This Linux Program doesn't seem all that difficult at all... so far. I've already accomplished many of the tasks I laid out for myself to learn before this weekend came and it's only Tuesday.
Sweet. :)
Anyway, here's the task list itself...
LINUX EXPERIMENTS FOR NEAR FUTURE
1.) Change Password so no one else can possibly know it...
2.) Import bookmarks into Firefox browser from the HTML file that we exported from the WinXP version.
3.) Change Screensaver to a Picture Slideshow using the same pics we'd use in WinXP. If that's impossible, find a way to download a new one onto the system.
4.) Delete thumbs.db files (and all pictures that aren't large enough) from the Desktop Wallpapers folder in the Pictures folder. (These are also the same images that would be used for a Screensaver slide show.)
5.) Use internet to fullest extent, not to mention the usual tasks. (FB, YouTube, Blogger, et al.)
6.) Program some of the HTML pages in Linux using its default word processor, which does save to TXT and HTML files.
7.) Figure out how to get our printer to work with this OS... If possible...
Number 6 refers to a long-running HTML project of mine where I create lists of all my various multimedia collections (Video Games, Movies/TV Shows, Music on physical media, et al.), just as a way of teaching myself to program in HTML. Numbers 4-7 are already done. I'll be doing 1 and 2 on this list before I go to sleep tonight. I'm still looking into how I can do #3. I recently found the documentation to go along with this OS so, I should be figuring it out pretty soon.
So far, I'm liking this OS. It has been made quite easy for a noob to use. In a few days, I should be able to use either this or the WinXP install on my Desktop interchangeably for most of my day-to-day tasks.
I am still wondering why the menu selection screen that shows up when I boot up the computer is always shifting itself off to the left-hand side of the screen. The friend of mine that helped me install this Linux distro on my machine thinks it might be a driver issue with the video card I have installed. According to the driver utility I found in Linux, my system is using the recommended drivers.
I thought about installing the program software for the video card since the side of the box says it's compatible with Windows XP/Vista/7, MacOSX, Linux and FreeBSD. I decided not to do that until I get an expert opinion. I'd rather not mess things up here. I'm still learning the ins and outs of the system. Besides, it was difficult enough to get it set up right. Mint at first didn't like some of the settings on my machine.
Anyway, once that is done, I can start using this OS for gaming purposes. Never will there be a computer of some kind in my possession that won't be playing at least one game, unless it's a calculator or my iPods. I don't think they make much of a game console. Also, I have at least one game in my collection that will work with Linux too. It won't even need WINE to run because it has a Linux version on the disc. That game is one of the few FPS games that doesn't bore me, and a game I made levels for in college classes on Level Design: Unreal Tournament 2004.
- Lord Publius
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
Monday, July 29, 2013
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
I'm still here...
I've been a little busy as of late with various projects. This includes a fairly big project this Friday that will involve a few hardware/software upgrades/changes to my primary machine. More info will be revealed once it has all been finished.
- Lord Publius
UPDATE: Project got postponed to tomorrow. :(
- Lord Publius
UPDATE: Project got postponed to tomorrow. :(
Sunday, July 21, 2013
An Art project that excites my inner Mad Scientist...
I have an idea for an art project that excites my inner Mad Scientist because of the chemistry involved. I'm going to make/enhance 2 coffee tables with a top layer of epoxy resin containing various worn out/unplayable media inside. It's very much like what's in these two videos here...
Part 1 - http://youtu.be/-37FeNedGd0
Part 2 (Revised) - http://youtu.be/Sc_BYLNQk8U
I like the glorified chess board they made in those two videos as well. I might make one of those too. It would look cool in my game room and/or man cave.
Anyway...
One coffee table will have a few old records, CD's and cassette tapes that don't play right anymore embedded in the casting resin. The other will have a few old video games of mine that are also damaged beyond playability. With collections as large as mine, finding materials for the project will not be difficult.
The music table will consist of the following items:
- A 45 single of Elvis Presley that is hopelessly scratched. (This one just makes me sad...)
- LP's of Black Sabbath's Paranoid album and Led Zeppelin IV that are scratched too badly to play. (Don't worry, I have back-up copies of these two albums on multiple formats.)
- An old/worn-out tape of AC/DC's 'For those about to Rock' album, which I recently acquired on a flawless LP a few days ago. The liner notes that came with the tape will also go into the resin along with the tape itself. The case will be re-used for any other old tapes of mine that may need one.
The game table will consist of the following items:
- An old copy of River Raid for the Atari 2600 that I can't seem to get to work... It will be spared if I can get it to work between now and when I start the project.
- The copy of Soul Calibur that I found at a yard sale today, if my suspicions are correct and it turns out to be unplayable...
- Assuming I still have it in storage, my younger brother's old SEGA Genesis model 2 console. Both the power and reset buttons are stuck in the down position, making it unusable.
I could probably get that Genesis fixed (or fix it myself) but, I have 2 others and a clone console that will play Genesis, NES & Super NES games. Why bother fixing it when it's not needed and not difficult to replace? It doesn't have the same sentimental value as my first NES console.
- Lord Publius
ADDENDUM
I have an idea for a third table with a Star Trek theme, using what few Star Trek Micro Machines that I still have. (I used to have dozens when I was a child.) I'm sure there are plenty of other things I could put into a Star Trek themed table as well.
Also, I forgot to add a few pictures that demonstrate what I'm talking about, since I know most people are not going to follow the links to those videos...
Not bad, heh?
ADDENDUM 17 AUG 2013: I have another old Atari 2600 cartridge for the game table now: a title called Othello. There's also an old 78 record of Wagner that I broke last night that can go into the music table. If I can get the necessary materials, I can also do one of old computer media (CD-ROM's of obsolete programs, floppy disks, dead USB flash drives, et al.) as well.
ADDENDUM 20 SEP 2013: Yet another old Atari cartridge I can add to the mix, a game called Atlantis. I'm glad I do have working copies of Atlantis and River Raid. Too bad I don't have one for Othello. I might even use a few old carts from other systems that I just don't want to play anymore or that were never any good, anyway. There should be no shortage of games like that...
Part 1 - http://youtu.be/-37FeNedGd0
Part 2 (Revised) - http://youtu.be/Sc_BYLNQk8U
I like the glorified chess board they made in those two videos as well. I might make one of those too. It would look cool in my game room and/or man cave.
Anyway...
One coffee table will have a few old records, CD's and cassette tapes that don't play right anymore embedded in the casting resin. The other will have a few old video games of mine that are also damaged beyond playability. With collections as large as mine, finding materials for the project will not be difficult.
The music table will consist of the following items:
- A 45 single of Elvis Presley that is hopelessly scratched. (This one just makes me sad...)
- LP's of Black Sabbath's Paranoid album and Led Zeppelin IV that are scratched too badly to play. (Don't worry, I have back-up copies of these two albums on multiple formats.)
- An old/worn-out tape of AC/DC's 'For those about to Rock' album, which I recently acquired on a flawless LP a few days ago. The liner notes that came with the tape will also go into the resin along with the tape itself. The case will be re-used for any other old tapes of mine that may need one.
The game table will consist of the following items:
- An old copy of River Raid for the Atari 2600 that I can't seem to get to work... It will be spared if I can get it to work between now and when I start the project.
- The copy of Soul Calibur that I found at a yard sale today, if my suspicions are correct and it turns out to be unplayable...
- Assuming I still have it in storage, my younger brother's old SEGA Genesis model 2 console. Both the power and reset buttons are stuck in the down position, making it unusable.
I could probably get that Genesis fixed (or fix it myself) but, I have 2 others and a clone console that will play Genesis, NES & Super NES games. Why bother fixing it when it's not needed and not difficult to replace? It doesn't have the same sentimental value as my first NES console.
- Lord Publius
ADDENDUM
I have an idea for a third table with a Star Trek theme, using what few Star Trek Micro Machines that I still have. (I used to have dozens when I was a child.) I'm sure there are plenty of other things I could put into a Star Trek themed table as well.
Also, I forgot to add a few pictures that demonstrate what I'm talking about, since I know most people are not going to follow the links to those videos...
Not bad, heh?
ADDENDUM 17 AUG 2013: I have another old Atari 2600 cartridge for the game table now: a title called Othello. There's also an old 78 record of Wagner that I broke last night that can go into the music table. If I can get the necessary materials, I can also do one of old computer media (CD-ROM's of obsolete programs, floppy disks, dead USB flash drives, et al.) as well.
ADDENDUM 20 SEP 2013: Yet another old Atari cartridge I can add to the mix, a game called Atlantis. I'm glad I do have working copies of Atlantis and River Raid. Too bad I don't have one for Othello. I might even use a few old carts from other systems that I just don't want to play anymore or that were never any good, anyway. There should be no shortage of games like that...
Saturday, July 20, 2013
Fate can be a fickle mistress...
Picked up 2 old games from a yard sale today for $5. 1 is quite a remarkable find and the other is common.
The common one is a copy of Atari Anthology for the PS2.
The remarkable one is a copy of Soul Calibur for the SEGA Dreamcast.
This Dreamcast disc has a lot of scratches on the play side and it may not play right. I can't test it because, as fate would have it, I sent the Dreamcast (and LOTS of other old systems I've acquired in the last few months) back home to Louisiana. Even if it doesn't work, I don't really care. The way I look at it, I bought a good classics collection on PS2 for a dirt cheap price and got an old Dreamcast classic for free. I do hope that it works, though. The Soul Calibur games are some of the only fighting games that I have ever really enjoyed.
Also, the PS2 game came in handy to test if this PS3 that I recently bought has backward compatibility with its predecessor. Sadly, it does not.
- Lord Publius
The common one is a copy of Atari Anthology for the PS2.
The remarkable one is a copy of Soul Calibur for the SEGA Dreamcast.
This Dreamcast disc has a lot of scratches on the play side and it may not play right. I can't test it because, as fate would have it, I sent the Dreamcast (and LOTS of other old systems I've acquired in the last few months) back home to Louisiana. Even if it doesn't work, I don't really care. The way I look at it, I bought a good classics collection on PS2 for a dirt cheap price and got an old Dreamcast classic for free. I do hope that it works, though. The Soul Calibur games are some of the only fighting games that I have ever really enjoyed.
Also, the PS2 game came in handy to test if this PS3 that I recently bought has backward compatibility with its predecessor. Sadly, it does not.
- Lord Publius
Friday, July 19, 2013
Ingham County judge rules Detroit bankruptcy be withdrawn...
“It’s cheating, sir, and it’s cheating good people who work,” the judge told assistant state Attorney General Brian Devlin. “It’s also not honoring the (United States) president, who took (Detroit’s auto companies) out of bankruptcy.”
Source: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20130719/METRO01/307190099#ixzz2ZXMIb7Iw
The bold lettering in that quote was put in bold by me to point out something exceptionally stupid out of this judicial activist posing as a jurist.
I'll give it to ya straight, Judge. Your precious 'messiah' didn't save the auto industry or take it out of bankruptcy. He gave 39% of GM to the same crooked labor unions that helped get it in trouble and sold a controlling share of Chrysler to foreigners. That man does not deserve to be honored for ANYTHING that he did related to the car business... Especially after he just arbitrarily ordered GM to discontinue Pontiac and put a LOT of dealers out of business...
In fact, of all the reasons I have truly come to DESPISE Democrats over the course of my life, what they did to the auto industry pisses me off the most. They always talk about how important it is but, they help the unions that vote for them to mess it over and then drive a bunch of imports! If they actually gave a shit about Detroit, they would never have let the unions get out of control and actually drive an American car instead of some piece of shit from Japan.
