Wednesday, November 5, 2008

We've Come Full Circle and.....Forgotten History Entirely

Let me just start out by saying, I'm proud to live in a country that in less than 75 years over came tremendous racial bias to elect the first African American president. This was the part of history I am glad was forgotten, the racism and prejudice.

America you need to look further back and realize you forgot another big part of your history. Not only in the presidential election but in the House and the Senate. America was a country founded by individuals who believe in freedom. The most important freedoms for those people, who are often referred to as "The Founding Fathers" were economic. They wanted their wallets to be safe, plain and simple. And you know what, that idea still makes sense. My money should be my money, my debt should be my debt. With the election last night, America elected individuals including the president elect who do not believe this. They believe more of your money belongs to them. THE EXACT SAME THING KING GEORGE BELIEVED!! We slapped our founding fathers in the face! Freedom needs to begin with your wallet, plain and simple. Since the dawn of time every form of fascism starts by the government taking more and more of the individuals fiscal resources.

Again we forgot our own history. I had someone tell me over the weekend this was the worst 8 years in American history under GW. Folks, get prepared for worse. Don't even get me started on how many US citizens will die when we publish our time table for exit in Iraq. A country we were trying to instill freedom into. Also, every American who died in Iraq died for absolutely nothing, if we are to believe the president elect and his promise to withdraw troops.

And don't for one minute believe this is about race. This is about ideology plain and simple. As most of you know, I am trying to change careers to build a better life for my family, but now if the Democrats accomplish their supposed agenda, I'm wondering why I didn't stay at my job making $12 an hour and spending $10 a day to do that. Mark my words, the magic number for Barrack and the Democrats in Congress isn't $250,000, it isn't $200,00, it isn't $150,000, it is $100,000 or possibly even $75,000. And what will your tax rate be? I'm guessing about 35%, and capital gains, our president elect has openly said those need to be raised to 39%. So for my family personally I will go back to work and be marginally better off. Not to the point I can significantly contribute anything to the economy. Not only that individuals who are actually contributing significantly to the economy won't be getting dividends(because corporations won't pay them out with high capital gains) and they certainly won't sell stocks for a gain(why when you'll lose .40 on a $1).

Welcome to Change We Need, not change we have in our pockets. Hello, FDR your Socialist/Marxist baby is now a toddler. Hello, Washington, Jefferson, Hamilton, I need to spit in your face some more.

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Two Months Later...Phew!!

So let's get the easy stuff out of the way....politics. Everyone prepare yourself for four(hopefully two) years of ultra-left economic policies in America. There I said it, let's move on. Just realize you will have ultra-right conservatives like me saying I told you this won't work.

Now something a little harder...I saw the new Indiana Jones movie this week on DVD. It was really good. Watching Iron Man and that I don't understand why everyone went so ga-ga over The Dark Knight. Those two films were like good old fashioned movies, without a statement or anything just entertaining.

Football...the Redskins look good for now. They tried their darndest to lose Sunday. Fantasy wise I sit at 5-2,5-2,3-4,2-5. Pretty happy with that considering my 5-2 is the big money league. I just seem to be able to pull them out somehow.

Short but sweet, schoolwork is kicking my butt. It'll be longer next time.

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Top 5 Super Hero Movies Ever and 2008 The Year of the Video Game

So, haven't blogged since Brett Favre was a Packer....gee, who would've thought we'd ever see that guy in any uniform other than Packers green. I just can't see it, here's $2 million to sit at home and do nothing or here's $12 to be behind an offensive line that you could be a vegetable every snap possibly. What would you do?

So I saw The Dark Knight and although I really liked it, far far far far far too much hyperbole being attached to the film. I thought Heath Ledger was good, but truthfully, what wasn't he good in? I never and will never see Brokeback Mountain so I can't say about that film. The Dark Knight is a good movie, but not even my favorite of the summer(still is Iron Man), and best comic book movie ever, come on. My biggest problem with The Dark Knight, and it's there in Batman Begins(which by the way I liked better than TDK) is the desire to explain some things and have them be realistic(almost hyper-realistic) but not explain others or have them be sillier than the comic book version. Let's just look at the Joker (by the way here is the link for the original Joker concept art:http://www.slashfilm.com/2008/08/07/the-dark-knight-early-joker-concept-art/, which movie villain does this look a lot like? Can you say Leatherface?). Yes, Heath Ledger does an awesome job with what he was given, and his direction with the character is somewhat viable. However, I think(IMHO) in the best Joker comics he retains some of his campiness, because I think the reader is supposed to believe he thinks he's funny. He's not just an anarchist, he thinks disorder is laughable. The only scene that really embraces this aspect of the character is when he meets the mob goons. The magic trick was something the Joker would do in a comic. But I don't think he would just create Two-Face to create him(he didn't in the comics it was a mob boss). I guess I wanted to see him laugh more, or something. So don't get me wrong I liked TDK, I just think it wasn't the greatest comic book movie ever. That being said, here we go:

