, depending upon the series) is a female android, created by a scientist named Dr. Kisaragi who lost a daughter (Honey) and who made the automaton in her image, programmed to blend in with the human population and protect them from the evils corrupting their world, including armies led by characters known as Panther Zora, Dolmeck and Sister Jill. The android has the special ability of changing her appearance rather frequently, replacing damaged clothes, skin and hair with materials drawn from the air by the “airborne element fixing device” which the enemy pursues incessantly when she interferes. Honey acquires strength from those she befriends/loves which ultimately helps her overcome adversity and repel the darkness.
The concept has had a number of incarnations over the years though it has never earned the American fame of similar characters like Inspector Gadget and Mega Man; instead, she remains like a closet craze, enduring solely by the interest of her fans who put up with the cheeky, flirtatious incidents that continue to unfold in the life of this breathtaking beautiful warrior. I think, if the conceptions were not so littered with “fan service” and had a strong, consistent and understood plot line/origin story, Cutey Honey WOULD be as popular as Wonder Woman. And, if you want a “cleaner” heroine story with a similar flair, you can check out The Adventures of Lady Bug (currently part of ClickTV) and any number of anime that feature similar “magical girl” heroines without the flashes of nudity and exaggerating breasts.
Breaking down my problems with (various incarnations of) the concept:
1) JAPANESE GIRLS ARE NOT BLONDE (NOR REDHEADS). First of all, this is a Japanese character with BLONDE hair when she doesn’t adopt another color, including RED for her warrior form. [Though I’ve seen images of the older series in which she has dark hair? See the image on the right in the above cluster.] Last I checked, there are no blonde Japanese girls. And, while I get this is an anime staple and typically associated with “ascended” and/or “pure” characters (like the empowered individuals of Dragon Ball Z fame), why can’t Honey Kisaragi be a native Japanese girl with BLACK or, at least, dark brown hair? Or, why can’t Honey be from a different country and retain that lovely blonde hair she flashes? Even if Honey adopted other hair colors and styles to simply complement the outfits she donned (like some Lady Gaga or Katy Perry), her civilian form would not have such a strikingly bright head of blonde hair unless she had lost her hair and wore a wig all of the time; and a dye-job just doesn’t say “purity” as well as a naturally colored head of hair.
2) WORLD DOMINATION DOESN’T STAY WITHIN A SINGLE CITY. The stories take place in some vague city which is consistently the focus of some evil force bent on taking over the world. [Okay, so far, this is nothing new and, thus, boring. Even in The Adventures of Ladybug, everything seems to unfold strictly in Paris, France. Why can’t these world-conquering villains make appearances in various parts of the world and have the protagonist travel there “on a mission” or something similar? Or, why can’t there be some greater reason for attacking only one city?]
3) THE ON-GOING DEBATE OVER “FAN SERVICE.” I just want it to stop. For whatever reason, the concept was given a certain measure of “sex appeal” by consistently using Honey’s assets as a distraction and, occasionally, a comedic touch to her trials with defeating the forces of darkness. From what I’ve seen, there are the occasional instances that push the envelope a bit (at least, for my personal tastes) and probably, rightfully, bother some people enough to say something about them.
If it was up to me, I’d take out some of the more lewd and “S and M” bits and limit the “fan service” to embarrassing and/or compromising moments in which Honey’s assets are exposed and/or involved in some sort of accident. Keep these instances more subtle and suggestive (less “in-your-face”). For example, if she loses her top, she covers herself while flushing witnesses tumble like dominoes around her; no need to be explicit with the nudity, have men bleeding from their noses or include any form of (whipping, tentacle, rape, etc.) torture. [‘No need to remove her assets because they ARE part of her charm; just like people associate Wonder Woman with being shapely versus some pencil-thin warrior maiden with one or no breasts.]
And, it’s because of this “fan service” debate that the story gets pushed into the closet…yet it endures and keeps being re-invented like the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles which have had…how many series now? Yeah. How many times can we tell the origin story of that group? Apparently, plenty. And, each new incarnation isn’t really all that disappointing…just, occasionally, a bit different. We know the history behind the characters even though April changes from a TV reporter to some girl who was an alien experiment and develops telekinetic/psychic powers. Which brings me to my next point.
4) LACKING CONSISTENCY AND CLARITY OF CONCEPT. Maybe it’s just my own difficulty with following the story; maybe it’s a matter of cultural differences? But, I have a hard time understanding why certain characters change from series to series though a continuity of some sort is suggested, as if all incarnations form a single story.
Well, as with the Legend of Zelda video games, that’s not what I see. While tweaking the origin story may refresh interest, it would really help if more was explained sooner than later. [This is also why I am not too fond of re-inventing the Marvel Comics universe as recent cartoons have done, turning characters you might know and love for fitting together one way suddenly becoming very different people with different relations to the protagonist. Yet, I guess, this opens the doors for more people finding a version they like.]
If there is no intended continuity, then I will just have to accept this and sort out who everyone is and how they fit together in each version. [I’ve survived every version of TMNT to air on local TV. I have seen the movies and recent reboot but truly only liked the original Inspector Gadget series. I like both the original and the new Duck Tales. I have tolerated various (not all) versions of Mega Man and even grew to like the “Network” concept/series a bit. I flinched yet gave Iron Man a chance when he became the creation of a younger inventor who shared the technology with his teenage? friends (in an incarnation not related to or part of the more accepted “Marvel universe”). I turned a blind eye when someone decided to give Link earrings in one or more of the Legend of Zelda games. I can decide which Cutey Honey I do and do not like so much.]
This is more of a personal complaint, but I had a small fit when Mikey had his nunchakas replaced with a grappling hook-ish weapon in the TMNT series/franchise (because the latter was less likely to result in harming anyone?). I have had similar reservations when I see Honey’s weapons take on new and/or different abilities. At some point, I begin to feel like I’m watching one of those kid fights in which “no backsies” or “infinity” solves everything. Part of what makes Honey enduring is working with her limitations. When you start making her weapons limitless, you start looking like those other characters that keep upgrading themselves. I understand the reasoning or what might lead to such changes. But, it does get tiresome/repetitive. [Does anyone complain that Wonder Woman consistently relies on her strength, lasso, bracelets and tiara? Do those items ever really change?]
And, the outfit Honey Kisaragi wears consistently as her civilian attire, personally, looked great in the 1990s version, with the pink and white combo. The original yellow-orange dress was rather flat. And, the blue and white dress with that weird curving design somehow painted around it…that just doesn’t sit right with me (though the shade of blue and white work nicely together). [Maybe compromise and replace the pink portions of the 90s outfit with that blue color…or the orange of that original dress? Or, here’s a novel idea, DON’T LIMIT THE MAIN CHARACTER TO ONE EVERYDAY OUTFIT. Hmm? Maybe she has an actual closet of choices.]
My first taste was the short-lived 1990s OVA mini-series. I had watched a trailer for the concept at the start of another anime video I had purchased. And, within thirty seconds or so, I was hooked. I was red-faced. I was overwhelmed. Never had I seen such quality artistry given such flair, appealing to my personal interests in superwomen with alter egos and fashion design. Yet, all the trailer really showed were a few costumes and that magical melting of materials that sold the package. I had no idea who exactly she was or what she was fighting other than a few creepy characters that made brief appearances. I wasn’t even sure she was just one woman. I began purchasing and cautiously watching the mini-series on VHS.
Because of this initial exposure to the character, I’ve compared all other incarnations to it and found each a bit lacking in quality.
I’ve seen images from the original 1970s cartoon and even purchased a DVD collection, recently, but have yet to watch any episodes. I can see how I might have taken to it in its original form back then, but, looking at the old cartoons now, the original seems a bit dated and awkwardly cartoonish, like my childhood days of watching shows like Fangface and Teen Rod. The artistry is primitive in comparison (to the 90s OVAs) though the 60s/70s fashion sense isn’t all bad and, as cartoon concepts go, it was groundbreaking for the time. While there may have been other robot stories coming into existence, how many involved a female android with such a crafty system of producing costumes and weaponry?
Then there was “Cutey Honey Flash” which came around the turn of the century and involved a slightly different protagonist with a second “Honey” who adopted a blue costume and hair. I have yet to see more than a few images of this version, as well, but I have not been entirely drawn to the exceptionally slender and “starry-eyed” artistic style of that series, either, which seems to be the first to result in the creation of dolls.
Cutey Honey F (Flash)
Next came a live-action movie (and a lunch box) which honestly is a sad Power Rangers-ish joke compared to the animated series. While I could see how a superhuman android designed by a human scientist might be dumber than a “smartphone”–and that might make a good angle for future stories about robots built by mankind if it hasn’t already been used to death–seeing Honey as a dumb blonde (with a really bad dye-job given to an actress with naturally dark hair), fumbling through her day and night jobs, ruined my enthusiasm for the character. Had she done a better job of pretending to be dumb in public while reserving a more serious, intelligent persona for her heroics, I might have given the film more credit. [Of course, I would have picked a different actress, too, who would sensibly fit the color scheme. See my list of flaws with the concept.]