- Lord Publius
Source: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20130719/METRO01/307190099#ixzz2ZXMIb7Iw
The bold lettering in that quote was put in bold by me to point out something exceptionally stupid out of this judicial activist posing as a jurist.
I'll give it to ya straight, Judge. Your precious 'messiah' didn't save the auto industry or take it out of bankruptcy. He gave 39% of GM to the same crooked labor unions that helped get it in trouble and sold a controlling share of Chrysler to foreigners. That man does not deserve to be honored for ANYTHING that he did related to the car business... Especially after he just arbitrarily ordered GM to discontinue Pontiac and put a LOT of dealers out of business...
In fact, of all the reasons I have truly come to DESPISE Democrats over the course of my life, what they did to the auto industry pisses me off the most. They always talk about how important it is but, they help the unions that vote for them to mess it over and then drive a bunch of imports! If they actually gave a shit about Detroit, they would never have let the unions get out of control and actually drive an American car instead of some piece of shit from Japan.
- Lord Publius
Female Objectification in Games
For those few who are actually following this blog, you may remember a little piece I did about the 'Damsel in Distress' trope and how some feminist thinks that women are objectified in games. Personally, I don't believe that women are objectified that much but, I can see how some might get that idea... And it's not always from the games themselves...
These pics I came across on Facebook in the last few weeks definitely exemplify 'female objectification' in games... And in some often hilarious ways...
First and foremost, female characters from fighting games. They've always more closely resembled male fantasy than a female that can really fight. Big boobs will probably get in the way when she tries to use her upper body for an attack or block. They are damned nice to look at, though. Also, I don't like Princess Peach trying to pass a value judgment on the other characters in that pic. Being a perpetual kidnap victim and a cock-tease (just ask Mario about that one), I somehow suspect that she is the last female game character who should pass judgment. ;)
Then, there's this pic of Samus Aran from the original Metroid game. Obviously, it's only a joke but, it does reference how Samus became a Sex symbol for horny nerds over the years. Especially after we started seeing the gorgeous blonde inside the Power Suit in some of the later games of the series on the GameCube and Wii.
Even little cartoon girls aren't totally immune... This joke pic did a good job lining up various different Powerpuff Girls with a system that reflected their personality... Except the one at the end. That one was mean. That poor cartoon character is already a freak of nature. She didn't need to be compared to an XBOX ONE... [/Burn]
And finally, a pic I have used to make jokes in this blog before... Naturally, Lara Croft would be the character that gets used to make a sex joke of some kind. She is the female character most likely to be parodied in Porn. Numerous Playboy models have dressed up like her. Eidos Interactive even hired former Playboy models to portray her at various real life events.
So, does any of this prove that feminist's point about women being objectified in games? No, not really... The games themselves aren't necessarily objectifying anyone. The players are the ones making these jokes. And since the idea of treating women like property or 'a piece of ass' was around long before video games, I choose to blame people's bad behavior instead of interactive entertainment.
- Lord Publius
These pics I came across on Facebook in the last few weeks definitely exemplify 'female objectification' in games... And in some often hilarious ways...
First and foremost, female characters from fighting games. They've always more closely resembled male fantasy than a female that can really fight. Big boobs will probably get in the way when she tries to use her upper body for an attack or block. They are damned nice to look at, though. Also, I don't like Princess Peach trying to pass a value judgment on the other characters in that pic. Being a perpetual kidnap victim and a cock-tease (just ask Mario about that one), I somehow suspect that she is the last female game character who should pass judgment. ;)
Then, there's this pic of Samus Aran from the original Metroid game. Obviously, it's only a joke but, it does reference how Samus became a Sex symbol for horny nerds over the years. Especially after we started seeing the gorgeous blonde inside the Power Suit in some of the later games of the series on the GameCube and Wii.
Even little cartoon girls aren't totally immune... This joke pic did a good job lining up various different Powerpuff Girls with a system that reflected their personality... Except the one at the end. That one was mean. That poor cartoon character is already a freak of nature. She didn't need to be compared to an XBOX ONE... [/Burn]
And finally, a pic I have used to make jokes in this blog before... Naturally, Lara Croft would be the character that gets used to make a sex joke of some kind. She is the female character most likely to be parodied in Porn. Numerous Playboy models have dressed up like her. Eidos Interactive even hired former Playboy models to portray her at various real life events.
So, does any of this prove that feminist's point about women being objectified in games? No, not really... The games themselves aren't necessarily objectifying anyone. The players are the ones making these jokes. And since the idea of treating women like property or 'a piece of ass' was around long before video games, I choose to blame people's bad behavior instead of interactive entertainment.
- Lord Publius
Thursday, July 18, 2013
A rant on Games, Economics and... Civil Liberties?
Microsoft, PRISM and that show-trial in Florida...
Much has been said about Microsoft's new XBOX ONE console seeming like something out of George Orwell's 1984... And, in fairness, they did drop most of those nonsensical policies after enormous public demand. However, it looks like Microsoft may have figured out that they need to do more to cover their ass.
In a strongly worded letter to the Attorney General (who's probably quite busy looking for more ways the Feds can f*** with George Zimmerman since Florida acquitted him), M$ asked Eric Holder to release more info about the PRISM program that the NSA has been using to mine customer Metadata from Microsoft, Apple, Google, Facebook, et al. They even used the phrase 'the Constitution itself is suffering' in the first paragraph. That's pretty strong language.
One can tell that this letter was written by a lawyer, though. The grammar is atrocious. I haven't seen this many run-on sentences in a letter to someone in a long time. Also, the last few sentences made me groan, both for a glaring grammatical error involving prepositions and it's obvious ass-kissing nature:
"I feel very fortunate that we have both an Attorney General and a President with such longstanding knowledge of and appreciation for our Constitution. Put simply, we need you to step in to ensure that common sense and our Constitutional safeguards prevail."
Yeah... Note to Bradford L. Smith (or whoever wrote this letter for him), The President and Attorney General don't actually care about the Constitution. If they did, this PRISM program would have been shut down the moment they learned of its existence... Not to mention keeping their nose out of some self-defense shooting/local controversy in Sanford, Florida.
The moment the President says something like 'If I had a son, he'd look like Trayvon' that shows potential bias on the part of the Federal government. How could Mr. Zimmerman get a fair trail when the highest levels of government in this country are against him? In my non-expert legal opinion, his 5th Amendment rights were violated and he should have never been put on trial. That whole farce was a waste of time and the tax dollars of Floridians.
Nintendo...
In happier news, Nintendo FINALLY gives fans what they have asked for... No, BEGGED for over the last several years and re-releases Earthbound on the eShop for the WiiU console. They even went so far as to re-optimize the game guide for the Super NES original and make that available on the official Earthbound website. I'm not a fan of RPG's but, I am wondering why they took so long to re-release this title. It's a guaranteed money-maker.
Also, the release of Pikmin 3 in Japan has done quite well, selling 102,000 of the initial 193,400 copies shipped to market in only 2 days. I played the first Pikmin title on the GameCube years ago. I found it to be confusing since I had never played a Real-Time Strategy game before and didn't get into that particular Nintendo franchise. Even Shiggy can't score a proverbial home run all the time.
Anyway, I wish Nintendo all the luck and success they can get with this title. It will boost console sales, which have suffered a lot since WiiU launched in late 2012. I blame the bad economy and consumers waiting to see what the PS4 and XBOX ONE have in store for them. I can't really blame them, even if I just can't stand the new XBOX and think that $400 is too much for a console.
And since we're talking about costs of new consoles...
At the risk of sounding old...
When I was a kid, you could get a system with 2 controllers and at least 1 pack-in game (and probably a light gun too) for $250 at most. Now, new consoles are costing up to $400 and may not even have a pack-in game?! What the f***?! That just ain't right.
Also, as much as I like my WiiU, I think $350 for the black one with 32GB internal memory and a copy of Nintendoland was a bit much. I miss the days when $250 at most was all you'd be expected to pay. And those days were not so long ago. That was what the Wii cost at launch in 2006. Inflation could not have possibly rose the costs that much in only 6 or 7 years. I know that to be true since I used the inflation calculator from the Bureau of Labor Statistics to find the difference between 2006 and 2013. The difference was a mere $39.56.
- Lord Publius
Much has been said about Microsoft's new XBOX ONE console seeming like something out of George Orwell's 1984... And, in fairness, they did drop most of those nonsensical policies after enormous public demand. However, it looks like Microsoft may have figured out that they need to do more to cover their ass.
In a strongly worded letter to the Attorney General (who's probably quite busy looking for more ways the Feds can f*** with George Zimmerman since Florida acquitted him), M$ asked Eric Holder to release more info about the PRISM program that the NSA has been using to mine customer Metadata from Microsoft, Apple, Google, Facebook, et al. They even used the phrase 'the Constitution itself is suffering' in the first paragraph. That's pretty strong language.
One can tell that this letter was written by a lawyer, though. The grammar is atrocious. I haven't seen this many run-on sentences in a letter to someone in a long time. Also, the last few sentences made me groan, both for a glaring grammatical error involving prepositions and it's obvious ass-kissing nature:
"I feel very fortunate that we have both an Attorney General and a President with such longstanding knowledge of and appreciation for our Constitution. Put simply, we need you to step in to ensure that common sense and our Constitutional safeguards prevail."
Yeah... Note to Bradford L. Smith (or whoever wrote this letter for him), The President and Attorney General don't actually care about the Constitution. If they did, this PRISM program would have been shut down the moment they learned of its existence... Not to mention keeping their nose out of some self-defense shooting/local controversy in Sanford, Florida.
The moment the President says something like 'If I had a son, he'd look like Trayvon' that shows potential bias on the part of the Federal government. How could Mr. Zimmerman get a fair trail when the highest levels of government in this country are against him? In my non-expert legal opinion, his 5th Amendment rights were violated and he should have never been put on trial. That whole farce was a waste of time and the tax dollars of Floridians.
Nintendo...
In happier news, Nintendo FINALLY gives fans what they have asked for... No, BEGGED for over the last several years and re-releases Earthbound on the eShop for the WiiU console. They even went so far as to re-optimize the game guide for the Super NES original and make that available on the official Earthbound website. I'm not a fan of RPG's but, I am wondering why they took so long to re-release this title. It's a guaranteed money-maker.
Also, the release of Pikmin 3 in Japan has done quite well, selling 102,000 of the initial 193,400 copies shipped to market in only 2 days. I played the first Pikmin title on the GameCube years ago. I found it to be confusing since I had never played a Real-Time Strategy game before and didn't get into that particular Nintendo franchise. Even Shiggy can't score a proverbial home run all the time.
Anyway, I wish Nintendo all the luck and success they can get with this title. It will boost console sales, which have suffered a lot since WiiU launched in late 2012. I blame the bad economy and consumers waiting to see what the PS4 and XBOX ONE have in store for them. I can't really blame them, even if I just can't stand the new XBOX and think that $400 is too much for a console.
And since we're talking about costs of new consoles...
At the risk of sounding old...
When I was a kid, you could get a system with 2 controllers and at least 1 pack-in game (and probably a light gun too) for $250 at most. Now, new consoles are costing up to $400 and may not even have a pack-in game?! What the f***?! That just ain't right.
Also, as much as I like my WiiU, I think $350 for the black one with 32GB internal memory and a copy of Nintendoland was a bit much. I miss the days when $250 at most was all you'd be expected to pay. And those days were not so long ago. That was what the Wii cost at launch in 2006. Inflation could not have possibly rose the costs that much in only 6 or 7 years. I know that to be true since I used the inflation calculator from the Bureau of Labor Statistics to find the difference between 2006 and 2013. The difference was a mere $39.56.
