Tag Archives: evil

So, a terrorist attack, eh?

17 Apr

A world without barriers.

Let’s talk about that.

So, these bombs went off, you see? I don’t need to tell you what happened. These bombs went off, and people were hurt, a few killed. Blood and broken bones, reports of strollers being torn to bits. I’m not sure if there were kids in ’em, but that’s what I heard on the radio. And now we’re all talking about it, and the T.V.’s repeating it over and over, and it’s slowly becoming soldered into your mind, like a parasite. And you don’t even realize it, but now, because that’s happened, because you’re all talking about it, and because you’re all perpetuating the horrible, horrible incident that happened yesterday (and yes, I’m guilty of doing so right here, right now), they’ve won. They’ve done exactly what they intended. It’s an endless stream of chaos, burning through the tongues of society’s youth life wildfire. And you’ve got the matches, they lit ’em, and you’re tossing ’em into dried grass.

This wasn’t about killing anybody specific, or, frankly, about killing people, period. This was about sending a shock wave through every city, over every mountain, across every valley, river, lake and stream, into every home, on every television set. This wasn’t about money, or religion (even if they find out it was Islamic Extremists). Those are all just kerfluffle bits in the way of the real, basic truth: this was about creating an effect, one that stuck. And boy did they do it. Look at you! Even now you were probably thinking about it, before you even read this. That’s why you came to read this. In fact, I can guarantee that you definitely came to read this article for one of three or reasons:

  • You wanted to release some of that anger concerning the incident by reading another viewpoint and going, “Yeah, I agree! This was awful!”
  • Your school is doing some kind of report thingie on it, so you’ve got to gather as much data as possible, which means you sure as hell are interested in this heinous act.
  • You were hoping this was something about the whole thing being planned by the government, an inside job, or something conspiratorial.

There’s also one other exception: you’re just BSing around on the internet, which, in my opinion, if the best reason to have read this article. So, kudos to you. To the rest, shut up. I don’t mean to be rude, but—actually, I do mean to be rude, SHUT UP. I’m tired of everybody talking about this nonsense. Yes, it’s bad, it sucks, I mean that sincerely, but they want us to keep talking about it. In Israel, they never make a big media blast about terrorism. If bus 117 got bombed the other day, then the next day they’d get everybody riding bus 117. Why? Because if bus 117 was empty, then it worked: nobody will do THAT anymore, because THAT’S dangerous.

Hihihihihihihihihi

I can give you the cliche “everybody join hands and work together” crap, which is totally true, by the way, or we can get down to the bottom of this. This is a loop we’re on, a cycle that keeps being perpetuated and perpetuated by Man’s loving of talking about bad things that happened. It’s a disease. The cure is shut the hell up and talk about good things instead. We could have men on Mars soon, MARS! Cures for all kinds of diseases are being developed and put out right now! Books can be published by anyone from the age of born to whenever! TALK ABOUT THAT, THEN WE WIN, NOT THEM!

I only talked about it at first so that you guys would listen to the rest, so that you would get the point. I don’t want to keep this cycle going, I want to end it. It can end now, starting with you.

Let’s talk about that.

~D.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

My thoughts on James Cameron’s AVATAR

19 Dec

Okay, here’s the short review: Trumbo, you better move over ’cause here comes my new favorite movie of all time that just decimated every other movie in existence.

Here’s the longer one:

This movie is friggin’ unbelievable. Here’s a quick explanation of the plot (And I mean quick because there’s a lot more to it), without spoilers: AVATAR takes place on a planet called Pandora (anyone up for Borderlands?) that is home to a humanoid race of aliens known as the Na’Vi. The Na’Vi’s Hometree (the area in which the main tribe in the film lives) is sitting on top of a resource that’s extremely valuable on Earth. The humans (or “Sky People,” as referred to the Na’Vi) want to chop down the tree so they can get to the resources. There are two options: get the Na’Vi to peacefully find a new home so that the tree can be sliced down, or gas ’em out and hope they don’t fight back.

The Na'Vi's design is impressive.

Like I said, I won’t spoil anything, but what is done in order to make this possible is this: humans are placed in remote controlled Na’Vi like bodies that the humans believe are very convincing. And they are, to the audience at least. The Na’Vi already know these people are those who live amongst the Sky People, but not about the fake bodies and the fact that there are humans controlling them.

The bow is mightier than the gun....not really. XD No, but it is.

The acting in this movie is top notch. Sam Worthwington has done a great job playing the main character, Jake Sully. The rest of the cast is incredible as well, bringing these characters to life in ways you have to see to believe. I would like to commend Sigourney Weaver for her performance as Grace. You did a great job Weaver, and I’m proud to have watched you perform on opening day (well, night. But not the very first showing night, I mean the night that just passed a little while ago). Zoe Saldana also did a great job as Neytiri, making her seem more real than I’d expected.

Jake Sully is the main character. This is his avatar.

