A Technology Rant

While thinking about how much technology has affected the actual quality of life I realized that those of us who spend a great deal of our time online interacting with social networks and gaming or just interacting primarily with a variety of software applications throughout our day are far less interesting and far less substantial as people than those who existed decades before. It's not that the technology itself is evil and is solely responsible for corrupting its users. I'm not a Neo-Luddite. I'm quite confident that like in all things the problem begins with the users themselves, people in general.

Just like "Guns don't kill people, people kill people" one might say "Technology doesn't diminish people, people diminish themselves."

Sure, we can push a button and see shit happen fast. We can play a plethora of games on one of several platforms both mobile and home based. We can sit down and with a few hours whip up some artwork in something like GIMP or Photoshop. Big fucking deal. How many of those skills effectively translate to life beyond a device? Where is the real world application of skills acquired through excessive software use? Have button pushers found a way to make everything depend upon and exist around their superior skill set? Seems that way.

Photoshop paintings (and those of like programs) are the felt paintings of the modern age. One's Angry Bird skills will not gain them success in a practical field. One's Facebook meme-sharing will not define them as clever or witty or profound. Who actually uses the internet for something useful like research or to find ways to better one's community? Where is our cancer cure, or our faster than light space travel, or our colonies on other worlds, or the shrinking of poverty and the bettering of all societies?

I am just as guilty as many others. I'm also aware and willing to regain my substance and real world worth, if I don't still have any left. How about you? (these are my opinions...so, yeah...flame wars won't achieve anything)

Prometheus - A Review

It was a midnight showing where there were no lines and I could just walk right in, which I found to be refreshing. The beauty of buying in advance for a 3D IMAX event is that you are guaranteed a seat of your choice (mostly) and are spared the displeasure of having to compete with funk-smelling mouth-breathers for a spot that doesn't make the whole experience abysmal. Unfortunately, in 3D IMAX-land those people are still present, kicking up waves of salty body odor and obnoxiously chortling over the whatever it is they obnoxiously chortle about. I was lucky, though, this time around because I was able to avoid those folks and, to my surprise, find that my neighbor was of all things a beautiful girl. One who seemed to hate having her skirt touch her legs while she was sitting so she spent the entirety of the film pulling it back, further and further, towards her body. So, realizing this, I discovered from the very beginning that the night was going to not only be a test of my loyalty to science-fiction but also to my wife. I'm glad (?) to report that I failed neither. (take that skirt-hiking girl!)

Anyway, we were there at 12:01am sporting our spiffy and quite large 3D glasses as the Scott Free animation played. What followed was the film I have been anticipating for over a year and then some. In those first few minutes I realized that my wait was well worth it. I beheld glorious scenery, alien scenery, and then something mysterious and fascinating happened. Nope, I won't spoil it here. All I'll say is that it was pleasing to see what I saw instead of a dark, gritty return to the staple xenomorphs of the Alien franchise right out of the gate.

I'll state this now to make it clear, Prometheus takes place before Alien and in the same universe, but if you go in expecting the same creeptastic gorefest produced by the savagery of the creatures in Alien or any of its sequels then you're going to be a bit disappointed. This is a film about origins and the mystery of life. Mystery is a great word, I feel, to describe what you'll encounter throughout the film. There are many questions answered, if you pay attention, but I think it's fair to say that just as many are raised and left unanswered by the film's end. That's actually okay.

**some spoilers might follow**

The story follows humans who are typically hopeful and endlessly inquisitive, scientists. Doctors Elizabeth Shaw and Charlie Holloway have criss-crossed our planet in the years towards the end of the 21st Century, seeking out ancient ruins and tombs to verify a commonality. Each of the different sites from each of the various ancient human cultures contains a depiction of human beings worshipping giants which are gesturing towards a design showing six spheres (corrected from five after my second viewing of the film on 6-9-12). They find, through years of research, that these designs are a representation of a system too far away from Earth for ancient humans to see. Their conclusion, and a welcome one to corporate titan and architect of future Earth's splendour, Peter Weyland, is that the giants are our alien creators and their gesture towards the far distant system is actually an invitation. So begins a quest to find answers and to solve the problems some of the characters find inherent to their human condition.