- Lord Publius
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
Various rants about game consoles...
Saw this pic on Facebook earlier tonight and it gave me several thoughts...
2.) Who the Hell actually pre-orders their game consoles from Target? I did not know they even did pre-orders...
3.) Who the Hell is going to pre-order/purchase an XBOX ONE after all the shit Microsoft tried to pull earlier?
4.) I have not made any decisions on PS4 except to wait and see what happens. Chances are good the initial price at launch will be quite ridiculous... It certainly was for PS3...
5.) I can already hear a lot of 'graphics whores' foaming at the mouth right now because of my 'wait and see' decision...
To their inevitable 'but teh grafficks!!1!' complaint/argument/statement/whatever, I have only one retort, and I made it easy on them by putting it in picture form...
We are long passed the point where graphics still make or break a console. That came to an end with the 6th generation of home consoles and since then, it has been about ONLY the gameplay and the controls to me.
BTW, I have the new 2013 version of Tomb Raider. I haven't played it a whole lot yet but, what I have seen so far, looks quite amazing to me. I'll do a review (of sorts) after spending more time playing that game.
- Lord Publius
A retort to Democrats complaining about Wal-Mart...
About Democrats complaining about 'big box stores' (i.e. Wal-Mart) not giving their employees various benefits...
1.) Considering the kind of lazy bums that I see 'working' in any Wal-Mart location I have ever (sadly) had to visit, I'd say the vast majority do NOT deserve any benefits. If you want something, you MUST work for it, mister. (Yes, I am well aware of the fact that not all Wal-Mart employees are lazy bums.)
2.) Quit your bitching and, if your employer doesn't treat you well, just go find another job. It's not as hard as you think. I've done it several times in my life and probably will several more times in the future.
3.) I don't blame Wal-Mart for 'discouraging' unions. Look at what those assholes have done to the manufacturing sector...
SINcerely with Love,
- Lord Publius
Quasi-EVIL Mad Scientist/ever-scheming Capitalist Overlord
\m/O_O\m/
1.) Considering the kind of lazy bums that I see 'working' in any Wal-Mart location I have ever (sadly) had to visit, I'd say the vast majority do NOT deserve any benefits. If you want something, you MUST work for it, mister. (Yes, I am well aware of the fact that not all Wal-Mart employees are lazy bums.)
2.) Quit your bitching and, if your employer doesn't treat you well, just go find another job. It's not as hard as you think. I've done it several times in my life and probably will several more times in the future.
3.) I don't blame Wal-Mart for 'discouraging' unions. Look at what those assholes have done to the manufacturing sector...
SINcerely with Love,
- Lord Publius
Quasi-EVIL Mad Scientist/ever-scheming Capitalist Overlord
\m/O_O\m/
Sunday, July 14, 2013
Miyamoto-san gives me hope for Gaming's future...
First and foremost, he wants to bring back Metroid. Oh, joy! :)
“With Metroid it’s very easy to imagine some interesting implementation for Wii U. I think that having another screen with the gyro built in really gives you a lot of interesting opportunities for development, and we can bring a lot of our games to life in a completely unique way with that. I feel like the possibilities of the GamePad for Metroid could be really fantastic. There’s certainly a lot that you could do there for that game." - Shigeru Miyamoto
There's also some mention of him wanting to bring back Star Fox. If so, I hope the controls are good and that it's a proper flight simulation. Star Fox Command on the DS had controls so terrible that I didn't even want to play past the opening tutorials and first mission. (If even that far...) The Super NES original and the N64 version were great. I happened to enjoy the variations on the formula presented on the GameCube with Star Fox Adventures and Star Fox Assault. Star Fox Command, though, just fell flat for me.
Sources(s):
http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/07/06/miyamoto-discusses-metroid-on-wii-u
http://nintendoenthusiast.com/6902/miyamoto-wants-metroid-starfox-on-wii-u/
Then, there's another article about Metroid, F-Zero (which I dearly miss) and Link's design...
FROM THE ARTICLE:
Metroid
F-Zero
And about Link's design... (None of which is new to me...)
http://nintendoenthusiast.com/9697/miyamoto-on-wii-u-metroid-f-zero-inspiration-behind-links-design/
And there you have it, fellow gamers. Shiggy has spoken... in his own way. We will get new Metroid and F-Zero games on WiiU SOMETIME SOON (I hope) and the mini-games in Nintendoland (which is an excellent game) offer clues on what the new games will feature. I need to go back to playing Nintendoland sometime soon.
In the mean time, I'll continue listening to this truly excellent Judas Priest record I'm currently enjoying and play a few old racing games like Enduro, Pole Position for Atari 2600 and Mario Kart 7.
Lord, PLEASE grant this man immortality so that he may never die... I NEED HIS GAMES!!!
- Lord Publius
“With Metroid it’s very easy to imagine some interesting implementation for Wii U. I think that having another screen with the gyro built in really gives you a lot of interesting opportunities for development, and we can bring a lot of our games to life in a completely unique way with that. I feel like the possibilities of the GamePad for Metroid could be really fantastic. There’s certainly a lot that you could do there for that game." - Shigeru Miyamoto
There's also some mention of him wanting to bring back Star Fox. If so, I hope the controls are good and that it's a proper flight simulation. Star Fox Command on the DS had controls so terrible that I didn't even want to play past the opening tutorials and first mission. (If even that far...) The Super NES original and the N64 version were great. I happened to enjoy the variations on the formula presented on the GameCube with Star Fox Adventures and Star Fox Assault. Star Fox Command, though, just fell flat for me.
Sources(s):
http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/07/06/miyamoto-discusses-metroid-on-wii-u
http://nintendoenthusiast.com/6902/miyamoto-wants-metroid-starfox-on-wii-u/
Then, there's another article about Metroid, F-Zero (which I dearly miss) and Link's design...
FROM THE ARTICLE:
Metroid
- A lot of Miyamoto’s Metroid ideas can be found in the Nintendo Land mini-game, Metroid Blast.
- Miyamoto noted that the Wii U is an HD console with more power and prettier graphics.
- Nintendo can naturally think about a nice Metroid action game in HD, but nothing is confirmed.
- Miyamoto had a big smile of someone who won’t say more than this. The tease.
F-Zero
- Pleased to hear fans are still interested in F-Zero .
- He feels the series hasn’t changed much since the first. (There is some truth to that...)
- Miyamoto thought people may start to become tired of the game. (Not true...)
- Miyamoto thanks the fans for their patience and advises to try playing Captain Falcon’s Twister Race in Nintendo Land.
- Miyamoto is curious to see what fans would like to see that they haven’t done before.
And about Link's design... (None of which is new to me...)
- Inspired by Peter Pan
- Wanted someone to be easily recognized by his sword & shield.
- Long hat and long ears, almost elf-like.
- Miyamoto-san is a Disney fan.
- Triforce was originally intended to be made of electronic chips.
- The first game was to take place in the past and the future, with the player traveling between the two.
- Thus came the name 'Link'.
http://nintendoenthusiast.com/9697/miyamoto-on-wii-u-metroid-f-zero-inspiration-behind-links-design/
And there you have it, fellow gamers. Shiggy has spoken... in his own way. We will get new Metroid and F-Zero games on WiiU SOMETIME SOON (I hope) and the mini-games in Nintendoland (which is an excellent game) offer clues on what the new games will feature. I need to go back to playing Nintendoland sometime soon.
In the mean time, I'll continue listening to this truly excellent Judas Priest record I'm currently enjoying and play a few old racing games like Enduro, Pole Position for Atari 2600 and Mario Kart 7.
Lord, PLEASE grant this man immortality so that he may never die... I NEED HIS GAMES!!!
- Lord Publius
Saturday, July 13, 2013
About this whole George Zimmerman (show?) trial...
I'm neither concerned (or surprised) with the results of the jury's decision. However, I do have two questions I'd like to have answered...
1.) Why does everyone assume that race had something to do with Zimmerman shooting that kid?
If someone was menacing me the way that Zimmerman says Trayvon Martin was menacing him, I'd pull a gun and shoot him too. What actually happened is now something no one on Earth will ever know except Zimmerman himself.
----
This next one is more for real-life friends of mine than everyone else...
2.) If I had to shoot a black kid and claim self defense later, would anyone assume I was a racist just because I happen to be Caucasian?
If they did, I'd think that says more about them than it does me. I don't care what color you are. If I have to use lethal force to defend myself, I will. In the end, everyone bleeds red.
- Lord Publius
1.) Why does everyone assume that race had something to do with Zimmerman shooting that kid?
If someone was menacing me the way that Zimmerman says Trayvon Martin was menacing him, I'd pull a gun and shoot him too. What actually happened is now something no one on Earth will ever know except Zimmerman himself.
----
This next one is more for real-life friends of mine than everyone else...
2.) If I had to shoot a black kid and claim self defense later, would anyone assume I was a racist just because I happen to be Caucasian?
If they did, I'd think that says more about them than it does me. I don't care what color you are. If I have to use lethal force to defend myself, I will. In the end, everyone bleeds red.
- Lord Publius
Top 10 Reasons Classrooms Should Have iPads... according to Discovery.com
I went to Google and asked that all-knowing/all-seeing internet site an interesting question that I doubt many consumers ever bother to ask: Why do I need a tablet computer?
One of the answers I got back was actually rather compelling, for the most part. Reason #6 on that list is Bullshit. Paper companies grow trees on tree farms to meet market demand for paper products. Virgin forests are rarely touched for lumber anymore. Using more paper actually encourages people and corporations to plant more trees. Other than that, this article makes a good case for why iPads should be used in a classroom. It also provides a few reasons why I'd want to own one in the first place. Now, if only the cost would come down...
- Lord Publius
One of the answers I got back was actually rather compelling, for the most part. Reason #6 on that list is Bullshit. Paper companies grow trees on tree farms to meet market demand for paper products. Virgin forests are rarely touched for lumber anymore. Using more paper actually encourages people and corporations to plant more trees. Other than that, this article makes a good case for why iPads should be used in a classroom. It also provides a few reasons why I'd want to own one in the first place. Now, if only the cost would come down...
- Lord Publius
Friday, July 12, 2013
John Elder Robison explains why the APA removed Asperger's from the DSM-V...
Essentially, it was because parents of oddball children saw quirky characters on TV (I.E. Sheldon Cooper) and took their kids to a shrink to get diagnosed the following day.
http://www.vulture.com/2013/07/aspergers-tv-the-bridge-diane-kruger-sheldon-cooper.html
FROM THE ARTICLE: "I was diagnosed with Asperger’s a decade before these portrayals started cropping up, and for the longest time, I was alone, the only Aspergian I knew. Not anymore. In the span of just six years and countless utterances of "woof!" Asperger’s has gone from being unknown to being ubiquitous. And I don't just mean on TV: Asperger diagnoses in the real world have skyrocketed in that same stretch of time.
The uptick in Asperger cases led to some mild hysteria. People started getting scared. Wild accusations and stupid questions were bandied about. Do televisions cause Asperger’s? What about its programming? Is there a vaccination I can have? What about lead supplements? No one knew. But we insiders did know this: If Big Bang Theory aired on a Monday, you could count on more than a few parents bringing their kids in for an Asperger diagnosis on Tuesday."
----
And that is why the APA wanted to get rid of Apserger's Syndrome. They were worried about people being misdiagnosed and this condition becoming the new problem-du-jour like ADD had become. One would think they would just make the testing regimen a bit more rigorous and well-defined but, nooooooo... That would have made sense. And, honestly, whoever accused a bunch of bureaucrats posing as Healthcare professionals of having good sense? They'd rather just stick me with a different label that could actually expose me to a lot of misconceptions and prejudice than actually try to help me and other Aspies. Bastards...