The set pieces are fantastic and the planet of Pandora is rich with life and very beautiful. There’s also lots of strange alien creatures that really catch the eyes of the audience and get a lot of “ohs” and “ahs” out of them. Oh, and one thing that should be take into account is this: this movie MUST be seen in IMAX friggin’ 3D. It’s the coolest thing in the world. 3D has basically been viewed as a sort of experimental thing up until the release of this movie. AVATAR’s 3D effects are the best 3D effects ever. Once again there were “ohs” and “ahs” that swept through the audience at the sight of these 3D images.

KABOOM!!!

Oh, and one more thing, this movie may look like it will be a long epic, and it is. But you know what? You’ll never be bored. The movie is always interesting you in what’s going on. The pace is fantastic, and it never wears down.

Piloting the gunship.

Everyone on Earth needs to go see AVATAR now. This movie is an instant classic and will never be forgotten, ever. But you must remember the rule above about 3D. YOU MUST!!!!

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Modster Madness !Double Feature! (Sep. 26, ’09)

26 Sep

Hey guys! Welcome to the second episode of Modster Madness. If you’ve seen the Zombie Master review, you know the drill: I tell you about a mod of a game, and if you should get it or not. Simple enough right? Well, today it’s a double feature, so let’s get going quick. It’s time to review:

                                                       

MINERVA is a single player Half-Life 2 mod that takes mod storytelling to the next level, engaging you in most of the stuff that is happening. Maybe not so much as Half-Life 2 itself did, but it dilivers more than you’d expect from a mod. The game begins on an island invaded by the Combine. You’re dropped there by a group that is attempting to investigate the island and find out what’s there. You’re directed by a tezt scroll in the upper left corner of the screen (at least I think it’s the upper left, I haven’t played MINERVA in awhile). It tells you to go to certain places on the island and complete certain tasks. The tasks were a bit hard to follow because it was only text and it went by a little too fast, causing me to have to reload earlier save files to learn what my next ojective was.

                                        

In the beginning, it feels like just anyother mod, walking across the surface of the island shooting Combine soldiers, then going inderground to fight zombies, then going up again to fight more Combine. But then, after some time the observer starts to talk a bit about your past. Basically you learn that you betrayed the humans and they’re using you to do their bidding in payment for his sins. Rough. Anyways, the plot definitely thickens as you learn more and more what your group really needs you for (or whether they need you at all). I startedtp actually feel for the character I was playing as, merely because the writing was so good, and towards the end the player will be fully immersed in the story. It’s gripping, it’s suspenseful, it’s really fun.

                                                  

MINERVA is not flawless though. As I said before, I had to reload save files to read text. I think I had to do it eight or more times. Nonetheless, this is a great mod and you’d be wise to play it ASAP. MINERVA: Metastasis, remember the name, because this mod has an awesome story, and really sinks in at the end (which is nowhere near anti-climactic).

And now, onto our second mod:

                                                    

Another single player mod, Riot Act takes place in a Combine prison that’s being attacked by an antlion horde. Your character, named Jamil, had his cell door left open. You escape, find a crowbar (of course) and an SMG/ammo supplying ally in the beginning. As you progress you will find more allies who you able to recruit as you start your riot. In the process you defeat an antlion guardian and gain control of the antlions, as you did in Half-Life 2.

                                      

According to your supplier, Alyx Vance and Gordan Freeman are the cause of the antlion attack. Don’t know how, but they are. That is not to say that it is a canon mod (though I like to think that it is). It’s merely a neat plot point they put in the story. Even though Riot Act is primarily an action packed adventure mod, it does have a plot twist in it that I won’t spoil for you. It isn’t major, but let’s just say I grew attached to my little party after awhile.

Riot Act is about as short as Portal, but definitely long for a mod. There were moments when I thought it was over when it had merely begun. It provides loads of action sequences that make you feel like a super hero. Oh, and the last battle (which I will also not spoil for you) is a really intense and surprising moment. Overall, you should play Riot Act. You can get it from Steam any time you want for free. It’s fun, it’s exhilarating, hell, it’s a friggin’ riot act!

                                          ra_c1l20004.jpg image by snackeater9007

And that concludes the double feature for this evening. This is Liak Lienad, signing off.

WARNING: You must own Half-Life 2 to get these mods.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

PWNT, In The Face: The Last Wave

26 Sep

Welcome to the first addition of PWNT, In The Face. In this I’ll give you a short description about how I recently PWNT somebody, in the face.

Okay, so I was playing TF2, and I’m on a server running the Orange X3-B4 map (TF2 guys know that the rule is only two people can play as sniper at a time on this map) and there’s these snipers getting headshot after headshot on my team. So a sniper spot gets open, and I jump into the class, right. I kill both enemy snipers within five seconds of eachother. They come back, kill ’em both in five seconds. They come back, I kill ’em both in five seconds, rinse and repeat a few more times, then one of them gets me. After killing me he does the wave taunt that you normally do as a sniper after beating the hell out of somebody. So, I decided I’d do the same, since I was already beating the hell out of them anyway.