1) Superman (1978) Ok, so the scene where Glen Ford says to a high school aged Clark "I don't know what you were put on this Earth to do, but it wasn't to score touchdowns." Still brings tears to my eyes thinking about it. That was my father's favorite scene in the movie, and I understand why. We as a people are always starting about 1940s and 1930s mentalities but the truth of the matter is, if Superman landed any later than that, he wouldn't be Superman. After the 1950s you can't have Superman as we know him. Glen Ford is who makes Clark Superman, and sometimes we need those people with their cut-and-dry mentality to give us purpose. Sometimes we need to be told we have a greater purpose than our own glory, and that is one of the big reasons this is the best comic book movie ever. In addition, it was a comic book movie, not an attempt to make a crime drama film into a comic book movie.

2)Iron Man(2008) Great acting, great effects what more do you want from a comic book movie? The bad guy was a bad guy. The good guy was superhuman, essentially. Plus, again not afraid to be a comic book movie. All that it is missing is a big speech.

3) X2(2003) The scene where the military invades the mansion, Nightcrawler's assassination attempt on the President....I think this was the first film to literally take some panels from some comic books and put them on film.

4)Batman Begins(2005) Serious and real, but still a comic book movie. The only problem with this film is the more I watch it, I realize yeah Christopher Nolan really can't film any sort of action sequence(that's why The Prestige is his best film, since it is all character driven), and I really really agree with Liam Neeson once Gotham had become that bad just destroy it and start over again.

5)Spiderman 2 (2004) The only problem with this movie(well two I guess, ok three and that's all I'm mentioning). The villain was really not that good, Kristen Dunst seems like she is sleepwalking and not acting, talk about someone whose looks have made them, and they made Spiderman 3 which overshadow in badness how good this movie really was. The whole subway car scene in a way was stolen for the ferry boat scene in TDK(I'm not the only one who thought that was derivative am I?).

If I had to continue, I would probably go X-Men then TDK. But movies are really pas see anymore, because as they go up in price(it costs us $26 to see Space Chimps this weekend with no concession stand items) Video Games are staying the same price.

Madden 09 came out today and do you have any idea the enjoyment hours I will get out of that compared to TDK for instance, or even Iron Man? Financial from a purely utilitarian perspective movies are failing. If anything they should be lowering their prices not raising them. It's no wonder video games trash them. As much as I love movies, and I do, I was raised watching them, I fully expect my children and their generation to possibly not even go to movie theatres and watch movies online, and go out to midnight releases of video games, not films. but we will see.

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

The Best Darn Trailer Ever

http://www.gametrailers.com/player/36219.html

There it is. Simply put, the best darn trailer ever, and it's a video game trailer.

I haven't seen The Dark Knight yet, I want to, but I may be limited to seeing it next Friday. Still working hard on classes. Played some Civ Revolutions and I just love that game. It's like the original Civ only about 1/4 length. I am on the second difficulty level and won a Cultural Victory as the Arabs and Economic as the Americans. I like the fact that eventually the computer declares war on you. It makes playing as a democracy worthwhile. Nothing else really new, this weekend is Cora's birthday party.

Saturday, July 19, 2008

Over a Month, Apology Necessary

So, I've been too busy maintaining my 4.0 and trying to take six credits. I can't wait until the fall and 15. What with Cost, Tax and Advanced Accounting throw in some Financial Management and Business Law. I do apologize for not updating my blog more often.

That being said on to the important stuff....

