Overheard an interesting comment in the bathroom today: "Oh come on, do the cops really need *tanks*?"
Yes, man at the urinal. Yes they do. Because the second amendment in the Bill of Rights says this: A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the People to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.
One of the things that always stuck out to me in this amendment was word "militia". Now, when we think of the militia in the United States, the image that always gets conjured up in our minds is that of the Minute Men, the semi-organized farmers and tinsmiths and woodcutters that were essential to victory in the Revolutionary War.
I was surprised to learn that the "militia" actually consists of every able-bodied person not currently wearing a uniform.
In other words, anyone who can pick up a weapon and use it. Excluding the elderly, the children, and the infirm, everybody is the militia. We all are. You, me, everybody.
So, the framers' thinking at the time was, if every able-bodied citizen is armed, who's going to mess with us?
And you know what? It works. The rest of the world sees America as a bunch of gun-toting crazies that you don't mess with or they'll drop bombs on you. We're scary. We're safe because we're scary. It's crude, but it's effective.
But, the price we pay for a heavily-armed militia is decreased safety domestically. We have more gun violence here in the US than almost anywhere else in the world. If we're serious about this, if we're serious about allowing our citizens to purchase and use AR-15s or any other weaponry they want, then yes, the police are going to need tanks. They're going to need vests. They're going to need shields and helmets and tear gas, and yes, they're going to need guns.
And, they are, by nature, going to always err on the side of caution. They're just as scared of getting shot as you are. They're going to frequently shoot first and ask questions later. You want to know where all these awful stories about police brutality in the news are coming from? There you go. Welcome to America. Land of the free, home of the guns. And the brave, sure. Having a gun doesn't make you brave, but it sure makes being brave a lot easier. That's what the founding fathers were counting on.
I'm not against the second amendment. Like I said, I think it works. The guns can stay, it's the gun violence that needs to go. If you want gun violence in America to decrease, you don't take away the guns, you take away the poverty. You take away the racism, the piss poor education system, the skyrocketing cost of college, the ridiculous price of healthcare, and the nonliving wage. You stop taking away the funding and benefits from the police department and you *definitely* don't take funding away from the social assistance programs that are keeping poor people from becoming desperate people.
The middle and upper class tend to treat the lower class like dogs, so let's go with that analogy. The lower class is a dog. It's dangerous because it's sick and it's starving, and its home is abusive and negligent. It'll do anything. The lower class is a hungry, diseased mongrel, wandering around in your neighborhood.
You can fix this one of three ways. First, you can put the dog down. That's not really an option in this metaphor, so, moving on.
Second, you can try to pull it's teeth so it's not dangerous anymore. (We've come to the gun control metaphor at this point.) This is absurd. It doesn't solve anything for the dog, and the dog's not just going to *let* you pull its teeth out. You'll probably get bitten in the process. Still, I guess it's marginally easier than the third option.
Third, you can feed the dog. Take it to the vet and make it healthy. Get it into a loving home. Teach it some new tricks. Now you have a happy, healthy, hardworking dog that's not dangerous anymore, and you didn't have to pull its teeth.
Yes. Absolutely. The third option is a sincere pain in the ass, and it's not going to work in every situation, but there is no question (at least in my mind) that it is the right thing to do. It's the harder task, it'll take longer, and no one really wants that responsibility, but it is the only real long-term solution.
05 December 2014
01 May 2009
Mash'd Pipe
I've had woes lately. Woes, I want you to understand, have been inflicted upon my person.
Specifically, said woes center squarely upon the wretches who charge me too much for too little access to the Internet. My service, as it is said in the vernacular, SUCKS. It slows down. It *goes* down. It randomly ceases to talk to certain websites while providing perfect service to others, with no pattern apparent whatsoever.
It was nice--as you can see by clicking here--to see my irritations all expressed in comic form, courtesy of Penny Arcade.
Apparently I'm not alone.
*As a footnote, I'm looking into alternate providers while at the same time trying to get the jack holes who run my connection to look at it to see if maybe there's a problem. I'm not laying my problems on anyone other than to vent a bit. :)
Specifically, said woes center squarely upon the wretches who charge me too much for too little access to the Internet. My service, as it is said in the vernacular, SUCKS. It slows down. It *goes* down. It randomly ceases to talk to certain websites while providing perfect service to others, with no pattern apparent whatsoever.