My thoughts, exactly, Eriko Sato. Huh? What are you doing looking like that?
[I recall how Blondie, the famous wife of the old comics character Dagwood, was portrayed as a sort of dumb blonde who wasn’t as dumb as you’d expect from the name, and how Marilyn Monroe might have been a bit air-headed at times from appearances but often enough proved she had more wits under the surface.]
Movie Natsuko on the left. Kisaragi disguised as policewoman on the right.
While the new Natsuko lacked something in terms of personality, making the acting appear rather poor, she was a refreshing alternative to what I’ve seen of her and had a somewhat believable friendly, somewhat more than friendly relationship budding with Honey. Given a better script and acting, this might have turned into something great for future “chapters.” [Natsuko could be like “Chief” in Inspector Gadget but have moments of intimacy in private with the robotic hero(ine) while maintaining a more professional persona when in public or around other agents/officers.]
I thought that movie might be the end of her (at least, for a while). But, like Godzilla, she rises, again, sooner than you might expect.
I discovered an animated series (or mini-series?) in which Natsuko reprises her movie role as the stern yet charming government agent working alongside Honey (whenever they run into each other, at least). I’ve only watched bits of it, so far, so I can’t speak for the whole story or character design. The animation is decent yet more comical–like the original Inspector Gadget–when compared to the first version I saw (the 1990s mini-series). It’s not as dated as the original nor as “starry-eyed” as the “Flash” or “F” series. It feels fairly “fresh” and has a certain 60s live-action Batman feel to it with a touch of Tank Girl’s relationship with Jet.
And, before I can even get back to looking at more of what I just mentioned, I discover an even newer series. [Or, mini-…just what are each of these incarnations supposed to be? Trials of something bigger that just don’t quite make it for whatever reason? Fan fiction?]
In Cutie Honey Universe, Honey is a student at some school shared by Natsuko (who is a very youthful and somewhat naïve alternative to the previous incarnation and–I am assuming without seeing any episodes–closer to the character from the original 70s series). But, Honey also is linked to some sort of city police force and runs off to fight the forces of Sister Jill who quickly takes on a new twist by becoming a police chief who is killing off her own army of “panthers” and is apparently sly enough to keep her two identities separate though she has less of a disguise than Honey, looking more like Clark Kent/Superman who hid behind a slightly different hairdo, suit and a pair of eyeglasses. [How dumb do we have to be not to notice the chief resembling Jill?]
The more youthful and naïve Cutie Honey Universe Natsuko
I’ve watched the first two episodes (as of writing this article). And, while I like the throwback to the 70s style (namely the rather Charlie’s Angels wardrobe and posing of “Breast Claw”) and the same fresh animation that I saw in the previous incarnation–with some new “techno-flair” thrown in during the battle scenes–I am once again bothered by Honey Kisaragi’s “uniform” (not the school one), the abuse some characters face and warrior (Cutie) Honey’s wide array of new weaponry which still seems a bit like the creators are working toward an insanely endless number of abilities which could overwhelm the enduring spirit of the character.
I noticed they also cut back on the foul language and nudity by having Honey change within a sort of bubble (reminding me a bit of the “Network” Mega Man). And, that’s okay…but it does mess with the head a bit when you come to expect the artistic quality of that 1990s mini-series (which, seriously, seems hard to top though the language, blood and nudity pushed the envelope a bit). [It was just so moody, organic and three-dimensional which is saying something when you realize how much 3D animation is computer generated and metallic-looking these days. You could feel the fabrics forming around the heroine instead of watching pixels come together like some video game. Not to mention the video-game-like text that appears (backwards?) when Honey calls upon one of her abilities/weapons.]
The second episode makes an effort to reprise the origin story, which helps. And, the way Jill claims her “Claws” with roses is decently done. But, this battle dimension that the show uses makes the whole thing feel more like Mega Man Network than the warrior of love defending the city in the raw, destructive way she was portrayed in the 90s. [I am guessing this dimension idea was inspired by the battle with Yasho/Yasha in ep. 6 of the “Shin” OVAs (direct to video releases), in which a sort of illusionary field falls over the city, restoring an old park full of mannequins which are then brought to life to fight. When the fight ends, the illusion falls, and the city is restored, minus the casualties.] And, there is no explanation for how Honey goes from knowing nothing about herself–even that she’s an android–to suddenly having the ability to pull out an arsenal of weapons to fight enemies she is meeting for the first time. The new theme music isn’t terrible though loyal fans of the previous series don’t approve of much change. It’s the poorly cut cinematics of the intro and closing that, to me, seem more rushed and in need of improvement. There is potential in both, but they need to hone it.
1) RECLAIM THE OVERALL APPEARANCE OF THE 1990s MINI-SERIES, giving Honey that same weighted athleticism, feathery hair and mature figure with all of its shading, dimensions and that pink and white outfit, keeping the moody settings, as well, but reducing or limiting the amount of nudity and other “fan service” (including no lengthy and/or oddly placed abusive scenes with whips and tortured cries) to more suggestive instances that still tease viewers but aren’t explicit enough to provoke them into freezing the video frame-by-frame.
I’d also go so far as to say the concept of the drug/capsule distribution could be retained because there was something underhanded about it that seemed to relate to the on-going drug businesses we hear about and had infinite possibilities for variation.
And, while the nudity may have been a bit much, there was something so genuinely satisfying–even occasionally lacking–in how organically those looks Honey had came together and blew apart versus just giving viewers some quick flash of light and/or changing “room,” which also made the character/artistry unique.
2) REPRISE THE 1970s ORIGIN STORY ABOUT HER CREATION (AND FATHER)–if it’s still valued–or create a new one that sticks and is explained soon enough to educate new viewers as well as those of us who’ve seen more of this character story. Do not just play out events and randomly insert bits of a new explanation for why things are the way they are over a lengthy period of time. Maybe start the new series/movie with that backstory…even though that can delay the enjoyment of the new plot. [Or, if nothing else, should a new movie be made and eventually released on some format like DVD, include the origin story as a bonus feature on the disc to inform new viewers.]
3) RETAIN PANTHER ZORA, SISTER JILL AND, MAYBE EVEN, DOLMECK AS MAJOR VILLAINS, along with the assortment of nameless henchmen (which sort of look like Carmen Sandiego’s nameless gang from the DIC 90s cartoon series of that franchise) and a mixed crop of “panthers” (which might go by a different, more general name) from the various series. But, if you reprise these roles, be sure to give sensible explanation for their (re)creation/existence, especially if we are to believe they were ever destroyed. [Perhaps, they come from and return to seeds when they are defeated, able to regenerate in some distant future time if given the proper “fertilizer?”] I’d suggest having the three primary villains either be related or hatched from the same “pod” of some dark origin, possibly a “force of destructive nature” in contrast to “the light of creation.” It might be difficult to conceive all three working together at once unless they have a collective mind, sort of like the Borg of Star Trek fame or those multi-faced judges you see in cartoons like the original Transformers. Maybe they stay in contact but each try taking over different parts of the world? You know, somewhere other than Cosplay City or whatever you call it.
4) OTHER THAN THE ABILITY TO CHANGE APPEARANCES (WITH THE DESIRED COLLAR/DEVICE), LIMIT HONEY’S ARRAY OF WEAPONRY TO HER SWORD, ARMOR MODE** AND BOOMERANG AND EXPLAIN THEIR ORIGIN. Heck, you could even cut her down to just the sword, and I’d likely be okay with it because her only other assets would be the ability to disguise herself and whatever strength is built into her robotic body. Although, can someone explain from where she draws the sword? At the moment, I cannot remember if it comes out of her leg in the 90s mini-series. Even with that magical collar of hers, there’s never an instance where she produces a weapon by drawing matter from her surroundings into her hand; the weapons just seem to appear when she twirls around. While I sort of like the new “shield” or “block” technique she uses in the latest stories…and that DOES complement her having a sword, I suppose…I think she could get by just as well using her wits and whatever is handy (as shields). If the Hulk or some other superhuman character can deflect an attack with a car or street sign, so can she. If you up her array of weapons, it’s just never going to end, and older fans may go mad (not in a good way).
**In regards to the armor mode, let’s keep it closer to an Iron Man suit of armor and less like a lady knight with her chest exposed, even partially (as it appeared in the 90s version). Here’s a concept, what if the intended origin of Cutey Honey was some sort of valiant lady knight of light who had armor, a sword and a shield? Then, she COULD call upon one or all of those as her accessories (or her warrior costume), and there would be a story to them, similar to She-Ra’s sword and its history with Etheria. The armor wouldn’t even have to be an actual suit of armor; maybe her classic red and blue costume could be fortified to repel attacks like the armor and strengthen her punches/kicks with some sort of “accelerator” internal energy source.