- Lord Publius
http://www.vulture.com/2013/07/aspergers-tv-the-bridge-diane-kruger-sheldon-cooper.html
FROM THE ARTICLE: "I was diagnosed with Asperger’s a decade before these portrayals started cropping up, and for the longest time, I was alone, the only Aspergian I knew. Not anymore. In the span of just six years and countless utterances of "woof!" Asperger’s has gone from being unknown to being ubiquitous. And I don't just mean on TV: Asperger diagnoses in the real world have skyrocketed in that same stretch of time.
The uptick in Asperger cases led to some mild hysteria. People started getting scared. Wild accusations and stupid questions were bandied about. Do televisions cause Asperger’s? What about its programming? Is there a vaccination I can have? What about lead supplements? No one knew. But we insiders did know this: If Big Bang Theory aired on a Monday, you could count on more than a few parents bringing their kids in for an Asperger diagnosis on Tuesday."
----
And that is why the APA wanted to get rid of Apserger's Syndrome. They were worried about people being misdiagnosed and this condition becoming the new problem-du-jour like ADD had become. One would think they would just make the testing regimen a bit more rigorous and well-defined but, nooooooo... That would have made sense. And, honestly, whoever accused a bunch of bureaucrats posing as Healthcare professionals of having good sense? They'd rather just stick me with a different label that could actually expose me to a lot of misconceptions and prejudice than actually try to help me and other Aspies. Bastards...
- Lord Publius
The Kremlin goes back to using Typewriters...
In an effort to make sure no one can hack their computers, the Russians are apparently decided to just not use them anymore and go back to typewriters. I have to admit that actually is a pretty good way to maintain some ridiculous level of security on whatever you want kept secret. It will make things even less efficient but, Governments aren't necessarily supposed to be efficient anyway.
Plus, I like simple, low-tech solutions to complex problems. It always makes me laugh when I see the so-called 'smart' people get dumbfounded when they see someone defeat their complex security regimen with a simple trick. Remember when music pirates and hackers figured out that you could defeat the security on CD's from Sony's music labels by drawing a black line along the edge with a Sharpie marker? That was hysterical to me.
- Lord Publius
Plus, I like simple, low-tech solutions to complex problems. It always makes me laugh when I see the so-called 'smart' people get dumbfounded when they see someone defeat their complex security regimen with a simple trick. Remember when music pirates and hackers figured out that you could defeat the security on CD's from Sony's music labels by drawing a black line along the edge with a Sharpie marker? That was hysterical to me.
- Lord Publius
Thursday, July 11, 2013
Mad Science run amok?...
No matter what, I swear that I will never make anything like what you see in the video below in my evil Mad Scientist Laboratory. Holding the world hostage with a custom-made Death Ray is a LOT more practical anyway... Not that I'm planning on doing that, either... No, really, I'm not! I swear! [/Nerd Humor]
Besides, why do I want to send cyborgs back through time to kill Sarah Connor and her son John? They never did anything to me...
- Lord Publius
Besides, why do I want to send cyborgs back through time to kill Sarah Connor and her son John? They never did anything to me...
- Lord Publius
So, I went to the record store today...
It's actually good that my internet was down earlier this afternoon. It gave me a chance to go to the record store in Frederick that I love so much. I've managed to score a lot of good vinyl and old video games. Here's what I managed to add to my collections...
LP
Boston - Self-titled debut
KISS - Alive!
KISS - Crazy Nights*
Pat Benatar - In the heat of the night
Pat Benatar - Crimes of Passion
* = How's that for random? I didn't expect to find that and that is why Record stores are AWESOME!!!
45 RPM Single
Deep Purple - Hush/One more rainy day
DIO - I could have been a dreamer
Divynils - I touch myself/Follow Through
GAMES
SEGA Hardware
1 6-Button Genesis controller
2 VMU's for the Dreamcast, both translucent blue
Atari 2600
Cosmic Ark
Dragonfire
Enduro
International Soccer
Keystone Kapers
Pole Position
River Raid
Atari 7800
Dig Dug
Colecovision
Centipede (Atarisoft version)
Popeye
Mattel Intellivision
Defender (Atarisoft Version)
Pole Position
Space Hawk
Star Strike
Too bad that I don't actually have a Colecovision or Intellivision... Yet... It's also too bad that I don't actually have an Atari 7800 anymore... However, I will find another one someday. I swear it to the gaming gods!
So, the current count on everything is...
MUSIC
684 Albums (All formats)
62 Singles (All formats)
GAMES
445 titles containing 1,475 games (since many of them are greatest hits collections) spread across 37 individual Platforms. Damn... That is impressive...
- Lord Publius
LP
Boston - Self-titled debut
KISS - Alive!
KISS - Crazy Nights*
Pat Benatar - In the heat of the night
Pat Benatar - Crimes of Passion
* = How's that for random? I didn't expect to find that and that is why Record stores are AWESOME!!!
45 RPM Single
Deep Purple - Hush/One more rainy day
DIO - I could have been a dreamer
Divynils - I touch myself/Follow Through
GAMES
SEGA Hardware
1 6-Button Genesis controller
2 VMU's for the Dreamcast, both translucent blue
Atari 2600
Cosmic Ark
Dragonfire
Enduro
International Soccer
Keystone Kapers
Pole Position
River Raid
Atari 7800
Dig Dug
Colecovision
Centipede (Atarisoft version)
Popeye
Mattel Intellivision
Defender (Atarisoft Version)
Pole Position
Space Hawk
Star Strike
Too bad that I don't actually have a Colecovision or Intellivision... Yet... It's also too bad that I don't actually have an Atari 7800 anymore... However, I will find another one someday. I swear it to the gaming gods!
So, the current count on everything is...
MUSIC
684 Albums (All formats)
62 Singles (All formats)
GAMES
445 titles containing 1,475 games (since many of them are greatest hits collections) spread across 37 individual Platforms. Damn... That is impressive...
- Lord Publius
Wednesday, July 10, 2013
Time to call BULLSHIT on yet another NT opinion about an Autism issue...
Just found an article that I think is completely bogus and I'll explain why after you read the reprint of the article below...
----
----
Motor Skills Linked To Autism Severity
The ability to throw or catch a ball may be a predictor of social skills success in children with autism, researchers say.
In a new study looking at 35 children ages 6 to 15 with high-functioning autism, researchers found that kids who had greater difficulty with so-called object-control motor skills — activities like throwing a ball — also displayed more trouble with social and communication skills.
“So much of the focus on autism has been on developing social skills, and that is very crucial,” said Megan MacDonald of Oregon State University and the lead author of the study published in the July issue of the journal Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly. “Yet we also know there is a link between motor skills and autism, and how deficits in these physical skills play into this larger picture is not clearly understood.”
Researchers say the finding raises questions about whether children with autism are holding back on the playground, for example, because of social skills deficits or due to physical weaknesses.
The good news, MacDonald said, is that motor skills can be taught.
“We have programs and interventions that we know work, and have measurable impact on motor skill development,” she said. “We need to make sure we identify the issue and get a child help as early as possible.”
In a new study looking at 35 children ages 6 to 15 with high-functioning autism, researchers found that kids who had greater difficulty with so-called object-control motor skills — activities like throwing a ball — also displayed more trouble with social and communication skills.
“So much of the focus on autism has been on developing social skills, and that is very crucial,” said Megan MacDonald of Oregon State University and the lead author of the study published in the July issue of the journal Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly. “Yet we also know there is a link between motor skills and autism, and how deficits in these physical skills play into this larger picture is not clearly understood.”
Researchers say the finding raises questions about whether children with autism are holding back on the playground, for example, because of social skills deficits or due to physical weaknesses.
The good news, MacDonald said, is that motor skills can be taught.
“We have programs and interventions that we know work, and have measurable impact on motor skill development,” she said. “We need to make sure we identify the issue and get a child help as early as possible.”
SOURCE: http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2013/07/09/motor-skills-autism-severity/18274/
----
This is BULLSHIT for the following reasons...
1.) I was never very good at sports, that much is true. I never tried to get better either because I genuinely HATE them.
And the reason I hate them is because everyone and their mother kept trying to force them on me as a child. It had nothing to do with any kind of physical awkwardness. Believe it or not, I was actually a pretty decent Baseball player when I wanted to play.
2.) Not being any good at sports does not mean that you won't be successful in life. Not everyone is going to be a professional athlete.
Not that you could convince the Shitbags running that so-called 'Christian' school that I attended as a child of that fact...
I've accomplished many things that most other people will NEVER do. And I did most of it long before I knew that I was an Aspie: I've excelled in college, programmed and/or designed all manner of things that even my professors found impressive AND spent several years in the Army too.
Asperger's presents unique challenges but, it also tends to be more of an asset than a burden. Start treating it that way.
3.) There are many ways that one can be social without having to play a sport. Why not try training the autistic child with some of those social skills instead?
If nothing else, at least you'll spare him a LOT of embarrassment and self-esteem issues since he's always being picked last for the games at recess.
4.) Did any of you ever stop to think that the kid with HFA/Asperger's/Whatever doesn't communicate much out of his/her own personal choice?
Take it from me, people can be real Assholes when they (often very quickly) discover that you're different. Why would I purposely socialize with someone that I think is an Asshole when I don't have to for any practical reason?
5.) Personally, I think people like me can learn a lot of the social skills we need from just reading a few etiquette books.
It certainly beats being outed as something different and then made into a public spectacle. All that will do is guarantee that we become anti-social, hostile and possibly violent. It certainly did with me...
- Lord Publius
Monday, July 8, 2013
Why I *DON'T* like the word AUTISM, that 'Spectrum' thing or the DSM-V...
There are several reasons...
1.) Most people associate the word 'Autism' with 'Retardation.' Obviously, I'm not retarded. In fact, I'm as far from it as one can get.
After all, I'm only half joking when I refer to myself as 'someone who was practically born a Mad Scientist'... I've also been told by an increasing number of people in recent weeks that I'm smart enough to build a Death Ray and conquer the world. I've laughed at the notion in public but, I do find the idea intriguing on a number of levels. I probably could build one. I do have a perfect spot for a 'Mad Scientist laboratory' at home in New Orleans, LOTS of tools, spare parts and raw materials. It could probably be done. [/Insert evil laughter here.]
Anyway, until I heard of this 'spectrum' the shrinks invented (and that I am not 100% comfortable with), I had a similar idea in my head about Autism as most NT's. I thought of it as a debilitating mental/developmental problem that would keep you from functioning in society. In short, the best case scenario would be Forrest Gump and the worst (and sadly more prevalent) would be some poor kid that's still wearing diapers at age 17. I didn't have a lot of experience with anyone who's 'Classically Autistic' and still don't. For the sake of their privacy, I've decided to NOT describe my very few experiences with Classically Autistic folks.
Yet, despite increased awareness, most people still immediately think of Classical Autism when they hear about this Spectrum or hear Asperger's being called 'a form of higher functioning Autism.' Let's just call it something else like 'neurologically different' instead. How does that sound to you?
2.) What about PDD-NOS?
I do wonder about this one. It was never a very clearly defined condition but, I do have a 2nd Cousin on my mother's side with this diagnosis. I never suspected him of being different in any way but, I don't see him much. I'll take his mother's word for it since she would obviously know better than me.
Still, why create some spectrum and put this one in the middle? As I understand it, this is just the diagnosis given when no one can figure out what is wrong with you. It's like the APA's version of that assessment I received when getting an IEP in High School. The system simply labeled me as 'OHI' for 'Other Health Impaired.'