It was nice--as you can see by clicking here--to see my irritations all expressed in comic form, courtesy of Penny Arcade.
Apparently I'm not alone.
*As a footnote, I'm looking into alternate providers while at the same time trying to get the jack holes who run my connection to look at it to see if maybe there's a problem. I'm not laying my problems on anyone other than to vent a bit. :)
27 April 2009
Social Contract
As I was walking down the hallway here at work, I noticed a woman in front of me. I couldn't help noticing her, wife, sorry.
The problem was this: She was putting *everything* on display. Not intentionally, I'm sure. Her dress was of appropriate cut and length for the workplace. The problem was the material. It was this white, light cotton affair that hung loosely around her shoulders, a summer dress or some such, one that I'm sure felt fantastic in the increasingly humid and warm environment we've got going in this office. However, what I'm sure this woman failed to take into account was the effect of florescent light upon the fabric. Without meaning to, she was flashing every nuance of her body's shape as she walked, as well as advertising her undergarments to the point where I'd recognize her bra and underwear makes if I saw them on the rack at Target.
Now, let me be clear. I understand that this happens to a small degree and in most cases is perfectly acceptable. This was not. She might as well have come in to work wearing a nightie, something provocatively see-through enough to wear on her honeymoon. It was that bad. She may as well have been walking down the hall nude.
This makes me wonder about the practical applications of the typical social contract. I was in possession of information that this woman desperately needed (i.e. "Hey, lady! Do you realize that you are, for all intents and purposes, naked right now?") but couldn't give her. She didn't know me. The news might not have been well received. She may have gotten angry. I may have gotten fired. She may have gotten reprimanded. Who knows what might have happened?
So I kept my mouth shut and my eyes on something safe--I selected her shoes, those at least were safe enough--until I turned a corner. She thankfully kept on walking and the awkwardness ended. It was then that I considered the flip side. What if she gets reprimanded or fired because no one said anything to her now? Did I, in my efforts to uphold the social contract, inadvertently partake in destructive behavior?
What was the right call? How does one deal with a situation like this?
The problem was this: She was putting *everything* on display. Not intentionally, I'm sure. Her dress was of appropriate cut and length for the workplace. The problem was the material. It was this white, light cotton affair that hung loosely around her shoulders, a summer dress or some such, one that I'm sure felt fantastic in the increasingly humid and warm environment we've got going in this office. However, what I'm sure this woman failed to take into account was the effect of florescent light upon the fabric. Without meaning to, she was flashing every nuance of her body's shape as she walked, as well as advertising her undergarments to the point where I'd recognize her bra and underwear makes if I saw them on the rack at Target.
Now, let me be clear. I understand that this happens to a small degree and in most cases is perfectly acceptable. This was not. She might as well have come in to work wearing a nightie, something provocatively see-through enough to wear on her honeymoon. It was that bad. She may as well have been walking down the hall nude.
This makes me wonder about the practical applications of the typical social contract. I was in possession of information that this woman desperately needed (i.e. "Hey, lady! Do you realize that you are, for all intents and purposes, naked right now?") but couldn't give her. She didn't know me. The news might not have been well received. She may have gotten angry. I may have gotten fired. She may have gotten reprimanded. Who knows what might have happened?
So I kept my mouth shut and my eyes on something safe--I selected her shoes, those at least were safe enough--until I turned a corner. She thankfully kept on walking and the awkwardness ended. It was then that I considered the flip side. What if she gets reprimanded or fired because no one said anything to her now? Did I, in my efforts to uphold the social contract, inadvertently partake in destructive behavior?
What was the right call? How does one deal with a situation like this?
22 April 2009
I'm *not* a pervert... am I?
OK, so the wife bought some new shoes. They're patent leather, glossy, black, tall-heeled... overtly sexy in other words. Very hot shoes.
I want her to have an outfit that perfectly matches now. >.>
Do I have a problem?
I want her to have an outfit that perfectly matches now. >.>
Do I have a problem?
15 April 2009
Shimmer, Shine, Sparkle
I promised a Perfect World review, and here it is, albeit a day late. Sorry about that, work got busy and I had to skip both breaks and lunch to accomplish anything.