5) EITHER GIVE HONEY’S CIVILIAN FORM DARK HAIR OR CHANGE HER NATIONALITY. Especially if you’re going to make another live-action movie. Or, the actors should all wear wigs of crazy, unnatural colors, so there are characters with hair that’s blue, green, pink, etc. Ditch the dye-jobs that just don’t work.
6) RETAIN NATSUKO, CHOKEI AND/OR THE MALE REPORTER/COP CHARACTER AS CLOSE FRIENDS AND ENSURE AT LEAST ONE HAS AN INTIMATE AND FAIRLY PRIVATE RELATIONSHIP WITH HONEY. Decide whether Honey is bisexual (because she genuinely wants to love everyone) or heterosexual (for obvious reasons) and do not tease at every angle about the relationships she keeps. Granted, by not having her become genuinely involved with any character, it is left to our imaginations what they might do together if circumstances were different. But, it is repetitive torture to see a character sigh or speak of a desire to be more with Honey and never have that. I’m not sure if that’s a good thing. If there is a serious, intimate relationship with one or more of the above characters (because she might share intimate moments with each of them, discreetly), it doesn’t have to be very apparent. It might just be mentioned under the breaths of the characters between interactions with others.
[For example, Natsuko mentions what she enjoyed about Honey’s company the previous night, and Honey mutters something about meeting up again to reprise those roles another time just before the two women meet with some police or government official who wishes to speak with them for whatever reason. We know they are intimately linked without seeing them doing anything together. And, if there is no intimacy with a particular male character, for another example, who claims an interest in Honey, she might clarify her indifference with a playful excuse to do something else with her time (rather than date the guy).]
The reporter/cop is clearly mature enough to have that job and adult notions. Though, you could turn him into a kid, I suppose, getting photos for a school newspaper/magazine. As for Natsuko and Chokkei, they could be portrayed a number of ways, depending upon how old they are. I only give this any thought because of how Natsuko has changed in the various versions; and I was rather partial to her late-teen persona in the 1990s version which reminded me a bit of the original cartoon April O’Neil.
So, maybe Natsuko is a girlfriend of Chokkei who is not quite so young that he can’t have a reasonably legal relationship with Honey, and Natsuko occasionally gets “jealous” of Chokkei’s apparent feelings for Honey not unlike Lum and Shinobu would get about Ataru chasing other women in Urusei Yatsura. Or, Natsuko is a mature neighbor/roommate of Honey’s while Chokkei lives in a nearby house/building and regularly runs into the two women who have an intimate relationship while keeping Chokkei at a friendly distance, trying not to hurt his feelings. Maybe Honey and Chokkei have a genuine relationship they keep discreet; maybe he knows her secret(s) and still interacts with Natsuko, a coworker, classmate or neighbor who can be a bit nosy and maybe take photos…like a reporter (hmm?), working in that angle, sort of combining characters. Or, maybe, Chokkei is lucky enough to have a respectable threesome situation, sharing his time with both Honey and Natsuko who understand each other and how a guy like Chokkei could not choose.
Now, after saying all of that…and I wrote quite a bit on the subject, I am making this ultimatum. Either I get the chance to work on a future Cutey Honey project and make these adjustments (and any other adjustments) that suit a wider audience (not “mainstreaming” the concept or radically changing major components in a desperate effort to draw a new crowd and offend the older fans) and please me personally to my core…or I will go forth on my own and do one or two things.
1) Write my own Cutey Honey fan fiction (and maybe find a way to create a movie and/or cartoon) that suits my interests.
2) Create a similar story with an original cast of characters which may resemble or tip its hat to Cutey Honey but move in its own direction toward something more sustainable. And, if it surpasses Cutey Honey in longevity and/or fame, it’s just a shame I couldn’t do more to keep the spirit of Cutey Honey alive (as silly as the name might sound to some unfamiliar with the concept).
And, like I said about what happened after the (first) live-action movie, this character rises from the ashes, AGAIN! I just discovered a new 2016? 2017? film titled Cutey Honey -Tears- which I just finished viewing. From the trailers and first ten minutes, it looks like a vast improvement on the previous film! There have been a few changes I am concerned about at the moment (not including the radically new costume). And, I’m not sure where they are going with the villainess and the reporter? cop? agent? Whatever Hayami is in this version. [For the moment, he’s a reporter.] I’d be a lil more than just shocked if a wealthy businesswoman lifted me off the ground. Yet, the film looks and feels essentially like what I’ve been aiming at for Honey’s character. I’m somewhat excited to see where this goes. Again, these incarnations pop up under my radar!
Cutey Honey -Tears-
Okay. So, in short, I give the film 3.5 out of 5 stars. Possibly 3 stars. The biggest failings are the fight scenes, but there are also a few odd moments, “traditional” Cutey/Cutie Honey slips (moments when things appear or disappear without explanation) and some poor subtitle translations/grammar. The actors could have benefited from some choreography lessons. [Try watching Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow in Iron Man 2, for example.]
On the plus side, Takahiro Miura is a GREAT Seiji Hayami (even if his haircut is a bit crude, not stylish like the cartoon character). He brings so much to the film; my heart went with him throughout the film. Mariya Nishiuchi (Honey Kisaragi) is cute, for sure, not the ideal Honey but closer to a Japanese character than the previous Honey incarnations. She has a wicked, enchanting smile and can just as well give you sick chills when she scowls. Nicole Ishida is one scary, scrawny villainess, Lady Jiru.
This isn’t anywhere close to the classic Cutie Honey, not very colorful or flirty. There is nothing supernatural about the enemy; no Panther Zora reincarnated surprises or capsule/rose transformations. The henchmen are reduced to a drone army and one gun-toting assistant. Honey’s fighting costume is “toned down” from the original and skimpy on flair, including the tiny hearts which I think could have been bigger.
But, what lacks is replaced with a raw, gritty story that hits home with environmentalists. This is a sort of wake-up call to hasty garbage management, air pollution and what can happen if we put computers in charge of everything.
The movie touches nicely on the origin story. Yet, there is no explanation for how Honey learns to change, how she acquired the ability (other than mention of the “condenser”). The special effects used for the changes are decent if not impressive. But, the changes themselves are not very impressive. [And, though the weapons might not be crucial, Honey seemed a bit naked without her sword.]
Thankfully, there is a moment during the rather emotional ending in which we are given a glimmer of hope (for a sequel). But, it doesn’t make much sense after what just happened. [Unless I am misunderstanding what just happened, including how Honey/Hitomi wins the fight against Lady Jiru after Seiji enters the room with a laser gun.]
Overall, it’s watchable and worth a second look. Yet, I see room for improvement and have ideas for how to achieve it.
Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, Movie Review
I’ll let you decide if there’s still room for a sequel.
Black Panther, movie review
Chadwick Boseman might be the rightful heir to the throne of Wakanda, aka the Black Panther, but Michael B. Jordan, aka Killmonger, steals the show as a wounded heart and fierce rival in Black Panther, the latest Marvel Studios cash monster. While this is being pitched as a tremendously ground-breaking film for “blacks” and women, alike, I did not find it that astounding but did find some subtle, convenient political undertones.
I’d like to start off by mentioning I have been a casual Black Panther fan since I could afford a comic book at the local discount book store. I have three issues of the original comic book series, enough to inspire me to draw countless similar characters for comics I aspired to but never completed. Even with such a meager collection and knowledge of the character and his enemies, I had my expectations, going into the film.
I expected a down-to-earth, tough-as-nails martial artist/street fighter, a Batman with a cat mask and certain jewelry accessories, facing a crazy dude in a reddish, skin-tight costume with a distinct face/mask design and a megaphone for one of his hands, along with another madman capable of flying like the Vulture from Spider-Man comics/cartoons.
That’s not exactly what I garnered from the ads/trailers, and, thus, was a bit concerned. But, go figure; it’s been Disney-fied and “updated.” I didn’t want another juvenile-humor-infused romp in which everything runs on some kind of AI or nanotechnology. Iron Man could get away with that. And, I get Wakanda is supposed to be more technologically developed than all other parts of Africa, and then some. But, Black Panther has always been more of the street/jungle brawler than the wealthy “playboy”/heir to the family fortune.
On the plus side, this movie gets major points for fashion design and its soundtrack. [Jewelry left something to be desired.] No other Marvel movie, thus far, has kept me grooving through the whole thing like this one. I am not much of a RnB or Hip Hop fan. I didn’t grasp most lyrics. But, the beats really soothed and carried me along for the ride, all the way through the credits. Boseman and Nyong’o consistently had slick outfits; Lupita had some nice hairdos and face painting to complement her wardrobe changes.