Knowing what I know now though, I think the problem was more with the system than me. They didn't know I was an Aspie and that I needed a different way to learn Higher Math. I'm glad I managed to solve that issue to some extent. Math is a lot easier now, even if remembering all those damned processes can be annoying and pointless.
Note to future Math Professors: Make your processes logically flow. In fact, if the proper procedure is not immediately obvious (like, for example, just simply following the Order of Operations once the equation is properly written), then you have FAILED in developing your proof and need to go back to the drawing board. Math should NOT be hard. EVER.
3.) About the DSM-V trying to lump us all together...
Personally, I like the term 'Asperger's Syndrome' a LOT better than being called 'Autistic.' Even if someone doesn't immediately assume that I'm retarded in some way, they are still going to think that my ability to do anything is limited. That isn't true. My only real problem is dealing with people. That is quickly dissipating now that I know what the problem is and what I have to do to solve it...
In fact, why lump us all together and try to treat us with the same methods? What works for me is not necessarily going to work for anyone else. Would you do that to Cancer patients with radically different types of Cancer? While all of them might receive some kind of surgery or radiation/Chemo treatments, I'm pretty sure Brain Cancer and Lung Cancer patients will get all kinds of different drugs to treat their various illnesses. I strongly suspect this change has more to do with simplifying paperwork and allowing Doctors to just throw pills at some of us. That is really lazy on their part. So much for 'Do no harm'...
4.) In fact, is Asperger's even a real problem?
Besides the social impairment, is being an Aspie really so terrible? It can be quite positive in many ways. There are some things I'll never be able to do, (like being an athlete) no thanks to the physiological awkwardness that comes with Asperger's Syndrome. However, that tends to be common for the NT's of the world as well. Not everyone is going to be the star Quarterback on the team that becomes the next Super Bowl champions.
5.) Or, maybe all the NT's that know of our unusual abilities are just simply jealous?
It is a rather unfortunate aspect of Neuro-typical Human Nature to hate and/or fear what they don't understand. It comes from both being controlled by emotion and the fight-or-flight response. And these arrogant little piccola mortali have the nerve to call people like me 'mentally unstable' or 'deficient'... Maybe in your world, where I have all of you looking at me like a Wizard or Mad Scientist because of my impressive academic/scientific/technological abilities.
In my world though, most of you NT's would probably be heavily medicated, wearing a strait jacket and locked away in a place where you can't hurt yourself. As crazy as I seem to some of you, I can assure you that almost ALL of you seem completely nuts to me. Expressing such strong emotions in public?! How perverse! And letting people use your feelings against you to alter your thought processes and/or sell you something too?! That's how Democrats win elections and how car salesmen talk you into upgrading to leather seats!!! How do any of you ever manage to function? How do you not see that you are being manipulated? It's so obvious!
Sometimes, and I mean this with love, you NT's can be a real bunch of Dumbasses...
- Lord Publius
1.) Most people associate the word 'Autism' with 'Retardation.' Obviously, I'm not retarded. In fact, I'm as far from it as one can get.
After all, I'm only half joking when I refer to myself as 'someone who was practically born a Mad Scientist'... I've also been told by an increasing number of people in recent weeks that I'm smart enough to build a Death Ray and conquer the world. I've laughed at the notion in public but, I do find the idea intriguing on a number of levels. I probably could build one. I do have a perfect spot for a 'Mad Scientist laboratory' at home in New Orleans, LOTS of tools, spare parts and raw materials. It could probably be done. [/Insert evil laughter here.]
Anyway, until I heard of this 'spectrum' the shrinks invented (and that I am not 100% comfortable with), I had a similar idea in my head about Autism as most NT's. I thought of it as a debilitating mental/developmental problem that would keep you from functioning in society. In short, the best case scenario would be Forrest Gump and the worst (and sadly more prevalent) would be some poor kid that's still wearing diapers at age 17. I didn't have a lot of experience with anyone who's 'Classically Autistic' and still don't. For the sake of their privacy, I've decided to NOT describe my very few experiences with Classically Autistic folks.
Yet, despite increased awareness, most people still immediately think of Classical Autism when they hear about this Spectrum or hear Asperger's being called 'a form of higher functioning Autism.' Let's just call it something else like 'neurologically different' instead. How does that sound to you?
2.) What about PDD-NOS?
I do wonder about this one. It was never a very clearly defined condition but, I do have a 2nd Cousin on my mother's side with this diagnosis. I never suspected him of being different in any way but, I don't see him much. I'll take his mother's word for it since she would obviously know better than me.
Still, why create some spectrum and put this one in the middle? As I understand it, this is just the diagnosis given when no one can figure out what is wrong with you. It's like the APA's version of that assessment I received when getting an IEP in High School. The system simply labeled me as 'OHI' for 'Other Health Impaired.'
Knowing what I know now though, I think the problem was more with the system than me. They didn't know I was an Aspie and that I needed a different way to learn Higher Math. I'm glad I managed to solve that issue to some extent. Math is a lot easier now, even if remembering all those damned processes can be annoying and pointless.
Note to future Math Professors: Make your processes logically flow. In fact, if the proper procedure is not immediately obvious (like, for example, just simply following the Order of Operations once the equation is properly written), then you have FAILED in developing your proof and need to go back to the drawing board. Math should NOT be hard. EVER.
3.) About the DSM-V trying to lump us all together...
Personally, I like the term 'Asperger's Syndrome' a LOT better than being called 'Autistic.' Even if someone doesn't immediately assume that I'm retarded in some way, they are still going to think that my ability to do anything is limited. That isn't true. My only real problem is dealing with people. That is quickly dissipating now that I know what the problem is and what I have to do to solve it...
In fact, why lump us all together and try to treat us with the same methods? What works for me is not necessarily going to work for anyone else. Would you do that to Cancer patients with radically different types of Cancer? While all of them might receive some kind of surgery or radiation/Chemo treatments, I'm pretty sure Brain Cancer and Lung Cancer patients will get all kinds of different drugs to treat their various illnesses. I strongly suspect this change has more to do with simplifying paperwork and allowing Doctors to just throw pills at some of us. That is really lazy on their part. So much for 'Do no harm'...
4.) In fact, is Asperger's even a real problem?
Besides the social impairment, is being an Aspie really so terrible? It can be quite positive in many ways. There are some things I'll never be able to do, (like being an athlete) no thanks to the physiological awkwardness that comes with Asperger's Syndrome. However, that tends to be common for the NT's of the world as well. Not everyone is going to be the star Quarterback on the team that becomes the next Super Bowl champions.
5.) Or, maybe all the NT's that know of our unusual abilities are just simply jealous?
It is a rather unfortunate aspect of Neuro-typical Human Nature to hate and/or fear what they don't understand. It comes from both being controlled by emotion and the fight-or-flight response. And these arrogant little piccola mortali have the nerve to call people like me 'mentally unstable' or 'deficient'... Maybe in your world, where I have all of you looking at me like a Wizard or Mad Scientist because of my impressive academic/scientific/technological abilities.
In my world though, most of you NT's would probably be heavily medicated, wearing a strait jacket and locked away in a place where you can't hurt yourself. As crazy as I seem to some of you, I can assure you that almost ALL of you seem completely nuts to me. Expressing such strong emotions in public?! How perverse! And letting people use your feelings against you to alter your thought processes and/or sell you something too?! That's how Democrats win elections and how car salesmen talk you into upgrading to leather seats!!! How do any of you ever manage to function? How do you not see that you are being manipulated? It's so obvious!
Sometimes, and I mean this with love, you NT's can be a real bunch of Dumbasses...
- Lord Publius
Sunday, July 7, 2013
Metroid: Other M
Some people said that Metroid: Other M wasn't very good. Well, I just watched all the cut-scenes edited together in a movie on YouTube and it certainly seems as good as any other Metroid title to me. It also reinforces my long-held belief that Metroid is one of those few game franchises that could very well make for an EXCELLENT feature film, despite the fact that movies based on games usually suck. However, there some that I would consider an exception.
Anyway, enough talk. This movie needs to be made. Make it happen, Nintendo!
- Lord Publius
P.S. The same goes for the Legend of Zelda.
P.P.S. The actress lending her voice to Samus in this game is a cutie. :)
Anyway, enough talk. This movie needs to be made. Make it happen, Nintendo!
- Lord Publius
P.S. The same goes for the Legend of Zelda.
P.P.S. The actress lending her voice to Samus in this game is a cutie. :)
Saturday, July 6, 2013
'Damsel in Distress' trope in video games...
While looking up the term 'feminine ideal' on Google today (and doing a little deep clicking), I came across a video on YouTube featuring a woman discussing the 'damsel in distress' trope that is so commonly used in video games and its sequel.
Part 1 - http://youtu.be/X6p5AZp7r_Q
Part 2 - http://youtu.be/toa_vH6xGqs
I have several retorts to these two videos.
TALKING POINTS RELATED TO PART 1...
1.) Why must you over-analyze and try to ruin the happier parts of my childhood? Did you really think I would have noticed these things as a child? Do you really think that I thought LESS of women because of a bunch of games? That is ridiculous and it doesn't give me (or any other players) enough credit.
2.) Peach was indeed made to be the 'Damsel in Distress' for Mario to constantly save from the bad guys. That's the whole point of the main series in the Mario franchise. I'm surprised there aren't more in-jokes about it in the games themselves.
3.) Why would you be surprised at Shigeru Miyamoto using this trope so often? He's Japanese. That society is by far the most racist and sexist in the world. They have the attitude that 'if you aren't Japanese, you aren't shit' and/or thinking of outsiders as a sub-Human species. The only possible exception is that they offer begrudging respect to Americans. The reasons behind that being that they are afraid of pissing us off again and because their export economy depends on us buying their products. It's so ingrained in their culture now that they routinely smile at/offer peace signs with their index and bird fingers to every American (or just Caucasian-looking) person they see in their country. I know this to be true based on numerous first-hand reports from individuals I've met who have traveled and/or lived in Japan over the years.
Simply put, Shiggy may not be aware of the fact that some feminists consider the 'damsel in distress' trope to be offensive. Even if he did, he probably wouldn't care. Miyamoto-san is a smart man. He probably uses this trope so much because it's easy for children, Mario's largest audience demographic, to understand. If it helps the storyline, who cares if some people get offended? I routinely get offended at certain types of stories in popular entertainment but, no one gives a shit if I consider it offensive and nor should they care. Not everyone is going to like your work as an artist. That is the way life works.
4.) I agree that Peach should be a playable character/hero in more games, especially if she has the ability to fly like in the American version of Super Mario Bros. 2. Nintendo recognized that and made a title called 'Super Princess Peach' for the DS a few years ago. However, they portrayed her as an overly emotional person, again relying on stereotypes about women. I haven't played that game (yet) so, I can't give more info/perspective.
5.) There are plenty of strong female hero characters in games. Nintendo made one named Samus Aran in 1986 with the game Metroid. Eidos Interactive made another in 1996 with their game Tomb Raider. Both of those characters were highly sexualized to appeal to the mostly male gaming audience but, that doesn't matter to me. I like those franchises because they are fun, not because the main character is some kind of digital masturbation fantasy. The same also applies to Joanna Dark from the Perfect Dark franchise. Although, I don't believe she was ever as sexualized as Lara Croft or Samus Aran in the Zero Suit.
6.) Mario vs. Donkey Kong wasn't just a franchise for DS. It started on the GBA. Please get your facts straight.