To examine Perfect World International, we must first have the context, examine the games that have been coming out lately. Each game that launches in recent days would appear to be locked into a full-scale arms race with all of the others, each trying desperately to be more gritty, dark, gloomy, edgy, and simple than the last. A few rare exceptions exist (LittleBigPlanet, Valkyria Chronicles, etc.) but for the most part, the plan seems to be centered around making it darker, simpler, and more depressing. We'll have a game out in three years, at this rate, that will be so dark you can barely make out the main character, and you'll only need to press one button to make him curl up into a fetal position on his bed while he cries and cuts himself. It'll get Game of the Year from every review site, and high scores in all departments, including best story.
No, I'm not bitter. That would be ironic, though, wouldn't it?
But now that I've gotten that off of my chest, made my point plain as it were, let's prop Perfect World International against that backdrop, and quickly realize that no camera made could handle this much contrast.
This game is ridiculously "twee". Pretty, full of glitter and glam, upbeat and energetic... I could go on like that but I think you get the point, especially if you were observant enough to realize that the word "twee" in the previous sentence links somewhere.
It's plain that the makers of the game consider anything ugly to be evil, because that's the only place you're going to spot unattractive sights. The towns, the fields, the woods, the water, the people, all have been painstakingly crafted to be as beautiful as the game makers knew how to make them.
On that note, it's important to point out that the game has clearly been made by a team of straight, horny men. They are plainly and unabashedly obsessed with the female creature. Every piece of promotional art, every loading screen backdrop, almost every screenshot features a female character not wearing a whole lot. In the game it doesn't get much better. All female characters start off wearing a midi top and a short skirt, and progress in the early to mid levels to equally sexy armor and clothes. The Untamed are another good example of this thinking in practice. As men, the Untamed race are full-on werewolves, lions and panda-men, but as women they are essentially humans with perfect physiques, with cat or fox ears and tails. Slightly biased, eh?
What's amusing is, this actually works in this context. The game is fantastical to the point of fracture. People ride around on the backs of giant panda bears and ride flying manta rays, enormous swan, and mystical swords like they were airborne surfboards. Elves have wings and can fly around starting at level 1.
It's simple enough, game play-wise. Click on the ground to run to that spot. Double-click on a monster to start attacking. Click on an ability in your spell bar to use it. Use the space bar to jump and the arrow keys or WASD keys to move around. The game can be driven almost entirely with the mouse, though certain acrobatic feats (such as tricky jumps or swimming at specific depths) may necessitate using both hands, one on the mouse and the other on the keyboard. Quests in the early levels, at least, are straight-forward: Go kill fifteen of a type of critter, come back and be rewarded. They get more complicated as you advance.
There's a focus on social and romantic interactions that isn't present in most games. A man can pick up a woman and carry her around in his arms, snuggled close to his chest. They can smooch in this pose, sending valentine hearts flying and drilling cavities into the teeth of all observers. A winged elf can take flight like this, lifting his true love up and away. Twee? Oh yes indeed!
The customization of player avatars is unprecedented, permitting the creation of truly lifelike faces and bodies, perhaps for the first time. I can't say enough good about that; I'm an addict for this sort of thing, my big desire being to attempt creating myself in all games with this type of feature. PWI has gotten me closer than anyone else ever has.
There are some oddities. The game is fast-paced, perhaps even to a fault. One look at the speed at which windmills turn in the game is all that needs to be said; hurricane force winds couldn't produce this result. I can only assume they use such high-speed windmills for something very intensive, like grinding up diamonds. Combat is very, very fast, with swordsmen taking two or even three swings per second. Incredible.
Did I mention the game is completely free? To download the game is free. To play it is free. The only time you ever have to spend money on it is if you want to; like, if you check out the boutique and see a dress you like, then you can spend real money on it. Or if there's a special mount you want. Or if you want some unique wings. There are other things too, but that's the gist of it. It's essentially like tipping the devs. You love them? Show it with an in-game purchase. You can't even *do* this until you get a character to level 10. How's that? They won't even let you pay them until you've played the game for a while.
I give this one an 8.5 of 10. More involved quests, a better run animation, and giving the ladies the option to slow less than 80% skin sometimes would make it a perfect 10/10 easy.