There was a touch of a Lion King division of “brothers” which bubbled and boiled with tension nicely. As I said at the beginning, Michael B. Jordan makes one intriguing Killmonger. Boseman is more of a straight-forward script reader, playing his part to the letter. But, Jordan is conflicting and conflicted, more tempting to join the dark side than Darth Vader. He almost convinced me to root for him.
Winston Duke, as M’Baku, the monkey tribe leader, was both amusing and inspiring. Danai Gurira (Okoye) was fierce and proud enough to play one bad-ass Storm from the X-Men. Daniel Kaluuya (W’Kabi) and Andy Serkis (Klaue) get respectful nods, as well.
And, what would a Marvel movie be without a Stan Lee cameo? The man is just priceless, even if his quip and character didn’t “wow” me this time. [Can anything top the mailman in the first Fantastic Four film?] I had completely forgotten Jack Kirby had a big hand in the original comic series. He has been a big source of inspiration for me, as well.
The technology factor was remotely impressive but inadequately explained. [Or, maybe I was distracted by something/someone.] It wasn’t as bad as I expected but still rather convenient. And, the Wakanda fleet of vehicles were mostly silly and alien-looking. What respectable wealthy nation thinks ships shaped like grasshoppers or locusts is more sane than, say, a simple flying car/pod? But, cool points for the “car simulator” technology and the voice command? suit that can absorb and reuse energy.
Casting was adequate. The only weak spot, other than what I’ve already discussed about Boseman, was Martin Freeman, as a rather silly white guy on the set. He serves one vital purpose in the whole story, and it’s not until the final big conflict. Beyond that, he’s like that piece of luggage you wish you didn’t need to check at the airport. [Which is a shame because I usually like Freeman’s work.] Ironically, I suppose, he takes the “token” spot a “black” actor/actress would have in just about any “white” film. But, I think a Korean “agent” would have been more fitting, considering Korea was a country of focus in the movie…which is rather convenient, when you consider what’s going on in world politics and the most recent Olympics. [‘Makes you go “hmm,” doesn’t it?]
Possibly the worst aspect, next to the bug-shaped airships, was the camera work on the fight scenes, other than the big brawl near the end between two armies of warriors. That was Lord-of-the-Rings-worthy. But, the casino fight? There was so much going on at break-neck speed (ha); too hard to follow with the camera. [Of course, my seat wasn’t the best. And, I did not anticipate such a full theater. But, I didn’t go at my usual movie-viewing time, either.]
The movie leaves you with two little scenes during the credits which did nothing for me. [But, I haven’t seen Civil War, yet, either. So…] And, there’s the question about what is really next for the Black Panther after solving juvenile delinquency…well, not quite (and after what becomes of his enemies which I shall leave you to see for yourselves). [In fact, the condition of the theater I shared with roughly a hundred other viewers, after the movie, was deplorable. Broken seats and food debris everywhere. More savage than the Wakanda jungle. Not a good impression left by a black-dominated audience. I was the Martin Freeman in the crowd.]
Give Black Panther a try in 3D if you can spare the extra bucks. If you wait to rent it, be sure to have a big enough screen to appreciate the visuals though they aren’t as impressive as, say, one of the Thor movies. Many of the scenes are dark and crowded. Don’t expect to earn “minority cred” for seeing the movie. Again, it’s not the end-all-be-all film that’s going to boost “blacks” and women into the top one percent of the wealthy. It’s not going to make the next Denzel or Halle. [Although, Lupita (Nakia) was rather stimulating…but, so far, she always is (with a slight hint of arrogance in her smile).]
Buy the soundtrack and groove your way to work or school.
On a scale of 1 (lousy) to 5 (awesome), I give Black Panther a 3.5. Take out Freeman and the bug ships, and I’d maybe bump this up to a 3.75.
And, Lupita? Call me. 😉
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Next Year’s Referendums Will Pit The Church Against The People Of New Zealand
At the time of next year’s General Election, there will be at least two referendums. One will relate to cannabis law reform, the other to euthanasia. Both of them are likely to be fairly divisive, pitting large sections of the New Zealand population against each other. One of these conflicts, as this essay will examine, will be the Church against the people of New Zealand.
The Church is commonly perceived to be conservative. This is a mistake. People make this mistake because the Church opposes all kinds of social reform. But they don’t oppose all social reform – the Church is happy to open the borders to masses of illiterate Third Worlders who cannot be integrated. They only oppose some social reform, and there is a pattern to it.
The common thread to all the Church’s actions is that they all increase the power of the Church by increasing the suffering of the New Zealand people.
Christianity has always preyed on desperation. The more desperate a person is, the more willing they will be to subject themselves to the predation of the local vicar or priest. The more pitiful and wretched the man, the more likely they are to find salvation in a book of fairy tales about a magical Jewish carpenter. And when they do, they tend to write the Church into their wills.
It has always been a maxim of Abrahamism that misery will cause people to turn to the God of Abraham out of desperation. Happy people don’t need the God of Abraham – ample evidence comes from the declining rates of Christianity among the wealthy nations of Europe over the past hundred years.
If you’re the Church, happiness is bad for business. Therefore, the more misery they can create, the more powerful they grow.
In the same way the Church opposed the anti-smacking law (because they know child abuse leads to suffering) and they opposed homosexual law reform (because they know persecution of homosexuals leads to suffering), so too will they oppose cannabis law reform and euthanasia law reform. Their desire is to force New Zealanders to suffer, in the hope that our suffering causes us to give up on the material world and turn to Jesus.
The Church has never liked cannabis, for multiple reasons. This is strange if one considers that the Christian Bible states that God put cannabis here for our benefit (see Genesis 1:29). It’s not strange, however, if one understands that the Church is really a political entity and not really a spiritual one. Their primary objective is to grow in Earthly power, not to alleviate the spiritual suffering of New Zealanders.
One reason the Church has always supported the persecution of cannabis users is because cannabis is a spiritual sacrament that connects people to God, and the Church can’t earn money if people are connected to God by their own actions. The Church can only earn money by acting as an intermediary, and to that end they foster the need for an intermediary. This is why they have made such an effort, historically, to destroy all genuine spiritual and magical traditions.
Another reason is because cannabis is a medicine. As mentioned above, the Church gains power from people’s suffering and misery. Opposing cannabis law reform is the same thing as promoting anxiety, depression, insomnia and stress. All of those things create the kind of desperation that drives people into the arms of the Church or a particular congregation.
It’s for these reasons that cannabis is opposed by the Church and by Christians such as Bob McCoskrie.
The Church has never liked euthanasia either, as evidenced by the upset shown by Christian fundamentalist Alfred Ngaro at New Zealand First’s unwillingness to block the referendum on the issue. They have always known that the immense suffering that usually precedes death makes the dying person vulnerable to all kinds of trickery – in particular, a person is most likely to change their will to bequeath something to the Church when dying.
From the Church’s perspective, then, it’s best for the suffering of dying people to be drawn out as long as possible.
Fundamentally, what the Church wants is control. They don’t want us to have control over our lives – they want themselves to have control over our lives. They want to decide what we’re allowed to call a spiritual sacrament and when we’re allowed to die, much like they used to decide who we were allowed to love and when we were allowed to drink alcohol.
To this end, they will oppose both referendums because both offer to return control back to the people of New Zealand.
It’s clear to every thinking New Zealander that there would be less suffering if we had legal cannabis and euthanasia. Therefore, the Church is promoting the misery of the New Zealand people. They’re not doing it out of conservatism, or backwardness – they’re doing it because the Abrahamic cults are predatory ideologies of hate that gorge themselves on human misery.
Make no mistake – the Church is the enemy of the New Zealand people. They consider our suffering to be to their benefit, knowing that it will turn some of us, in desperation, to their arms. Anyone who opposes the evil that is Abrahamic religion and the political interference that the Abrahamic cults make in our lives is all but obliged to stick it to them next year.
If you enjoyed reading this essay, you can get a compilation of the Best VJMP Essays and Articles of 2018 from Amazon for Kindle or Amazon for CreateSpace (for international readers), or TradeMe (for Kiwis). A compilation of the Best VJMP Essays and Articles of 2017 is also available.
Clown World Chronicles: What Is A ‘MGTOW’?
In Clown World, relations between the genders are not as they should be. As everything in Clown World is a twisted, tragicomic imitation of how things would be in a normal world, so too is dating and romance. One of the phenomena that this has created is that of the MGTOW. This essay explains who these people are and what motivates them.
‘MGTOW’ stands for Men Going Their Own Way. The idea is that MGTOW is a rebellion against the expectations levied upon the average man by society. These expectations, MGTOWs contend, are that a man shall slave away for the vast majority of his life for the sake of providing for a wife and family, without any assurance that any of his work will pay itself off. It’s a raw deal, and so they reject it.