7.) Marian getting punched at the beginning of Double Dragon was a bit much. As a child though, I simply thought that the bad guys who did that to her were being assholes and needed to get their asses kicked. It galvanized me to want to save her, which made the 'damsel in distress' trope all too effective in that case. It might be a bit inappropriate for kids (not to mention brutal to watch for females that have been victimized in some way) but, it sure was effective game design. The NES port of that arcade classic also has one of the most awesome opening themes of any NES games I have ever played.
8.) Did it occur to you that maybe I'm protective of women because that is what my father taught me to do? It has nothing to do with patronizing, sexist attitudes or pop culture. It had EVERYTHING to do with being chivalrous and the fact that most women do NOT have the same kinds of physical strength as men. Most women are not going to last long in a fist fight with some brute that's decided he wants something from that woman that she doesn't want to give him. It probably doesn't matter whether what he wants is her p***y or her purse, either. That is why my father taught me to protect women from male predators. It's not that they are weak. It's because protecting them with my strength is the right thing to do.
If it's not right to inadvertently stereotype a woman, then it's not right to inadvertently stereotype a man, either.
TALKING POINTS RELATED TO PART 2...
1.) I don't think I'd fall in love with someone just because they are vulnerable and need someone to save them from whatever. In fact, that might actually be a turn-off. I like women that are strong and smart enough to NOT be put into a vulnerable position on a regular basis. If I were Mario, I'd tell Peach to raise an Army to defend the Mushroom Kingdom. I would get really aggravated with CONSTANTLY having to rescue her from Bowser. No, that wouldn't ruin Mario games forever. It would just introduce new plot devices to make them more interesting and less formulaic.
2.) Actually, I can think of at least one game where a female lead character is out to avenge her murdered family. It was called Rouge Ops and it was a multi-platform title on the PS2, XBOX and GameCube. Sadly, it had terrible controls and no way (at least none that I could discover) to get out of the FIRST DAMNED ROOM. Not even the first level, just the first room! What a crappy game. I fully intend to use it for target practice at the range someday. It deserves to eat lead courtesy of my 1911.
3.) The whole 'your wife was murdered and her soul is unfairly trapped in Hell' trope is definitely overused. Personally, I would have never thought of it as being sexist or anti-woman in any way. I don't think of those things and Pop Culture does NOT influence my thinking at all. I think for myself. I'm sure more gamers than not also think for themselves. Please don't assume that we allow ourselves to be led blindly by other people through media.
4.) Sensationalism supposedly used to add emotional depth but is really just trying to cover for blatant Misogyny? Really?! Are you sure you are not over thinking this too much? It's only a game!
That being said, I could do without scenes featuring violence against women. It disturbs me.
5.) Mentioning the misogyny in games like Duke Nukem and Grand Theft Auto III is kind of a no-brainer. Those games were never meant to be something noble or chivalrous. Hell, Duke's only thought behind saving the world is 'Hey those alien scumbags are kidnapping all the babes!' or something along those lines. That's just crude humor that I personally don't find funny.
In fact, Duke Nukem deserves to be left behind in the dustbin of gaming history. His character (or lack thereof) is repulsive to all but adolescent males who like making immature sex jokes, assuming they haven't already abandoned him anyway. Duke Nukem Forever was resoundingly rejected by the gaming community and should have been left in Development Hell.
6.) I'm not comfortable with the whole 'your girlfriend has been made evil and now you have to kill her' plot device, either. Forget any concerns on how that might make violence against women socially acceptable (which anyone with a brain should know is NOT acceptable at all), it's also lazy storytelling on the part of game designers.
7.) Yes, most games are geared to a male audience. For most of the industry's history, males have been the predominant gender among players. This is starting to change and with it, so will the games themselves to appeal to new audiences. I look forward to that because I want new types of stories (assuming the game needs a story at all) and new play mechanics. No matter how much I love Mario & Zelda games, saving the Princess again and again does get old. So do revenge stories like God of War or 'save her soul/legacy' stories like Dante's Inferno. Don't even get me started on 'save the world' storylines. That couldn't get any more trite if it tried.
8.) Men wanting revenge against someone that took their women and children from them existed long before video games ever did, both in media and the real world. It's not going away. It's not always a limitation on 'male responses' to such things, either. In fact, it's a cultural imperative for many societies on Earth, particularly Sicilians and their tendency to engage in a vendetta against their enemies. It might not have anything to do with violence against a woman or children, either. Blaming games for perpetuating a stereotype here is illogical because it's not a stereotype. It's something that actually happens. Human Nature is not always pretty and the stories about Human Nature should reflect that where appropriate.
----
The host in these videos said towards the end of part 2 that there would be a part 3. I couldn't find it on YouTube so, it probably hasn't been made/uploaded yet. If I ever do find it, I'll offer rebuttal to that one too.
- Lord Publius
Part 1 - http://youtu.be/X6p5AZp7r_Q
Part 2 - http://youtu.be/toa_vH6xGqs
I have several retorts to these two videos.
TALKING POINTS RELATED TO PART 1...
1.) Why must you over-analyze and try to ruin the happier parts of my childhood? Did you really think I would have noticed these things as a child? Do you really think that I thought LESS of women because of a bunch of games? That is ridiculous and it doesn't give me (or any other players) enough credit.
2.) Peach was indeed made to be the 'Damsel in Distress' for Mario to constantly save from the bad guys. That's the whole point of the main series in the Mario franchise. I'm surprised there aren't more in-jokes about it in the games themselves.
3.) Why would you be surprised at Shigeru Miyamoto using this trope so often? He's Japanese. That society is by far the most racist and sexist in the world. They have the attitude that 'if you aren't Japanese, you aren't shit' and/or thinking of outsiders as a sub-Human species. The only possible exception is that they offer begrudging respect to Americans. The reasons behind that being that they are afraid of pissing us off again and because their export economy depends on us buying their products. It's so ingrained in their culture now that they routinely smile at/offer peace signs with their index and bird fingers to every American (or just Caucasian-looking) person they see in their country. I know this to be true based on numerous first-hand reports from individuals I've met who have traveled and/or lived in Japan over the years.
Simply put, Shiggy may not be aware of the fact that some feminists consider the 'damsel in distress' trope to be offensive. Even if he did, he probably wouldn't care. Miyamoto-san is a smart man. He probably uses this trope so much because it's easy for children, Mario's largest audience demographic, to understand. If it helps the storyline, who cares if some people get offended? I routinely get offended at certain types of stories in popular entertainment but, no one gives a shit if I consider it offensive and nor should they care. Not everyone is going to like your work as an artist. That is the way life works.
4.) I agree that Peach should be a playable character/hero in more games, especially if she has the ability to fly like in the American version of Super Mario Bros. 2. Nintendo recognized that and made a title called 'Super Princess Peach' for the DS a few years ago. However, they portrayed her as an overly emotional person, again relying on stereotypes about women. I haven't played that game (yet) so, I can't give more info/perspective.
5.) There are plenty of strong female hero characters in games. Nintendo made one named Samus Aran in 1986 with the game Metroid. Eidos Interactive made another in 1996 with their game Tomb Raider. Both of those characters were highly sexualized to appeal to the mostly male gaming audience but, that doesn't matter to me. I like those franchises because they are fun, not because the main character is some kind of digital masturbation fantasy. The same also applies to Joanna Dark from the Perfect Dark franchise. Although, I don't believe she was ever as sexualized as Lara Croft or Samus Aran in the Zero Suit.
6.) Mario vs. Donkey Kong wasn't just a franchise for DS. It started on the GBA. Please get your facts straight.
7.) Marian getting punched at the beginning of Double Dragon was a bit much. As a child though, I simply thought that the bad guys who did that to her were being assholes and needed to get their asses kicked. It galvanized me to want to save her, which made the 'damsel in distress' trope all too effective in that case. It might be a bit inappropriate for kids (not to mention brutal to watch for females that have been victimized in some way) but, it sure was effective game design. The NES port of that arcade classic also has one of the most awesome opening themes of any NES games I have ever played.
8.) Did it occur to you that maybe I'm protective of women because that is what my father taught me to do? It has nothing to do with patronizing, sexist attitudes or pop culture. It had EVERYTHING to do with being chivalrous and the fact that most women do NOT have the same kinds of physical strength as men. Most women are not going to last long in a fist fight with some brute that's decided he wants something from that woman that she doesn't want to give him. It probably doesn't matter whether what he wants is her p***y or her purse, either. That is why my father taught me to protect women from male predators. It's not that they are weak. It's because protecting them with my strength is the right thing to do.
If it's not right to inadvertently stereotype a woman, then it's not right to inadvertently stereotype a man, either.
TALKING POINTS RELATED TO PART 2...
1.) I don't think I'd fall in love with someone just because they are vulnerable and need someone to save them from whatever. In fact, that might actually be a turn-off. I like women that are strong and smart enough to NOT be put into a vulnerable position on a regular basis. If I were Mario, I'd tell Peach to raise an Army to defend the Mushroom Kingdom. I would get really aggravated with CONSTANTLY having to rescue her from Bowser. No, that wouldn't ruin Mario games forever. It would just introduce new plot devices to make them more interesting and less formulaic.
2.) Actually, I can think of at least one game where a female lead character is out to avenge her murdered family. It was called Rouge Ops and it was a multi-platform title on the PS2, XBOX and GameCube. Sadly, it had terrible controls and no way (at least none that I could discover) to get out of the FIRST DAMNED ROOM. Not even the first level, just the first room! What a crappy game. I fully intend to use it for target practice at the range someday. It deserves to eat lead courtesy of my 1911.
3.) The whole 'your wife was murdered and her soul is unfairly trapped in Hell' trope is definitely overused. Personally, I would have never thought of it as being sexist or anti-woman in any way. I don't think of those things and Pop Culture does NOT influence my thinking at all. I think for myself. I'm sure more gamers than not also think for themselves. Please don't assume that we allow ourselves to be led blindly by other people through media.
4.) Sensationalism supposedly used to add emotional depth but is really just trying to cover for blatant Misogyny? Really?! Are you sure you are not over thinking this too much? It's only a game!
That being said, I could do without scenes featuring violence against women. It disturbs me.
5.) Mentioning the misogyny in games like Duke Nukem and Grand Theft Auto III is kind of a no-brainer. Those games were never meant to be something noble or chivalrous. Hell, Duke's only thought behind saving the world is 'Hey those alien scumbags are kidnapping all the babes!' or something along those lines. That's just crude humor that I personally don't find funny.
In fact, Duke Nukem deserves to be left behind in the dustbin of gaming history. His character (or lack thereof) is repulsive to all but adolescent males who like making immature sex jokes, assuming they haven't already abandoned him anyway. Duke Nukem Forever was resoundingly rejected by the gaming community and should have been left in Development Hell.
6.) I'm not comfortable with the whole 'your girlfriend has been made evil and now you have to kill her' plot device, either. Forget any concerns on how that might make violence against women socially acceptable (which anyone with a brain should know is NOT acceptable at all), it's also lazy storytelling on the part of game designers.
7.) Yes, most games are geared to a male audience. For most of the industry's history, males have been the predominant gender among players. This is starting to change and with it, so will the games themselves to appeal to new audiences. I look forward to that because I want new types of stories (assuming the game needs a story at all) and new play mechanics. No matter how much I love Mario & Zelda games, saving the Princess again and again does get old. So do revenge stories like God of War or 'save her soul/legacy' stories like Dante's Inferno. Don't even get me started on 'save the world' storylines. That couldn't get any more trite if it tried.