To examine Perfect World International, we must first have the context, examine the games that have been coming out lately. Each game that launches in recent days would appear to be locked into a full-scale arms race with all of the others, each trying desperately to be more gritty, dark, gloomy, edgy, and simple than the last. A few rare exceptions exist (LittleBigPlanet, Valkyria Chronicles, etc.) but for the most part, the plan seems to be centered around making it darker, simpler, and more depressing. We'll have a game out in three years, at this rate, that will be so dark you can barely make out the main character, and you'll only need to press one button to make him curl up into a fetal position on his bed while he cries and cuts himself. It'll get Game of the Year from every review site, and high scores in all departments, including best story.
No, I'm not bitter. That would be ironic, though, wouldn't it?
But now that I've gotten that off of my chest, made my point plain as it were, let's prop Perfect World International against that backdrop, and quickly realize that no camera made could handle this much contrast.
This game is ridiculously "twee". Pretty, full of glitter and glam, upbeat and energetic... I could go on like that but I think you get the point, especially if you were observant enough to realize that the word "twee" in the previous sentence links somewhere.
It's plain that the makers of the game consider anything ugly to be evil, because that's the only place you're going to spot unattractive sights. The towns, the fields, the woods, the water, the people, all have been painstakingly crafted to be as beautiful as the game makers knew how to make them.
On that note, it's important to point out that the game has clearly been made by a team of straight, horny men. They are plainly and unabashedly obsessed with the female creature. Every piece of promotional art, every loading screen backdrop, almost every screenshot features a female character not wearing a whole lot. In the game it doesn't get much better. All female characters start off wearing a midi top and a short skirt, and progress in the early to mid levels to equally sexy armor and clothes. The Untamed are another good example of this thinking in practice. As men, the Untamed race are full-on werewolves, lions and panda-men, but as women they are essentially humans with perfect physiques, with cat or fox ears and tails. Slightly biased, eh?
What's amusing is, this actually works in this context. The game is fantastical to the point of fracture. People ride around on the backs of giant panda bears and ride flying manta rays, enormous swan, and mystical swords like they were airborne surfboards. Elves have wings and can fly around starting at level 1.
It's simple enough, game play-wise. Click on the ground to run to that spot. Double-click on a monster to start attacking. Click on an ability in your spell bar to use it. Use the space bar to jump and the arrow keys or WASD keys to move around. The game can be driven almost entirely with the mouse, though certain acrobatic feats (such as tricky jumps or swimming at specific depths) may necessitate using both hands, one on the mouse and the other on the keyboard. Quests in the early levels, at least, are straight-forward: Go kill fifteen of a type of critter, come back and be rewarded. They get more complicated as you advance.
There's a focus on social and romantic interactions that isn't present in most games. A man can pick up a woman and carry her around in his arms, snuggled close to his chest. They can smooch in this pose, sending valentine hearts flying and drilling cavities into the teeth of all observers. A winged elf can take flight like this, lifting his true love up and away. Twee? Oh yes indeed!
The customization of player avatars is unprecedented, permitting the creation of truly lifelike faces and bodies, perhaps for the first time. I can't say enough good about that; I'm an addict for this sort of thing, my big desire being to attempt creating myself in all games with this type of feature. PWI has gotten me closer than anyone else ever has.
There are some oddities. The game is fast-paced, perhaps even to a fault. One look at the speed at which windmills turn in the game is all that needs to be said; hurricane force winds couldn't produce this result. I can only assume they use such high-speed windmills for something very intensive, like grinding up diamonds. Combat is very, very fast, with swordsmen taking two or even three swings per second. Incredible.
Did I mention the game is completely free? To download the game is free. To play it is free. The only time you ever have to spend money on it is if you want to; like, if you check out the boutique and see a dress you like, then you can spend real money on it. Or if there's a special mount you want. Or if you want some unique wings. There are other things too, but that's the gist of it. It's essentially like tipping the devs. You love them? Show it with an in-game purchase. You can't even *do* this until you get a character to level 10. How's that? They won't even let you pay them until you've played the game for a while.
I give this one an 8.5 of 10. More involved quests, a better run animation, and giving the ladies the option to slow less than 80% skin sometimes would make it a perfect 10/10 easy.
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