The average MGTOW has an extremely cynical attitude towards women. Their idea of the feminine is deceitful, manipulative, dishonest – women attract men like spiders attract flies. The attitude that women are evil underpins much of the MGTOW movement. After all, if it were true that women were evil, then it would make sense to avoid them.
MGTOWs speak of a time when the average man was afforded a lot more respect. During this time, marriages were stable and women were loyal. Men were not subject to “divorce rape” – in which a formerly happy wife betrays a man and then enlists a lawyer to take everything that man has in divorce proceedings. Cases like Jeff Bezos’s wife, who became a multi-billionaire through a divorce settlement, are emblematic.
The problem with today’s society, MGTOWs contend, is that women are no longer as they once were.
Women are no longer loyal – a combination of decreased social pressure towards loyalty, a legal environment unfavourable to males, and their own inner malice. Therefore, the old social contract, under which a man would labour throughout his productive years in exchange for a pleasant wife who would provide him a family, is no longer valid. Absent this, men are not obliged to be part of society. They can go their own way.
It’s true that the average Western man today has a much shittier situation facing them than the average Western man in the 1950s or 60s. Unlike his grandfathers, he has almost no chance of owning a home and raising a family on his wage alone. The average young New Zealander today has less than 40% of the house-buying power that his parents’ generation enjoyed. Being the breadwinner of a family is many times harder than it used to be.
It’s also true that the balance of power has shifted towards women in recent generations. Our grandfathers were able to literally beat their women into submission, knowing that both their neighbours and the Police would look the other way. Marital rape was legal in New Zealand until 1984. In the 21st century, however, women make up two-thirds of Bachelor’s degree recipients in New Zealand. It’s a woman’s world now.
Moreover, men today have to deal with the reality of hypergamy (all MGTOWs are familiar with this term). Hypergamy is the tendency of the female in sexually reproducing species to try to marry up by attracting the sexual partner with the highest possible social status. MGTOWs contend that the advent of online dating has exacerbated this tendency to such an extreme degree that, today, most women have no interest in the bottom 80% of men.
To many men, this makes the prospect of a fulfilling long-term relationship seem unlikely. MGTOWs will say “women are only as loyal as their options,” and because Tinder gives them effectively infinite options, women no longer have any reason to be loyal. Even worse, they don’t even need a man to raise children because the State will pay for it with welfare (there is great overlap between MGTOWs and the libertarian right when it comes to resenting welfare).
Because there is little reason to work hard and to hold down a job if one does not (or can not) have a family, a number of men have just said “fuck it” and dropped out of society in response to all this. They fill their time mostly with video games, Netflix and television. Others fill their time with pornography (see the Coomer meme). None of this is productive, but there’s no reason for a man who has abandoned (or been abandoned by) society to be productive.
There is a great overlap between those who identify with being MGTOW and incels. Both of them share a deep frustration about their failed attempts to get what they want out of women. The difference, in theory, is that MGTOWs are no longer trying to find ways to co-exist with women, whereas incels are still trying but are getting rejected. The incel to MGTOW pathway is obvious.
Curiously, there isn’t much overlap between those who identify with being MGTOW and volcels. In theory, there ought to be, because a man who is going his own way is a fitting description for a man who is voluntarily celibate. But a man who is voluntarily celibate is probably doing so for spiritual or mental health reasons – a MGTOW, by contrast, goes his own way out of bitterness and resentment.
One of the main drawbacks of the MGTOW strategy is that most men can’t achieve anything by themselves. Like it or not, individual humans are interdependent with other humans and cannot exist in isolation. Even the greatest of men can’t achieve much without a network of people who make that man’s greatness known to the wider world.
Inevitably, such a network will include women. Therefore, a man who hates or who wants to avoid women is unlikely to also to be supported by a large social network.
If the MGTOWs themselves are correct, then the phenomenon ought to become more prevalent as the economic and social balance of power shifts further in favour of women. This could have social repercussions. If a large proportion of the men in a society are unwilling to act to preserve it then it may well collapse. The prospect of this is something that many MGTOWs look forwards to with joy.
Being a sick and insane circus, Clown World is inherently unstable, and the MGTOW phenomenon may be one that heralds its demise.
This article is an excerpt from Clown World Chronicles, a book about the insanity of life in the post-Industrial West. This is being compiled by Vince McLeod for an expected release in the middle of 2020.
VJMP Reads: Edward Bernays’s Propaganda IX
This reading carries on from here.
The ninth chapter of Edward Bernays’s Propaganda is called ‘Propaganda in Social Service’.
By “Social Service,” Bernays refers to what would today be known as the welfare system. He states that the welfare system requires constant propagandising, on account of that its continued existence is contingent on the will of the wealthy. Here he states the maxim that “Civilization is limited by inertia.”
One striking feature of today’s world, Bernays contends, is the democratisation of propaganda opportunities. Back in the day, change was effected by autocratic rulers who decreed it, but today any person is able at least to try changing public opinion about something.
In this chapter Bernays again underlines the significance of appealing to the leaders of the various groups within society. If a variety of leaders of different social groups can be brought on board, it’s not too hard to get the people they influence on board too. With this achieved, it’s possible to use the approval of these leaders to further propagandise.
Bernays states here that “Social service… is identical with propaganda in many cases.” By this he means that all efforts to effect social change are propaganda efforts. The efforts of the welfare state to raise the wellbeing of people necessitates a propaganda effort. This is especially true when new scientific advances suggest certain changes (as they did in Bernays’s time in the case of prison reform).
He concludes this chapter with the statement that “Social progress is simply the progressive education and enlightenment of the public mind in regard to its immediate and distant social problems.” In this regard, the propagandist has an extremely important role. It’s perhaps telling, though, that Bernays doesn’t write about how the propagandist knows whether they’re enlightening or misleading people with their work.
Is It Time For An Asian Quota In The All Blacks?
Japanese player Daisuke Ohata is history’s top international rugby union try scorer, proving that being Asian is no hindrance to rugby excellence
By the time of the 2019 Rugby World Cup, over 1,000 men had represented the All Blacks throughout history. Although the All Blacks are famous for being a successful multicultural operation, not a single one of those thousand plus All Blacks has been Asian. This essay asks whether it’s time for an Asian quota in the All Blacks.
At the time of the 2018 Census, some 15.3% of the New Zealand population were Asians, around 750,000 people. About a quarter million of those are Chinese, another quarter million Indian, and the rest a mix of Japanese, Korean, Thai, Vietnamese, Filipino and a few others. It’s similar to the total number of Maoris and greater than the total number of Pacific Islanders.
Most of those Asians are relative newcomers to New Zealand, and therefore a historic lack of Asian representation is not hard to explain. However, 15% of the current population is a large number of people. On the face of it, it seems extremely improbable that none of these people would have gone on to be an All Black today. Indeed, there are very few Asians among professional rugby players full stop.
The conventional explanation for this disparity is a supposed inherent genetic disadvantage possessed by Asians.
Because rugby is an extremely physical game, the more effective rugby players tend to also be the more muscular ones. For the forwards, muscle power gives the wrestling strength to win possession of the ball; for the backs, muscle power gives the explosiveness to break tackles and to hit gaps. According to the common explanation, Asians lack this muscle power because they don’t have the right genes.
The idea that Polynesians and white people are genetically larger than Asians is part of a school of thought called scientific racism. This school of thought is the rhetoric of dressing up racism in scientific-sounding statements to give it legitimacy. People who adhere to this school of thought like to draw jargon from evolutionary psychology and genetics to create the appearance of support for their case.
Scientific racists will say that, when a people becomes civilised, the set of selection pressures in favour of big muscles are no longer as strong among that people. A capacity for violence gives way to a capacity to co-operate. Hence, the longer a people has been civilised, the smaller they will become. This is the reason why Indians have the least lean muscle mass in the world – they have been civilised the longest.
Scientific racists go on to say that, because Northern Europeans and Polynesians were the last to become civilised, that they have the most lean muscle mass, this being the inevitable consequence of selective pressures that rewarded the most violent and aggressive males with mates and social status. This lean muscle mass makes them better rugby players, and therefore the low level of Asian representation can be explained by Asian inferiority.
In reality, this is merely a “just so” story used to justify racist oppression of Asians.
The truth is that Asians have been discouraged from playing rugby because of the racism they have encountered from Polynesians and white people. Unfortunately, Asians have been stereotyped as small, weedy nerds who are only good at maths and computer science. This has led to an extreme amount of racist bullying from Polynesians and white people, which has discouraged Asians from pursuing higher honours in the game.
Further proof for this contention comes from the observation that all of the Japanese national rugby side’s players are much better at rugby than the average Polynesian or white man. It follows from this that excellence at rugby is primarily a question of dedication to training and not genetics. This proves that the over-representation of Polynesians and whites in the All Blacks cannot be because of inherent racial superiority.