8.) Men wanting revenge against someone that took their women and children from them existed long before video games ever did, both in media and the real world. It's not going away. It's not always a limitation on 'male responses' to such things, either. In fact, it's a cultural imperative for many societies on Earth, particularly Sicilians and their tendency to engage in a vendetta against their enemies. It might not have anything to do with violence against a woman or children, either. Blaming games for perpetuating a stereotype here is illogical because it's not a stereotype. It's something that actually happens. Human Nature is not always pretty and the stories about Human Nature should reflect that where appropriate.
----
The host in these videos said towards the end of part 2 that there would be a part 3. I couldn't find it on YouTube so, it probably hasn't been made/uploaded yet. If I ever do find it, I'll offer rebuttal to that one too.
- Lord Publius
Read an article about some poll today...
Turns out that Americans don't want their kids to grow up to be politicians...
"Compared with other possible careers, politics ranks fairly low in Americans' pecking order. A career in politics or government has historically ranked well behind those professions as well as law, business, teaching, and engineering."
SOURCE: http://cnsnews.com/news/article/poll-most-parents-dont-want-their-children-be-politicians
Well, no shit? People don't want their kids growing up to be amoral bastards... Who would have thought? [/Sarcasm]
That being said, we do need some people who don't lose their morality (and the fact that they are servants that are strictly limited by the Constitution in what they can do) to run for/get elected to these offices. The current crop of politicians are all getting old and will die sooner or later. (Hopefully sooner rather than later.) It's not like we can outsource this particular industry... If you want to think of public service as an industry...
- Lord Publius
"Compared with other possible careers, politics ranks fairly low in Americans' pecking order. A career in politics or government has historically ranked well behind those professions as well as law, business, teaching, and engineering."
SOURCE: http://cnsnews.com/news/article/poll-most-parents-dont-want-their-children-be-politicians
Well, no shit? People don't want their kids growing up to be amoral bastards... Who would have thought? [/Sarcasm]
That being said, we do need some people who don't lose their morality (and the fact that they are servants that are strictly limited by the Constitution in what they can do) to run for/get elected to these offices. The current crop of politicians are all getting old and will die sooner or later. (Hopefully sooner rather than later.) It's not like we can outsource this particular industry... If you want to think of public service as an industry...
- Lord Publius
Thursday, July 4, 2013
I am the Flag...
"I am the Flag"
by Ruth Apperson Rous
I am the flag of the United States of America.
I was born on June 14, 1777, in Philadelphia.
There, the Continental Congress adopted my stars and stripes as the national flag.
My thirteen stripes, alternating red and white, with a union of thirteen white stars in a field of blue, represented a new constellation; a new nation dedicated to the personal and religious liberty of mankind.
Today, fifty stars signal from my union, one for each of the fifty sovereign states in the greatest constitutional republic the world has ever known.
My colors symbolize the patriotic ideals and spiritual qualities of the citizens of my country.
My red stripes proclaim the fearless courage and integrity of American men and boys and the self-sacrifice and devotion of American mothers and daughters.
My white stripes stand for liberty and equality for all.
My blue is the blue of heaven, loyalty, and faith.
I represent these eternal principles: Liberty, Justice, and Humanity.
I embody American Freedom: Freedom of Speech, Religion, Assembly, The Press, and the Sanctity of the home.
I typify that indomitable spirit of determination brought to my land by Christopher Columbus and by all my forefathers - the Pilgrims, Puritans, settlers at Jamestown and Plymouth.
I am as old as my nation.
I am a living symbol of my nation's law: the Constitution of the United States and the Bill of Rights.
I voice Abraham Lincoln's philosophy: "A government of the people, by the people, for the people."
I stand guard over my nation's schools, the seedbed of good citizenship and true patriotism.
I am displayed in every schoolroom throughout my nation; every schoolyard has a flag pole for my display.
Daily, thousands upon thousands of boys and girls pledge their allegiance to me and my country.
I have my own law — Public Law 829, "The Flag Code" - which definitely states my correct use and display for all occasions and situations.
I have my special day, Flag Day. June 14 is set aside to honor my birth.
Americans, I am the sacred emblem of your country. I symbolize your birthright, your heritage of Liberty purchased with blood and sorrow.
I am your title deed of Freedom, which is yours to enjoy and hold in trust for posterity.
If you fail to keep this sacred trust inviolate, if I am nullified and destroyed, you and your children will become slaves to dictators and despots.
Eternal vigilance is your price of Freedom.
As you see me silhouetted against the peaceful skies of my country, remind yourself that I am the flag of your country, that I stand for what you are - no more, no less.
Guard me well, lest your freedom perish from the Earth.
Dedicate your lives to those principles for which I stand: "One nation under God, indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all."
I was created in freedom. I made my first appearance in a battle for Human Liberty.
God grant that I may spend eternity in my "land of the Free and the home of the Brave" and that I shall ever be known as "Old Glory," the flag of the United States of America.
SOURCE: http://www.usflag.org/i.am.the.flag.html
by Ruth Apperson Rous
I am the flag of the United States of America.
I was born on June 14, 1777, in Philadelphia.
There, the Continental Congress adopted my stars and stripes as the national flag.
My thirteen stripes, alternating red and white, with a union of thirteen white stars in a field of blue, represented a new constellation; a new nation dedicated to the personal and religious liberty of mankind.
Today, fifty stars signal from my union, one for each of the fifty sovereign states in the greatest constitutional republic the world has ever known.
My colors symbolize the patriotic ideals and spiritual qualities of the citizens of my country.
My red stripes proclaim the fearless courage and integrity of American men and boys and the self-sacrifice and devotion of American mothers and daughters.
My white stripes stand for liberty and equality for all.
My blue is the blue of heaven, loyalty, and faith.
I represent these eternal principles: Liberty, Justice, and Humanity.
I embody American Freedom: Freedom of Speech, Religion, Assembly, The Press, and the Sanctity of the home.
I typify that indomitable spirit of determination brought to my land by Christopher Columbus and by all my forefathers - the Pilgrims, Puritans, settlers at Jamestown and Plymouth.
I am as old as my nation.
I am a living symbol of my nation's law: the Constitution of the United States and the Bill of Rights.
I voice Abraham Lincoln's philosophy: "A government of the people, by the people, for the people."
I stand guard over my nation's schools, the seedbed of good citizenship and true patriotism.
I am displayed in every schoolroom throughout my nation; every schoolyard has a flag pole for my display.
Daily, thousands upon thousands of boys and girls pledge their allegiance to me and my country.
I have my own law — Public Law 829, "The Flag Code" - which definitely states my correct use and display for all occasions and situations.
I have my special day, Flag Day. June 14 is set aside to honor my birth.
Americans, I am the sacred emblem of your country. I symbolize your birthright, your heritage of Liberty purchased with blood and sorrow.
I am your title deed of Freedom, which is yours to enjoy and hold in trust for posterity.
If you fail to keep this sacred trust inviolate, if I am nullified and destroyed, you and your children will become slaves to dictators and despots.
Eternal vigilance is your price of Freedom.
As you see me silhouetted against the peaceful skies of my country, remind yourself that I am the flag of your country, that I stand for what you are - no more, no less.
Guard me well, lest your freedom perish from the Earth.
Dedicate your lives to those principles for which I stand: "One nation under God, indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all."
I was created in freedom. I made my first appearance in a battle for Human Liberty.
God grant that I may spend eternity in my "land of the Free and the home of the Brave" and that I shall ever be known as "Old Glory," the flag of the United States of America.
SOURCE: http://www.usflag.org/i.am.the.flag.html
Monday, July 1, 2013
That rare breed known as the Aspie female...
I say 'rare' because not many are diagnosed compared to the males. Most of them fly under the radar because females get a LOT more social training from a much earlier age than males do. That's why many of them don't get diagnosed until adolescence and High School. Of course, I didn't know until I was 29 so, I guess everyone's story is different.
Anyway, I bring this up because I found a blog at WordPress that's authored by a mental health professional specializing in treatment for Aspie females. I found two good articles in this blog: One about how they keep themselves hidden and another with the first signs of young girls having Asperger's Syndrome.
As I read through it, I noticed that much of what was there is virtually identical to what's typical for male Aspies. I wonder if this condition is a lot more gender neutral than the shrinks seem to think. I guess I'll have to ask my shrink about that the next time I see him.
Either way, I find myself thinking about what it would be like to find a mate/spouse/friend with benefits/whatever who's also on this 'autism spectrum' that the shrinks invented. Would that make it easier for me to interact with her or would it just present a different set of challenges than the Neuro-typicals?
Fortunately, I do have a way to learn about their perspective. There's an Aspie female from Denmark named Maja Toudal that has a profile on YouTube where she makes all kinds of Aspie videos. They have been quite informative and I've become a fan of this person. I don't remember how I found this person but, I sure am glad that I did. She does a great job of explaining her perspective and what it's like being an Aspie. Even one of my NT friends likes her. I find the video she did on the positives of Aspergian living to be quite insightful and nearly 100% exactly like my life too. How can I find someone like that where I live in the United States? I sure would like to know...
- Lord Publius
Anyway, I bring this up because I found a blog at WordPress that's authored by a mental health professional specializing in treatment for Aspie females. I found two good articles in this blog: One about how they keep themselves hidden and another with the first signs of young girls having Asperger's Syndrome.
As I read through it, I noticed that much of what was there is virtually identical to what's typical for male Aspies. I wonder if this condition is a lot more gender neutral than the shrinks seem to think. I guess I'll have to ask my shrink about that the next time I see him.
Either way, I find myself thinking about what it would be like to find a mate/spouse/friend with benefits/whatever who's also on this 'autism spectrum' that the shrinks invented. Would that make it easier for me to interact with her or would it just present a different set of challenges than the Neuro-typicals?
Fortunately, I do have a way to learn about their perspective. There's an Aspie female from Denmark named Maja Toudal that has a profile on YouTube where she makes all kinds of Aspie videos. They have been quite informative and I've become a fan of this person. I don't remember how I found this person but, I sure am glad that I did. She does a great job of explaining her perspective and what it's like being an Aspie. Even one of my NT friends likes her. I find the video she did on the positives of Aspergian living to be quite insightful and nearly 100% exactly like my life too. How can I find someone like that where I live in the United States? I sure would like to know...
- Lord Publius
Current Standards...
I probably should have included this in that last post of mine, even if it would have made a fairly long post even longer. I did mention that I had standards but, never elaborated. I just said that they were rather specific. So, since I know some people are wondering what my standards are after reading that last post, here they are...
1.) Loyalty
Loyalty is a must. That just doesn't refer to relationship fidelity, either. It also means not unfairly criticizing me for whatever reason or nagging me to the point where I want to drink. I should not have to wonder if you are on my side or not.
Also, if you must criticize something I say, do or believe, PLEASE try to be tactful. I would do the same for you and anyone else.
2.) At least a high school degree, if not a college degree. The more education, the better.
I like having educated, intellectual conversations. The language doesn't necessarily have to be really sophisticated but, being able to think for yourself and communicate is absolutely critical.
3.) Not a Drama Queen or a two-faced Bitch.
Gossip might be okay but, I have to admit that such activity bores me. Being two-faced or any kind of bigot will not be tolerated. After having so many people treat me like I was less than Human over the years, I can guarantee that I won't tolerate that kind of behavior out of anyone in my inner circle.
4.) Not any type of Drug Addict or a Drunk...
I don't want to deal with these things. It creates Drama. This includes abusing prescription drugs. I do realize that this can happen even against someone's will. A cousin of mine died from a heart attack at age 40 in part because of an accidental addiction to something a doctor prescribed years earlier.
5.) Must take care of their body and personal appearance (at least) as much as I do...
Don't look disheveled in public. Don't get fat. (Trust me, that causes all kinds of health problems.) When I say 'fat', I don't mean a 'muffin top' or 'love handles', as they are called. On some women, those features can actually be quite attractive.