So the guy comes out, he has a clear shot at me, but of course, being who I am, I pick him off and wave. Then you’ll never believe what happened, one of them left the game! I still can’t believe that I beat somebody so hard they ragequit. PWNT, in the face. I waited an hour and a half to see if he’d return, but he didn’t. He had been beaten down to a pulp. Poor guy, but he was still PWNT, in the face.

I am Liak. See me wave.

I am Liak. See me wave.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The halo is mentioned to Hitler? Oh boy…

24 Sep

Many of you who are avid gamers may know of a recent Team Fortress 2 update that sent shockwaves through the community. Anyone using what was known as an external idling program (basically a system that makes the game think you’re playing while you aren’t) had all of the items they got from these programs removed from their inventories, or as they’re reffered to in the game, backpacks. The people who didn’t cheat (myself included) recieved this neat halo on wires.

                                                                      Image Hosting by imagefra.me

I’m shocked however by how people who didn’t get it responded. I get pushed around like some high school nerd, while I’m playing with people who are all most likely high school nerds, or geeks, or the like. I get banned, not kicked out of, banned from servers just for wearing it. It’s like friggin’ segregation. In fact, it is friggin’ segregation! It’s barbaric! However, I do feel kind of pleasant about having a halo (which actually is called the Cheater’s Lament), since another person who wears them decided to make this video about it. I think it’d be unpleasant to watch if I was one of the guys who had their items removed. Just go to this link. That is, if you’re a Team Fortress 2 player. If not it might not be as funny. Also if you got your stuff removed it might not be as funny, but I don’t know you then, do I? Ah well, enjoy. Just follow the link below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sC9JXVw064

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

My thoughts on Shane Acker’s 9

23 Sep

I went to see 9 feeling a bit uneasy about it. I knew it would be good, but how good was the question. I guess as the theater drew closer, I just felt less and less easy about it. In all honesty though, it was a nice experience. The first thing that I noticed was how beautiful the movie was. I mean, this movie was GORGEOUS. It felt sort of like a dark Pixar movie, with the grey, Fallout 3 visuals and the attention to detail in the environment. There’s little things hidden around every corner in the background. It really is a great looking movie. But how about I give you my analysis of the real deal, the guts of the film. The stuff that really matters.

                                      

The story of 9 is definitely a nice story. It’s very easy to understand, and could be explained to a 7 year old. However, there’s a reason they say in the TV spots that 9, “isn’t your little brother’s animated film.” 9 is a dark story, and goes somewhere most post-apocolyptic films never dare to go: the actual death of humanity. Many post-apoc’ films have destroyed the planet, or a large portion of it, but never its inhabitants. There was always at least some sign of human life in existence. Even if it’s only one human, or all the humans are somewhere off-planet, there is humans. The first thing you might notice about 9 is that it has guts though and decides, “Hey, you like humanity? Haha! Well, sucks for you then, ’cause it’s gone.”

The story is this: The U.S. used a scientist to build them a special machine that could build other machines in its own image, quickly at that. It was meant to be used as a peacekeeper, but the government decided to change that by using the machines to conquer other countries. When the scientist disagreed and tried to stop the machine from building more of these robotic soldiers, the government captured him, and the creator machine became angry, turning it’s robots against the humans. The entire human race was wiped out, but just before the end, the scientist managed to make a machine with a power unlike any other, and gave nine ragdolls the spark of life. They were created to somehow, someway, protect the future of Earth.

I won’t say too much else (and if I was wrong about the U.S. being the ones, my bad, I kind of forgot that part), but I will say that the end was pretty anti-climactic. It really felt like the build-up toward the real good part movie, but because it was so short it just messed that part up. However, I think 9 was more about the journey than reaching the X that marked the spot.

                                          

The characters of 9 (named after the numbers 1 through 9) are kind of dull in all honesty. Well, it’s not that I didn’t like them, it’s just they had little to no time to develope. A few felt fake and bland, like 8. I never felt him as a character, just as a bully who had no buisness being in the film. However, I will see that what 9 lacked in characters (for me anyway) they made up for in action and even suspense. I was scared for the characters because in all honesty, I didn’t think anyone was safe. It felt like at any moment someone would be killed. I don’t want to spoil anything, but there were quite a few twists and turns in this movie.

The action in 9 was great. Although I think the theater I was in was playing the sound a bit low in volume. I think I’ve watched my TV at louder volumes than that movie. Ah well, the scenes themselves were great. 7, the female badass character in the film, did quite a few great tricks with her weapons, and fought some pretty nasty creatures and the devices the heroes used to fight the machines were very creative and cool. I also enjoyed the creatures themselves. The monsters the nine heroes fought were some pretty nasty creatures.

Overall, 9 was an enjoyable experience. Whether you enjoy it for its stunning visuals, its awesome action, or its simplistic story, it doesn’t matter. You will most likely enjoy it. And if you don’t, well that’s fine too. We’re all entitled to our own opinion, aren’t we?

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,