If there is no inherent racial superiority, then anti-Asian racism is the only possible explanation for the lack of Asian representation in the All Blacks. This means that the existing New Zealand rugby structure is obliged to do something about their racism and the historical advantage it has given Polynesian and white players.
One way of rectifying this would be to use the South African solution of racial quotas.
There are 15 players in a starting rugby union team, and 23 players in a match-day team (which includes the bench). This means that fair and equal representation for Asians in the All Blacks (based on their proportion of the New Zealand population) would be something like two starting players and one on the bench.
This doesn’t mean that there should be a quota of three places for Asian players in the All Blacks straight away. A better way to do transformation, following the South African example, would be to have one quota place for Asians in the All Blacks but three quota places for Asians in all Super Rugby teams (at least to start with).
Until New Zealand Rugby can rectify their horrific failure to include Asians in the top levels of professional rugby culture, they will continue to be a racist organisation. They show no willingness to change their attitudes on their own, however. Therefore, a quota for Asian players in the All Blacks is necessary before the All Blacks can be considered, for the first time, a fully representative team.
Note: this article is a pisstake. If you got trolled, the joke’s on you!
The Three Dominance Hierarchies
The hierarchy of iron is characterised by big muscles; the hierarchy of silver is characterised by flash suits
A lot of discussion in social psychology revolves around the idea of the dominance hierarchy. This refers to the fact that humans, as a form of primate, have social dominance hierarchies like other primates (and other mammals). There are actually three separate forms of dominance hierarchy, depending on the nature of the situation, as this essay will examine.
The elementary dominance hierarchy corresponds to the realm of iron. This is the same as the dominance hierarchy that exists in a state of Nature.
In principle, there’s little more to the elementary dominance hierarchy than who can beat up who. The dominance hierarchy relating to iron is similar to the dominance hierarchy that exists in prison. Authority is determined by a capacity and a will to use violence. The top of this hierarchy is held by mighty warriors, warlords and kings.
All the posturing one sees about who could beat up who is establishing a dominance hierarchy in the realm of iron. There is a whole art to posturing in this manner, and males will start learning it while they are still boys. The point of it is to establish who is better at fighting, but without actually fighting. The man who is believed to be the best fighter is at the top of this hierarchy and, if you disagree, he will bash you.
The dominance hierarchy that corresponds to the realm of silver is the same as the social hierarchy.
This hierarchy doesn’t reflect fighting ability but rather social status. In a civilised setting, where peace reigns, the person who generally makes the most intelligent long-term decisions will be at the top of the dominance hierarchy. Fighting in terms of social status means that the loser gets ostracised (or incarcerated) instead of killed.
The dominance hierarchy of silver is the same as the hierarchy of all the people who have agreed to play by civilised rules. The uncivilised can contest the dominance hierarchy of iron by bashing and stabbing each other, but in doing so they will fall down the hierarchy of silver, because civilised men will not respect them.
In practice, the hierarchy of silver often represents the hierarchy of wealth. When it comes down to it, this hierarchy is an extension of the hierarchy of iron because silver gives you the opportunity to hire men of iron to do your bidding. Wealth can buy loyalty, even if only temporarily. It can also buy land, weapons and propaganda.
However, social status can be afforded to people on the basis of their knowledge alone, which is why the hierarchy of silver can, on occasion, promote a knowledgeable man above a wealthy one. This is most obviously the case in the university system, where extremely knowledgeable people are afforded a high status.
The third form of dominance hierarchy is much more subtle, and consequently it corresponds to the realm of gold.
The spiritual hierarchy reflects those who are most closely attuned to the Will of God. Because every person has their own idea of what the Will of God is, it’s rare that people openly agree as to who is at the top of the spiritual hierarchy. Therefore, this hierarchy is subtle, sometimes even occluded.
At the top of the spiritual hierarchy is the person with the greatest knowledge of God. In most cases, this will not only be a person who believes in God, but will also be a person who maintains a practice that keeps them in connection with God. This means that they have explicitly repudiated the other two dominance hierarchies and no longer contest them.
These three hierarchies interplay with each other in many ways.
The hierarchies of iron and silver clash all the time in civilised society. The hierarchy of iron is almost always topped by a male aged between 20 and 40, because it’s in these years that men possess maximum physical strength. The person at the top of the hierarchy of silver, by contrast, will have achieved their position after decades of building social and financial capital, and so will be much older.
This means that the person at the top of the hierarchy of iron is almost never the same as the person at the top of the hierarchy of silver. This is all but inevitable if the population is larger than 50 or so. With two different people at the top of two different dominance hierarchies, conflict between them is possible. This is why some ancient tribes used to split leadership into a war chief (man of iron) and a peace chief (man of silver).
Likewise, the person at the top of the hierarchy of gold will not be the decision-maker all the time. This person will only be in charge as long as others put their egos down and seek wise counsel instead of trying to force their will on others. As long as people choose to fight, then they will fall behind the leadership of either the best physical fighter or the best social fighter, and neither will follow the man of gold.
Because of the Conceit of Silver, people of silver will regularly fancy themselves to be people of gold. This leads many people of silver to adopt the trappings of the people of gold and to start mimicking them. Therefore, one can never be sure that anyone claiming to be a believer in God really is one. This means that the hierarchy of gold cannot be measured.
The hierarchies of silver and gold naturally clash with each other, as those driven by egoic desires for self-aggrandisement clash with those driven to minimise the suffering of all sentient beings. The men of silver are generally happy to cause suffering to other sentient beings if it grants them more power, but in doing so they inevitably provoke the ire of the men of gold.
These three dominance hierarchies can be observed in virtually all human groups. The interplay between physical strength, social strength and moral strength all but ensures that ultimate decision-making power is never held in the same hands for long.
Understanding The Boomer Meme
A man on the wrong side of male menopause bears a slack, satisfied grin, a can of Monster energy drink in his hand. Despite a beer belly and signs of pattern baldness, all is well in this man’s world. This is the Boomer, and this essay explains his significance in the Clown World Pantheon.
The term Boomer comes from Baby Boomer. This is a reference to the generation of people who were born immediately after World War II. Because the end of that war resulted in a temporary sharp increase in birth rates, it led to a “Baby Boom” of new children who all had unique generational features in common.
In theory, this means that a Boomer is someone born between 1945 and 1963 or so. In other words, people aged between their mid-50s to their mid-70s. This age group comprises the vast majority of high-ranking political and business decision-makers right now. The vast bulk of the world’s power, wealth and control now lies in the hands of this generation.
The Boomer meme satirises the values and attitudes that are characteristic of Boomers.
Boomers were known from the beginning to be a particularly narcissistic cohort. This was mostly a function of the great deprivations that their parents had endured during World War II and the Great Depression. The parents of the Boomers had resolved to not allow their children to suffer the same traumas they had. So they showered everything on them.
Then, as the Boomers reached young adulthood, the popular culture catered to them on account of their spending power. Music, books and movies were all crafted to appeal to Boomer values. After that, when they reached middle adulthood, the political establishment catered to them on account of their voting power. Party policy was then crafted to appeal to Boomer values.
This has led to a generation of people who genuinely believe that the whole planet revolves around them. They know nothing else than getting their own way, and they feel entitled to demand that this state of affairs should continue. They are so accustomed to luxury that they insist that the whole world work to keep them in it, even if they have to destroy everything about their countries that the following generations could have inherited.
This is the Boomer.
The central idea behind the Boomer meme is that the entire world has been set up for the benefit of this generation and that they, like spoiled children, assume that this is the way it should be and demand that it stays that way (even if following generations have to suffer).
The meme captures the frustration of those following generations, who are suffering under housing and employment markets that are leaving them with no realistic chance of ever being able to own a home, and therefore much less chance of ever raising a family of their own. Amplifying the frustration is the knowledge that young people are labouring long hours not for their own benefit, but to pay for the luxurious retirements of the Boomers.
The Boomer image is a Wojak variant. It’s really just the standard Wojak with a generation of age added on. This makes the Boomer meme a caricature of age, and not of anything else. The idea of the Boomer meme is that almost everyone in that generation thinks much the same way – smug, satisfied, and naturally unwilling to countenance any change to a system that puts their wishes at the very centre.
The meme also captures the frustrations with the Boomers themselves. The generations following the Boomers have discovered that their elders don’t give a fuck, at all, about how hard things are for young people now. It’s now widely understood that the generations following the Boomers have it harder than the Boomers themselves did, marking the first time in centuries that one generation had it harder than the preceding generation.
This is not merely a popular belief: studies have shown that life is objectively much harder now. A study by VJM Publishing showed that young people today have less than half of the house-buying power that their parents’ generation enjoyed. Even worse, the mass importation of cheap labour has destroyed any negotiating leverage those young people may have had.
The Boomers own everything, and they run the world in their interests exclusively.