The characters of the film, mostly the two main scientists, display much hope for the surely positive intentions of our non-human creators. We see what becomes of such hope and how belief can be affected by the sometimes harsh revelation of truth, spectacular truth in the case of this film. Prometheus, like most exceptional science-fiction, is a study of humanity, and our subject for this study is Dr. Shaw. She is the one who believes whole-heartedly that she's seeking out the caring "Engineers" who made us what we are for some special purpose. It is her reaction to the revelations throughout the film that you will focus on. She is our hope in something more.

Apart from the humans of Prometheus is David, an android. Over the years we've come to expect horrible things when it comes to the androids of the Alien franchise. I won't go so far as to tell you what to think or what to expect of David, but I will say that he is the avatar of the Company's true and cold intentions. Michael Fassbender performs wonderfully in this role, altering his speech patterns and the way he carries his body. He splendidly portrays both Weyland's tool and a cold critic of humans which he sees as inferior. David does seemed fascinated by the randomness and unpredictability of humans, though, especially in regard to Dr. Shaw. Their relationship is one of the most interesting in the film.

It's a film with beautiful design, excellent story, and interesting characters. It takes you from the early dreams of ancient humanity across the gulf of space and stars to a world where our creators might still exist. There is mystery and there are unanswered questions. There is horrific darkness and there is brilliant hope. If you see Prometheus you won't be sorry.

I give this, another Ridely Scott masterpiece, a five out of five.

Prometheus Report - Pre-Viewing

I grew up amongst film geeks who loved adventure, sci-fi, and fantasy on the big screen. Go figure, I was exposed to the Scott/O'Bannon Alien film pretty early on. Ever since then I've had a general curiosity about the universe behind the films and a feeling of responsibility to follow the franchise.

Tonight my wife and I are going to see Prometheus in 3D on an IMAX screen. We're going to honor my responsibility, to be entertained, and to acquire an awesome limited edition poster. I'm so excited for the entire experience that I created a silly meme. I've become one of those guys. Oh, noes!

I'll report back after the 12:01am showing to offer up my review of the long-awaited "prequel" to Alien. Check back then!

I'm a Fantasy-Phile and Forever Geek Boy

Here comes another confession from the geek who has shown no shame in knowing volumes of useless but exceptionally colorful knowledge. I'm writing on a high to tell my readers, any and all, that I love the Fantasy genre and feel that it is vital to the human spirit. Read on, won't you please?

I don't want to get all New Age-y or even touch on religious-like rants but I hope to here just quickly proclaim my love for the fair fiction which powerfully represents every facet of the magic of the dreaming human mind. Only in our dreams, I feel, are we truly beautiful. The conscious human mind is so whipped by the systems in which we are forced to wallow in order to survive that it can hardly be said to be anything but practical and perhaps as appealing as a series of interworking gears. It's the kinetics behind those gears, though, the hum and go of the whole thing that begins to hint at something greater. Fantasy comes from this and the layers deeper, and, I believe, it is what sustains the humanity of our human selves.

Whether it's an unrealistic story of a protagonist dealing with something that could never possibly happen or an epic quest meant for the most powerful of archetypes, I love all Fantasy. It can be said to be escapist, sure, I can understand that. It might be criticised as base and shallow. There's no justifying that, though. To fantasize in anyway taps into some level of a greater thing from which we daily function, though in a haze of some ignorance. To write, read, or create fantasy is to tool at the universe, at one's own existence, with the ancient, centuries-developed soul of our humanity. It's both beautiful, mystical, and, perhaps, even a little frightening. It's somewhat overwhelming to think of it in these terms.

Regardless, I love to dive into the worlds forged by others and absorb the beauty of their personal creator. I also love to stand at my own forge and craft a magic from my inner self, utilizing my energies as best I can. Dreaming, fantasizing, and hoping are all related and all so very precious, or should be, to each and every human being. Whether it be the emaciated victim of horrid economics and unfortunate circumstance dreaming dreams of accessible bread, comfort, and security, or the dreams of the best-positioned individual sitting in their tower fancying away, it's all amazing. The true tragedy is that there are those who don't treasure this ability. For them I am forever sorrowful.

However you feel, I hope you dream well. I will be delighting in my fancies, hoping the best for you and yours. Pick up a book and escape. Sit down and tune into your highest, most wild dreams. Come back and read some more of my rants. I've tapped into my human heart and I hope to share it with you for many years to come. Hopefully this was somewhat coherent and spoke to you, dear reader, on some level. Take care.