Also, I don't want someone who's paper-thin like Kate Moss or Keira Knightley. Those kind look sickly and like they are starving to death. That disturbs me.
6.) Sense of bloody (and sardonic) humor!
The world is filled with a lot of twisted and scary things... and people. I make jokes about it all as a means of keeping sane. There aren't many 'sacred cows' I won't try to carve up into steaks.
That being said, I don't care for racial jokes or jokes about serious diseases like Cancer. Everything else though, should be fair game. As long as you don't tell off-color jokes in polite company that may not appreciate it (which I admit I have had problems with in the past), we should be fine here.
7.) At least ONE common interest...
The more we have though, the better. This might be problematic for some women because of how many of my interests and hobbies are either very masculine or very technical. Hot nerd chicks would probably be quite comfortable with my love of Sci-Fi, Rock music, computers and/or video games. I doubt I'll find a woman that loves cars as much as I do, though. That's too much to hope, even if it would be awesome.
----
There you have it, the standards in a nutshell.
Notice how it doesn't mention much about looks? A now former friend accused me of being shallow (and lots of other nasty things) after reading that last post. You can settle for whatever you think you can get if you want, guy. I won't. I've known many people who have done that and every single one of them ended up regretting their choices.
You see, not only do I learn from my own many mistakes, I tend to learn from other people's mistakes too. That is what gives me the edge in life, despite whatever disabilities Asperger's Disorder may cause.
- Lord Publius
1.) Loyalty
Loyalty is a must. That just doesn't refer to relationship fidelity, either. It also means not unfairly criticizing me for whatever reason or nagging me to the point where I want to drink. I should not have to wonder if you are on my side or not.
Also, if you must criticize something I say, do or believe, PLEASE try to be tactful. I would do the same for you and anyone else.
2.) At least a high school degree, if not a college degree. The more education, the better.
I like having educated, intellectual conversations. The language doesn't necessarily have to be really sophisticated but, being able to think for yourself and communicate is absolutely critical.
3.) Not a Drama Queen or a two-faced Bitch.
Gossip might be okay but, I have to admit that such activity bores me. Being two-faced or any kind of bigot will not be tolerated. After having so many people treat me like I was less than Human over the years, I can guarantee that I won't tolerate that kind of behavior out of anyone in my inner circle.
4.) Not any type of Drug Addict or a Drunk...
I don't want to deal with these things. It creates Drama. This includes abusing prescription drugs. I do realize that this can happen even against someone's will. A cousin of mine died from a heart attack at age 40 in part because of an accidental addiction to something a doctor prescribed years earlier.
5.) Must take care of their body and personal appearance (at least) as much as I do...
Don't look disheveled in public. Don't get fat. (Trust me, that causes all kinds of health problems.) When I say 'fat', I don't mean a 'muffin top' or 'love handles', as they are called. On some women, those features can actually be quite attractive.
Also, I don't want someone who's paper-thin like Kate Moss or Keira Knightley. Those kind look sickly and like they are starving to death. That disturbs me.
6.) Sense of bloody (and sardonic) humor!
The world is filled with a lot of twisted and scary things... and people. I make jokes about it all as a means of keeping sane. There aren't many 'sacred cows' I won't try to carve up into steaks.
That being said, I don't care for racial jokes or jokes about serious diseases like Cancer. Everything else though, should be fair game. As long as you don't tell off-color jokes in polite company that may not appreciate it (which I admit I have had problems with in the past), we should be fine here.
7.) At least ONE common interest...
The more we have though, the better. This might be problematic for some women because of how many of my interests and hobbies are either very masculine or very technical. Hot nerd chicks would probably be quite comfortable with my love of Sci-Fi, Rock music, computers and/or video games. I doubt I'll find a woman that loves cars as much as I do, though. That's too much to hope, even if it would be awesome.
----
There you have it, the standards in a nutshell.
Notice how it doesn't mention much about looks? A now former friend accused me of being shallow (and lots of other nasty things) after reading that last post. You can settle for whatever you think you can get if you want, guy. I won't. I've known many people who have done that and every single one of them ended up regretting their choices.
You see, not only do I learn from my own many mistakes, I tend to learn from other people's mistakes too. That is what gives me the edge in life, despite whatever disabilities Asperger's Disorder may cause.
- Lord Publius
About relationships, marriage, et al. and how one individual Aspie deals with these confusing things...
EDITOR'S NOTE: 8 Jan 2015. Just so everyone knows, there's a reason why this particular post was so
harsh. I was using it to test someone's loyalty and that person failed.
I explained it in another piece that was posted sometime later, which
you can read here...
http://lordpublius.blogspot.com/2014/06/im-narcissistic-really-lolz.html
http://lordpublius.blogspot.com/2014/06/im-narcissistic-really-lolz.html
=====================================================================
Lately, I have been seeing history repeat itself with a few friends of mine. Sadly, they have been repeating the mistakes of a few old friends that I pushed away years ago with VERY good reason. It has to do with their perception of my opinions on women, relationships and other related concepts.
Simply put, NONE of them really understand what I think of those concepts because I never told them. It's not really anyone else's business what I think of courtship rituals, family planning or my own personal view of the feminine ideal. Although, that may change now.
To keep this brief, I'll try to explain my issue by dissecting/offering rebuttal to some of the things I've been told by current and former friends over the years. It's also likely to be a bit blunt in some areas. Please do not take offense because none is intended. I just want to make sure that the point gets across to people.
Bullshit Statement #1.) You're standards are too high.
That always sounded funny to me since most of the people saying that didn't seem to have any standards at all. They simply took what they could get, no matter how psychologically unstable and morbidly obese that supposed Human female was... It was scary and sad all at the same time.
Unlike those folks though, I have standards. They are not as high as some have thought over the years, just rather specific. You see, the courtship ritual (aka dating) is supposed to be society's little mechanism to help people find a spouse/mate. So, I look for specific qualities in a woman because I want that dating process to have a chance at becoming something much more. If she doesn't have enough of those qualities, it is both illogical and insulting to us both to waste her time. (Not to mention mine...)
Also, it is worth noting that my father has VERY strongly urged me to NEVER settle in this area of life. I'm not sure if this has anything to do with my mother, from whom he is now legally separated. Regardless of whether or not that is the case, I learned from his 'mistake' there and it won't be repeated. Simply put, I will NOT marry anyone with a vastly different personality from mine. No, the fact that I'm an Aspie does not make it difficult to find someone with a similar mentality. There are many good-lookin' women in the world with Sicilian (or at least some kind of Italian) heritage, technical minds and a deep appreciation for the aesthetic. And that is just one example. The 'feminine ideal' can (and has) taken many forms. They do not necessarily have to be 'neurologically different', either. That's just a nice bonus.
Bullshit Statement #2.) Why won't you date regular women/some of the people in our group?
I didn't date the females in that old social group because they were EXCEPTIONALLY overweight, mentally unbalanced or both.
Some of them were also single mothers, which did present all kinds of potential problems. Then, like now, I just couldn't afford to even consider the idea of caring for/adopting a child that was not genetically mine. That does not mean that I am completely against the idea. However, those kids will be evaluated (for lack of a better word) too. Why marry their mother if I can never get along with that woman's children? I'd just be making life a lot more difficult for myself.
As for the 'regular women' comment I sometimes get, well, what exactly constitutes 'regular women' anyway? I can't answer the question of why I supposedly won't date them if I don't have a common frame of reference.
Bullshit Statement #3.) Aren't you afraid of being alone?
Short answer: No.
Long answer: Why would I fear what has already been the case for most of my life? I'd rather be alone than get stuck with someone that I'll only end up hating more and more everyday for the rest of my life. Why deliberately put yourself through that kind of Bullshit when you don't have to, man?! You don't necessarily need to be married to get some companionship in life.
Bullshit Statement #4.) "It's not natural to be alone. That's why God made Eve for Adam." or something similar...
First of all, that whole story was a myth devised by a Hebrew that died millenia ago to explain what was otherwise unexplainable to primitives. Don't perpetuate that fairy tale that Moses authored with me. That's an insult to my intelligence. How dare you be that intellectually lazy when trying to argue your point with me?!
Second, it's not natural FOR YOU. Aspies don't require anywhere near the same amount of social activity as a Neurotypical. You NT's socialize so much because you depend on the social network to solve your life's problems. I tend to solve most of my own through my own means and industry. That's my God-given talent. It's also the Superpower (for lack of better term) that creeps out you NT's and makes my socialization so mentally exhausting and difficult. You can't even understand me, yet you judge me and try to correct my supposed deficiencies with peer pressure or some other woefully ineffective means. And so many wonder why I spent so many years rejecting society as a whole...
That being said, it is not always good to be alone. I do have a need for both sexual pleasure and to procreate, just like anyone else. And that is often the driving force behind my having a desire for female companionship in the first damned place: Sex and having a family of my own. If I don't want those things from a woman for whatever reason, you can guarantee that I won't start a romantic relationship with her for any other reason. Sorry if that sounds cruel but, it's the God's honest truth. However, it does not rule out friendship, just romance. I have plenty of female friends that I would never consider dating for one reason or another.
Deep down inside, I'll bet most people know that kind of carnal/primal desire is at the root of their romantic desires too. You NT's for whatever reason just don't seem to want to admit it to yourself and the rest of the world. I think that's a mistake. Denying your Nature is often as harmful as acting on the negative aspects that society was designed to curb and repress.
Finally, I think I need to make something VERY clear: DO NOT EVER, under any circumstances, try to tell me that I need to change or accept something other than what I want in this matter. It has ended friendships that lasted for up to nearly a decade. It will end them in the future too.
In a nutshell, here's what I think those now former friends were trying to do that pissed me off...
Like just about any man (here in Western culture, at least), I want a wife that looks something like this...
They all expected me to follow suit and settle for this...
Can we the HUGE disparity here?
Call me an asshole if you want (and you certainly wouldn't be the first) but, I want a woman I can be attracted to... Not to mention one where I can tell that the folds of skin in her crotch is her vagina and not just rolls of adipose tissue. While I don't exactly expect to get the model in the first picture (Link may be NSFW), I do want to get as close to that as possible. Not only is she hot to trot, she's also physically healthy and will probably pass good genes onto the children. In the end, it's always about the children here. That person would probably be able to produce healthy and happy offspring whereas the walking Cloverfield Monster probably couldn't even conceive. Even if she did, giving birth would probably cause her to have a heart attack and die. I'd rather just avoid that mess altogether.
Also, it is worth noting that the former friend that did indeed marry some walking blob of a woman is now (getting?) divorced from her. (According to mutual acquaintances that I still talk to, anyway.) I am not a bit surprised.
As for my own romantic mistakes (which thankfully have been few and far between by comparison), I just consider them a learning experience now. I harbor no ill will towards any of them... except one. And that crazy bitch will be a major player in a book I'm writing about what it's like to be an Aspie in the Army. She wound up in the book because she played a major role in my discovering the root cause behind why I was always 'different.' Fortunately for her (or perhaps unfortunately), the book will not be vindictive to anyone. It will just tell the God's honest truth as I know it to exist, including my own many mistakes.
So, wherever you are now Lulu, or as me and another mutual acquaintance of ours calls you, Lady Voldemort, please stay there. I am extremely happy that you are the one ex-love interest of mine that I have no contact with anymore. You were a fucking psycho and a phony. Your whole image and public demeanor was a damned lie. I will never forgive you for your attempted deception or the poor way you treated me; someone you once referred to as your friend. That betrayal broke my heart more than anything else you had ever done to me. Rot in Hell.
- Lord Publius
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