The phrase “OK Boomer,” epitomises the frustration caused by this state of affairs. It’s the reaction of an exasperated young person to years and years of listening to old people bleat about how hard they worked and how they’re entitled to this or that because of how much they supposedly “paid into the system”.
It’s the younger generations’ response to decades of trying to talk about things like housing availability, the failure of neoliberalism, cannabis law reform and climate change, only to encounter millions of goat-stubborn old bastards who wouldn’t listen if the future of the world depended on it.
It’s regularly said in response to “When I was your age,” because this phrase inevitably precedes a lecture about how the young person just needs to knuckle down and work hard. Boomers, as a rule, completely fail to understand that the nature of work and of society have both changed from when they were young and that many things are much, much harder now in many major ways.
The young adults of today know that there is simply no way to get this information through the thick skulls of the average Boomer. No communication is possible with people that self-centered, ignorant and arrogant. Therefore, all that can be done is to say “OK Boomer,” as one would dismiss any other senile old fool who ought to be put out to pasture, and wait for the chance to lever their fingers from the rings of power.
The Boomer occupies a central role in the Clown World Pantheon, as he is effectively Wojak’s Dad. This means that it’s the Boomer’s personal failings that have set the scene for Wojak to become the way he is. The Boomer figure is the archetype of irresponsibility and selfish indifference to the long-term wellbeing of society. All this serves to make the Boomer cut a Zeus-like figure in Clown World.
Orderworkers And Chaosworkers
There are many different ways of making an elementary magical division among the people of the world. Some say that there are black magicians and white magicians, others say there are lightworkers and shadow-workers. This essay divides the world’s magicians into two basic types on their relation to order: orderworkers and chaosworkers.
The essential distinction is that orderworkers cause change to the world by applying order to chaos, whereas chaosworkers cause change to the world by applying chaos to order. In theory, an orderworker will impose order upon a harmful chaos, whereas a chaosworker will impose chaos upon a harmful order, although this need not always be the case.
An example of an orderworker would be a doctor who prescribes a medicine that gets rid of a disease. Such a person would recognise that the physical body before them is in a state of disorder, and their diagnosis and prescription is an attempt to apply order to reduce the suffering that the disorder was causing the patient.
A cleaner is another example of an orderworker. They take something that has become disorderly on account of use, and apply order to to it to make reusable for other people. They apply order with mops and vacuums in much the same way that a surgeon does with a scalpel – perhaps with less precision, but the action is the same on a metaphysical level.
Another example would be a Police officer or security guard. Their remit is to keep the peace or to prevent things from being stolen, which means that they have to impose order upon the various criminal elements out there. They apply order in the form of preventing outside elements from disrupting the status quo.
It can be seen from this that being an orderworker does not imply any moral superiority to a chaosworker or even any higher social rank, as order and chaos are on an entirely separate axis to good and evil. It’s simply a descriptor of someone who applies order to achieving their goals.
Chaosworkers introduce chaos into order. This requires some elaboration because many people automatically assume that order is a good thing and that chaos is a bad thing, and that anyone fitting the label “chaosworker” must be a destructive and malevolent force. This is true to an extent, but there are major ways in which it is not true at all.
An excess of order can be suffocating. It’s easy to imagine order as a straight line – in this sense, an excess of order could be like a prison cell that confined a person to a limited space.
An excess of order can also be sterile. A fertile ground for growth requires a variety of components that can interact with each other as necessary. An excess of order will produce a desert; such an environment requires the addition of chaos in the form of water before it can become fertile.
A chaosworker, then, is someone who releases someone else from bonds that imprison them, or who provides a form of novelty that serves to fertilise the mind of those who encounter it.
The most common examples of chaosworkers are the bartenders and musicians that one would encounter in a city’s entertainment area. After a hard day of work, most people have built up an excess of order in their minds. They have become excessively conditioned, and as such risk becoming entrapped by their thoughts. These people have a need to unwind.
Such an excessively conditioned person is at risk of becoming aggressive if they cannot get a chaosworker to help them relax. Bartenders and musicians are here in the same category as cannabis dealers, sportsmen and comedians. In applying chaos to people’s minds, these people break down harmful order and help them find joy and contentment.
Prostitutes are also chaosworkers, because they take a powerful instinct and work to dissipate it into something harmless. This chaos work serves to prevent rapes, suicides and other expressions of sexual frustration. Soldiers are another kind of chaosworker, in that they work to blow things up and to kill people. They break down the harmful order that is the enemy command and control structure.
The orderworker/chaosworker distinction explains why there is a distinction between jobs such as Police (whose warrant is to keep the peace) and the Army (whose remit is to fuck things up). It’s a similar distinction to how non fiction exists to to inform, while fiction exists to remove ignorance.
Note that neither implies moral superiority. Although it’s certainly true that an orderworker will feel a kind of disgust at an excess of chaos, so too will a chaosworker feel disgust at an excess of order. As far as everyone else is concerned, the best of the two is whoever can best help with the current problem. A man with a broken arm needs an orderworker; a man with a neurotic obsession needs a chaosworker.
Orderworkers and chaosworkers are just as valuable as each other, because the transitory nature of all Earthly phenomena mean that sometimes it’s the yin that is ascendant, and sometimes the yang. This means that sometimes it’s chaos that is the greater problem (which requires an orderworker) and sometimes it’s order (which requires a chaosworker). The same person might even have to do both.
Clown World Chronicles: Who is Wojak?
A simply-drawn MS Paint image of an expressionless man is one of the commonest memes seen today. Some know him as Feels Guy, but to most Internet denizens he is called Wojak. As this essay will show, Wojak and his many incarnations are a core part of the Clown World pantheon.
To many who see him for the first time, there is nothing special at all about Wojak. He is simply a generic-looking white face with a blank expression. Neither is he drawn with any great finesse – he is merely an MS Paint depection of a young adult male. This, however, is his great power. Wojak represents the common human spirit that is shared by all of us.
Wojak bears the brunt of the cruelties of Clown World. This is shown in his manifestation as Feels Man. As Feels Man, Wojak is the face that expresses the disappointment and crushing sadness that follows coming to terms with the reality of living in a Clown World. He is the expression of all kinds of sadness, disappointment and despair.
A common portrayal of Wojak is from behind as he stares out across an ocean towards a setting Sun. This meme speaks to the sense that one’s naivety has come to an end. As the Sun sets and leaves Wojak on the beach, so too do our conceptions of an ideal world disappear, leaving us in Clown World with all its insanity.
Another common portrayal of Wojak is as the Doomer (this concept is elaborated upon in another chapter). The Doomer is a man who has been worn down to near breaking point by the insanity of Clown World. He cannot see anything getting better – doom lurks just beyond every horizon. He is strung out, with bags under his eyes, stubble under his chin and a cigarette butt in his mouth.
Yet another is the Coomer (also elaborated upon elsewhere). The Coomer is a man who has become hopelessly addicted to pornography, to the point where he lives for nothing else. This incarnation of Wojak represents the potential sex addict inside each of us, and serves as a warning.
So Wojak, much like Pepe, represents another kind of everyman. Perhaps the essential difference is that Pepe is the masculine form, whereas Wojak is the feminine form. Whereas Pepe feels disgruntlement leading to rage, Wojak feels sorrow leading to despair.
Fundamentally, though, Wojak’s place in the Clown World pantheon is as a representative of the youthful idealism that is lost when a person realises that they live in Clown World. It’s natural to grow up thinking that one lives in a world of reason, where science and evidence weigh heavily. The realisation that only power matters and that logic is meaningless comes as a spiritual shock to many.
For those who have been through it, however (and most have), this spiritual shock is highly relatable. This relatability is the reason for the success of the Wojak meme and its descendants – the ubiquitous nature of Wojak means that he can serve as a kind of template upon which other memes are based.
NPC Wojak is a variant of the original that satirises the unthinking nature of the average pleb. NPC Wojak is similar to the original, only with a grey face and simplified features. The commonest meme to feature the NPC Wojak is a multipanel comic where he is presented with some inane political fact and becomes enraged – a satirisation of how the average NPC out there has no consciousness and simply responds to stimuli like any invertebrate would.
Brainlet Wojak is another common variant. This one involves the regular Wojak but with a variety of cranial deformities so that his brain is clearly much smaller than that of a normal person. The implication, of course, being that the idea associated with the Brainlet Wojak image is a stupid one.
There is also a female version of Wojak, identical to the male original but with long, coppery hair. This version is most commonly seen incarnated as Tradfem Wojak, wearing a flowery blue dress. In this incarnation she also represents a lost promise, in this case the promise of a loyal wife who was interested in raising a family – something that Clown World has made impossible.