Rants - The Posts That Finally Killed My Personal Facebook Usage

I left Facebook. Seriously. I actually did it. Once and for all. I was tired of being hateful of the whole thing (though I still have a major beef with the internet at large) and finding my hypocrisy through continued use. Here are some rants that led to this closing of the Book of Face. Enjoy...

Rant 1 (about Facebook and it's features): 

If I were to describe the majority of the internet with a single adjective that adjective would be "mediocre." (and that's being kind)

Facebook seems to be the perfect stage for distilled internet mediocrity, and it forces it on its users in the most obnoxious and overwhelming of ways. The "Like" feature and the "Share" feature are bullshit, and the only purposes they serve are to highlight and proliferate mediocrity. The blue, the white, and the sad...Facebook.

Then there are the folks, like myself, who have used or are using this site to promote projects. If you are actually out to gain support for something and someone tells you, "Hell, shucks, howdy, puts it on the Facebook-er!" you punch that cock knocker in the face and you hit the street preaching your project's gospel. Prove your belief and confidence in your own work by doing more than playing clickety-clack with the data-churning glow box. If you really believe in something you're doing then you can't just set up a digital presence (bear in mind that Facebook presence isn't actual online presence...not really) and sit back as the "Likes" trickle in. If you're sitting in a dark room, hovering over your Facebook Page, thinking that more Likes means greater success then you're kidding yourself.

These are observations I've made and opinions I've developed over the many unfortunate and wasted days, weeks, months, and years online and on Facebook. It helped that I was a Facebook Page-creator who felt a dependence for Facebook and felt verified by my "presence" on it while trying to raise support for my projects. What a supreme waste of time. No one who just clicks "Like" or "Share" is really doing a god damned thing for you. If you want to know who's actually willing to support you then call up your friends, post physical fliers in places where your projects would attract the most attention and THEN see who comes to show support and offer aid.

Fuck you, Facebook. I pity the fools who jack in to this bloated whore of a socnet seeking validation and support. What a waste of time and creative energy.

*Rant concluded*

Rant 2 (about internet celebrity and it's shallow, hollow reality):

I liken celebrities who've made their home on the internet playing "Look at me, I've got witty things to share" to the awkward kids at the school dance who aren't in the main part of the floor doing that "Freakin' dancing" but who are in a dark corner away from it all and executing a unique series of body movements that make them noticeable to the beat-followers of the student body (internet users) who are reduced to lusting after any and all catchy physical rhythm. Then, when the school dance is over (not that web-zombies would abandon the brain that is the internet), they are back to being the awkward folks who sit in the background, commenting on what's going on in the rest of the school (world) and are barely noticed while doing so, except by their followers (the few and the...proud?).

Basically the internet is that obnoxious school dance and the celebrities who thrive off of it and find their celebrity through it are as inconsequential as band geek #12 who one night found that grandma's two-step looks interesting when executed during "The Thong Song."

RANT TRULY CONCLUDED...later, dear readers! 

My Neighbours

We live next door to an elderly black couple who have apparently lived in every house in our neighbourhood at some point over the last 30-40 years. They often sit out on their porch with a friend and chat about whatever in a heavy Southern accent which sometimes requires effort to understand.

Today, while going around posting posters asking for help in finding our missing cat I had an incredibly educational experience through talking to those same neighbours. As I was handing over a "Lost Cat" poster to the old lady (unfortunately I've never spoken with them long enough to get their names) one of the old guys suddenly stood up and directed our attention to the nearby intersection. There a fairly aged vehicle was being flanked by two, loudly-lit police cars.

Inside the surrounded car were three black teenage boys, each of which was pulled from the vehicle separate from his fellows. The neighbours started to talk about what led up to this, surprising me with just how well they pay attention to literally everything that happens on our street. Apparently the car had been going up and down the road and had been changing passengers all morning. As the last boy was removed from the car a police officer had him bend over the hood and spit something out of his mouth. The neighbours friend, looking on through thin-framed sunglasses, just muttered, "They're riding dirty."