Football, fantasy and otherwise:
Any amount of like I had for Brett Favre has disappeared completely. I am actually thinking of just getting a used Madden '08 copy even though I am getting '09 with Best Buy Reward Certificates(so pretty much for free). All he had to do was shut his mouth, go into Canton in five years and go down in history as one of the top ten QBs ever (albeit somewhat undeservedly, he is overrated somewhat), and one of the most competitive players ever. I guess the stress of being at home with the wife and kids wasn't worth it. Gee how many times can you and wife go wherever you want do whatever you want because of your near unlimited savings, and you're what 2 years older than me? My god Brett, that does sound stressful. I'd want to march right back into getting my head pounded in every Sunday, and lose a lot of the respect I had built up over 17 years. No one ever said he was the sharpest tool in the shed. I just don't get it. You think with the amount of personal tragedy he has had in his life he would want to spend time with those he loves.

Baseball, only Fantasy:
I'm competitive in 2 out of 3 leagues. I guess a bad draft killed me in WSFB, also I fell victim to what I like to call Nickel and Dime Injuries. Meaning the guy is hurt but not for long enough to drop. I think next year I am going to try to be AL. The fact this is just a weird year probably is hurting everyone.

Pop-culture: everything from Comic Books to Booze
I've started drinking Guinness, what a great beer.

Comic books are getting really incredibly redundant. The whole Ret Con thing has got to go. Am I the only person out there who would love to read a new story with the Avengers fighting the Masters of Evil? Comic books have become more and more like kid movies, they beat you over the head with their oppressive message. Yes, Civil War and Secret Invasion I'm looking at you. They should just be fun like Journey to the Center of the Earth and Kung Fu Panda. Too much preaching. My favorite comic, any horror/slasher comic, because of no grand scale message. After that, Conan. I'm dropping the Walking Dead, which I think any more the title is more indicative of the pace of the story than the content. I just can't justify spending $3 a month on a story where even I want to see the little kid and father die, just so something happens.

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Vlog Attempt

Well, been pretty busy, but I'm not going to complain. I had my first intermediate accounting test today, we will see how that turned out. Now, on to the important stuff..

Strahan retired, and even though Craig and Big B are a little miffed by this as a 'Skins guy, I gotta say wahoo! Maybe just maybe that softens up the G-Mens pass D a little. In a division where all the team seem to be getting better and better defensively someone needed to take a step back.

I'm in the toughest division in WSFB so I can't buy a break there. Eric Byrnes being out hurt me a lot in that league. Now Wainwright is leaving with a finger injury. I understand the mental toughness required for baseball, after all what would anyone think of a QB who completes 33% of his passes, so is that what makes them hurt themselves so much. It's probably mental stress translating to physical injuries.

Saw Kung Fu Panda this weekend. It was allright. I like Jack Black, he was even good in King Kong. There is a boring part that was actually slow to everyone I have talked too. Absolutely no one I talk to recommends the new Indy movie. So I think next up, The Hulk, with the rumored Cap cameo.

Life is good, I've completed half of the message, and I times it seems like the old testament promoted totalitarianism, whereas the new promotes an anarchy of responsibility. The two biggest themes I have taken aware so far are forgiveness and your responsibilty to forgive. Honestly, I am not getting alot out of the old testament.

Tuesday, June 3, 2008

How about some Fantasy Baseball, some Football, and the Stanley Cup Finals and some Horror and some....


Wow, really exciting stuff is going on around the Grayson household.

I got a new PC, and it is as Colin likes to say lately "Sweet!" I got a 24" Monitor that is nice also. This is how a computer experience was meant to be.

I took over another fantasy baseball team. Ironically enough, the person quit with his team in third overall! He had Micah Owens, feel the man crush! Speaking of man crush, how about Syd the Kid and the do-be-do-be-do Penquins pulling last night out? Sorry, I just can't root for a team that has won the cup three times in the last ten years. Anyway back to baseball and man crushes, Eric Byrnes is on the DL(he's on 2 of 3 teams). But overall, I am doing good except WSFB and if I can pull this week off, I can be in contention there.

Pacman Jones is going to play for the 'boys, and I got to tell you I am getting a little afraid of the 'Skins chances with all these shut down corners every one else in the division has. However, I am glad I have Chris Cooley on "At least I have Chicken" because he will be the best intermediate threat in the NFC East. Him, Witten, and I believe Boss will be the top recievers in the division(at least in terms of catches).

I watched half of the director's cut of Halloween and gotta say, that is the escape sequence that should have been in the theatres. I found this great blog about horror movies and literature called the groovy age of horror. Let me warn you, not for the squeamish. I think they need an adult content warning.

Well, I got to get some school work done. Above find the picture of the bear from Grizzly Adams, now.....