Wojak and the various forms that he appears in could be described as an ur-meme and its memetic offspring. Wojak represents the grim, inescapable awareness that the world is really much, much worse that what it promised to be. His feels are our feels; his loss of innocence is ours too. Wojak represents the everyday citizen of Clown World: lost, confused, dismayed.
This article is an excerpt from Clown World Chronicles, a book being compiled by Vince McLeod for an expected release in the middle of 2020.
If The Nazis Had Won World War II
Trade is a human universal and, as such, is more fundamental than trivialities like who exterminated who
The common perception of World War II is that, had the Nazis won it, the world would now be a wasteland of rubble and burning wreckage. It’s true that the world would certainly be different in some major ways to the timeline we currently live in, but there are many things that would be recognisable. This essay asks the question: what would our societies look like today if the Nazis had won World War II?
If the Nazis had won World War II, and united all of Europe under one Reich, our political leaders would have found an accommodation with it. If the Nazis had knocked out the Soviet Union and made peace with Britain, our political leaders would have shrugged, said “fair enough” and started to do business with the new bosses.
Some might doubt this, but an examination of history and human nature make it very clear. If the Nazis had won World War II, our political class would be lining up to whore themselves out to them.
If the Nazis had won World War II, and established a Lebensborn project to populate Poland with German settlers, and if this had led to an excess population such that many of these Germans sought to emigrate to other countries, our political system would tell us that this was a good thing. We would be told that we had to accept it otherwise we were evil.
Politicians all around the world would be clamouring to curry favour with the Nazi Empire by forming trade and diplomatic links with Nazi territories, or by agitating in favour of further immigration from Nazi territories or by attacking those who criticise Nazi actions. These politicians would dismiss anyone who accused them of siding with evil as conspiracy theorists, bigots and haters.
Politicians of German ancestry would be climbing onto social media saying that it’s hate speech to mention the Hungerplan, or that the Hungerplan didn’t really happen, or that the Poles deserved it because of genocidal attacks on Germans in Polish territory in the lead up to World War II. As with the Armenian genocide, a sufficiently strenuous denial would cause people to either doubt or to not care.
Many outside Europe would have ended up marrying Germans once the war tensions cooled off (as they have done in this timeline). They would say “Yes, the Nazis are evil, but Ulrike/Heike/Beate is against all that stuff.” Some of the fathers of these brides and grooms would be Nazi Party functionaries, and would have done some horrific things, but their sons and daughters-in-law would operate on a “Don’t ask, don’t tell” basis.
If the Nazis had won World War II, it would be an accepted fact that the Nazi Empire was too big to not trade with. People would say “Yeah I know that they starved a hundred million people to death but you can’t just not trade with an entity that comprises X% of the world’s GDP.” Even if they still had millions in concentration camps this would not matter.
No doubt the Nazi Empire would have established a competitive advantage in some economic manner, such as vehicle manufacture. It might be possible that the whole world would be driving German-made cars, or flying in German-made aircraft. In such a case, most people wouldn’t think anything of using such goods. Some might make jokes about the tens of millions who were exterminated to make it possible, but this wouldn’t prevent trade any more than the North American genocides prevent trade.
Had the Nazis won World War II, there would be politicians and pundits trying to curry favour with them by talking about Naziphobia. An excessive dislike of Nazis would be likened to a mental illness by politicians and by media enterprises chasing the Nazi advertising dollar. There would be mutterings that hate speech legislation ought to be introduced to prevent people from being too open about their dislike of Nazism.
If the Nazis still had people in camps, their plight would be ignored, save for the propagandising of a small number of social justice activists. These activists would widely be seen as obsessed or unhinged. In much the same way that the imprisonment of many Uighur people is dismissed as an outcome of the Uighurs’ religious fanaticism, so too would the imprisonment of the Jews be dismissed as an outcome of their predations.
If the Nazis had won World War II, our entire education system would be different. Naturally, we wouldn’t be taught that Germany started World War II by invading Poland. We would instead be taught about the German Revolution of 1918-19, and who was behind that revolution. We would be taught about the Holodomor, and how the Holodomor influenced anti-Communist attitudes in central Europe in the 1920s.
Nazism more general would be seen as an anti-Communist movement that arose in response to the horrors of Soviet rule. The role of the British and the French in forcing the Versailles Treaty on the Germans after World War I would be emphasised. The psychological effect of hyperinflation would be explained at length to all schoolchildren.
Perhaps it may even have been necessary, had the Nazis won World War II, to accept that many of the actions of the British and French Empires in colonising the world were effectively criminal. Perhaps conquering 40 million square kilometres of territory and then declaring war on Germany was a bit hypocritical. Winning the war meant we never had to face up to this charge, but losing it would have meant that we were forced to.
None of this is to say that the world would have been any better if the Nazis had won World War II. The fact is, however, that a Nazi victory in Europe would not have changed human nature in any way. Humans would still be opportunistic, acquisitive and dishonest. The winners would still write the history books, and they would still do so in a way that absolved them of all guilt.
Who Are Virgin And Chad?
A common meme contrasts two opposing figures: the Virgin and the Chad. These two figures represent a diametrically opposed pairing in the Clown World pantheon. Like Apollo and Dionysus, who represent human reason and human nature, the Virgin and the Chad represent manifestations of the divine in human form. This essay explains.
At the most basic, Virgin and Chad represent opposite ends of the spectrum of sexual success with women.
Virgin, as suggested by his name, has had no sexual success with women. He is deeply neurotic, the sort of person that women feel uneasy around or even find creepy. He shuffles along, staring at the ground, downcast. His mind is plagued with thoughts of rejection and worry. Dressed in pallid greys and wearing cheap sneakers, his very appearance suggests rejection and despair.
There is nothing Virgin desires more than female attention, but there is also nothing that his nature is less likely to attract. This enraging paradox means that the Virgin is a deeply pitied figure. All of the memes that include the Virgin use him as a figure of fun – the example of what not to do or be like.
Chad strides along, his bearing perfectly upright at all times. His mind is clear, untrammelled by self-doubt. The appearance of Chad is the opposite to that of the Virgin: where the Virgin blends in with his grotty surroundings, Chad extrudes light and colour. His clothing is bright, with a cheery, glib slogan emblazoned without shame on the front. A genital bulge protrudes suggestively from his pants.
It’s wrong to think of Chad as a mere peacock, something that attracts females only through a visual display. Chad is also a genuine athlete, probably a wrestler or rugby player. His musculature and height are such that women notice him from a great distance just from his silhouette. He is the stuff of female fantasy.
The Virgin-Chad dichotomy represents the contrast between good and bad in a judgmental sense. In other words, the Virgin is something execrable, to be avoided. The Chad, by contrast, is a kind of ideal man similar to Hercules. Every Earthly man is morally obliged to make himself as chadly as possible – indeed, transcending the state of the Virgin could be said to be the act that makes a man a man.
This dichotomy is not merely a physical distinction. Implicit to all the Virgin-Chad jokes is that the Virgin always makes the wrong decisions, or fails to make the right decisions, because he doubts himself too much and lacks courage. The Virgin might be able to make himself physically attractive, under the right circumstances, but his mind will always preclude him from being a Chad. He is mentally weak, unable to control his baser impulses.
Chad, on the other hand, has no concept of fear. He doesn’t need fear, as he is naturally so in touch with his inner being that he can act on higher instinct. If Chad wants to do something, it is always the right thing to do. Therefore, he can act with perfect self-confidence.
Ultimately, the real advantage of the Chad is spiritual, and this is why the Virgin-Chad pairing has a spiritual dimension in the Clown World pantheon.
The Chad is in tune with the Tao, and this is why he always makes the right move. He does not desire anything other than a world precisely like the one that he moves in. Having no desire to change the world, the world has no desire to change him. Consequently, the Chad can operate without resistance. Women don’t resist him because they understand his advances to be the Will of God.
The Virgin, by contrast, is a creature of ego. This ego clouds his vision, which means that he cannot see reality accurately, and this is why he makes so many mistakes. He is desperate for recognition, for attention and for adulation, and this thirst frightens and repels people (especially women). The Virgin is entirely trapped in the illusion of materialism, in the commercial and advertising matrix.
There is a sense in which the Virgin represents the everyday man, and Chad represents, by way of contrast, a Zeus-like figure, something larger than life. According to this manner of thinking, Chad is envied by the Virgin, but is not resented. The Virgin sees Chad not so much as a competitor, but as a force of Nature that has its way with mortals, something to be emulated if possible and appreciated if not.
In magical terms, the Virgin can be thought of as an energy to be rejected and Chad as an energy to be summoned. A man going to a bar in the hope of getting laid wants to summon his inner Chad. The Virgin is, therefore, elementary masculine sexual energy that is rejected by the natural feminine, whereas the Chad represents elementary masculine sexual energy that is accepted by the natural feminine.
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http://vjmpublishing.nz/
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dclm-gs1-362820009
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"Men of Iron"
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