What we had witnessed was a drug bust, and my neighbours were certain the police had been tracking it all morning. While listening to them explain the situation from their viewpoint I acquired some insight into inner-city black culture and the image of city police for the minority. They spoke of what they know of police salary, how the police acquire bonuses by making arrests, and even why there were three cars, one pulling up later in the event while the arrests were taking place. They pointed out that the occasional black guy on a bike was more than likely scoping out the bust, probably because he had stake in whatever deal was going down. There were comments about what will happen to those boys when they go through processing and how they should have been spanked during their upbringing by their parents instead of the GRPD.

At one point the friend of the neighbour made a statement about how he'd now have to walk around the other side of the block just to get home. I asked him if he really thought that they would stop him. He looked at me, smiled weakly, and said that they probably wouldn't. The old lady turned around and looked at us both murmuring, "You don't need that harassment!"

I was alarmed at the thought of such a thing, and I was left pondering the larger picture. These are people who are incredibly fearful of what I would normally take for granted as just another routine police event. They saw the police as cold-hearted wage slaves out to nab certain "types" so that they can treat themselves to a steak dinner through a rather grim incentive system. They saw the boys as unfortunate fools who weren't raised properly, weren't shown the error of foolish life before it was too late. Now those boys are victims of a system designed to do them great harm both physically and mentally. I witnessed the true plight of neighbours, people, human beings living in my town, in the United States, as insecure about their well being as someone in a war-torn, third-world country. No matter what some people might say black people have it extremely hard even still. Why does it have to be like this?!

Marvel's The Avengers

*Please don't read this if you have not already seen the film*

An eclectic band of beloved superheroes, smoothly delivering clever scripting from the pen of Joss Whedon, strike out to sort their differences while saving the world from a mad god-being and his fierce alien-allies. This basically describes what you're going to experience if you wisely choose to see The Avengers, but it totally fails to prepare you for what is truly one of the greatest comic book movies of all time. 

The build up for this film has been historical as much as it has been tremendously epic. Marvel Studios stepped up and delivered something magical with a commitment I believe to be completely necessary from such an entity. They had faith in what they were doing, they hired amazing talent to create and execute memorable silverscreen wonder, and they brought it all together to give 2012 a titanic, true to the four-coloured spirit of superheroes, comic book movie. Many thanks and congratulations to those clever folk. 

I expected to see the film late Saturday night, but I was fortunate to receive a text message from a friend with a spare ticket for a 12:01am 3D showtime. Going in I knew that I would be viewing a film I have been waiting for, along with all of my fellow comic book geeks, since Iron Man and long before. Being a geek/nerd who has had the pleasure, and sometimes the displeasure, of seeing many comic book films I felt that I knew what to expect, especially since I spent the minutes before the start time thinking over bits from the previous Marvel films. What I witnessed over that 143 minutes was something stunning, unprecedented, and gloriously delivered. I saw a group of fantastical individuals bearing their super gifts and curses together, united against a brutal enemy. After the movie faded away and as the credits rolled one thought shouted through my mind, it worked!

The Avengers took the pieces laid out over the last few years and assembled (heh, heh) them into something that exceeded my expectations and surprised my guessing inner-fanboy. The characters felt complete, complimenting and contrasting in just the right ways to make me give a damn and respect them for what they do. Captain America was truly a man out of time, but they didn't beat that point to death by having him emo around, talking about how great things were back when. Iron Man was a cocksure genius with wonderfully human flaws in his shiny power armour. Thor was the powerful god he'd always been, a bit more humble and desperately seeking to make a connection with his damnably frustrating brother. Bruce Banner/The Incredible Hulk was the nervous, geeky scientist-type one would expect except he went from a fear of his lack of control towards a purposeful use of his inner-monster. Hawkeye and Black Widow were wonderfully human non-supers trained to be the best soldier/spies they could be while carrying the burdens of their past transgressions upon their shoulders. Then there was Nick Fury and SHIELD. Fury was a man who had the weight of the world on his back and watching him you could feel that. SHIELD was as impressive as it always seems in the panelled world of the comics, revealing some gadgets which weren't completely surprising but still incredible to behold.

As great as it was to witness all of this play out, the film was not without new surprises and hints at the future of Marvel's film efforts. I would urge anyone who sees this film to stay until the end of the credits. The icing on the cake, so to speak, really lies there, if you know anything about the greater Marvel Universe.

Having stated all of this I feel that I must give The Avengers the rightful rating of five out of five. It's a film that was worth waiting for, and it is as amazing as any fan would have hoped it could be. Go see it as soon as you can!