November 27, 2008

And a Happy Thanksgiving to All Slugs... Everywhere.

Yup.  My Thanksgiving Day happiness to you all.  Sorry that I couldn't see any of you - James, I had actually thought of stopping by, but I didn't get the chance to - and I've got a fucking sore throat, so it's probably for the best that I didn't.

However, Saturday or Sunday I might be free and may stop by the apartment to say hello.  Rockband?

And lastly, since I have nothing else of particular interest to blog about today (other than that I saw a few accidents both to and from Tacoma over the past two days, one looking like it was BRUTAL)... I have not posted a recent issue in the last few months.  BUT that is not because I haven't thought of Loose Slugs Comics... I've actually used the comics as a launching point for this:

Yeah.  Suck on that Stephen King.
I considered saying "Michael Crichton" but then realized that it might be too soon.  I got that for writing 50,000 words for my story (which is still not complete, but I did get the 50,000 words) entitled:  "James-2-James:  jOe Origins!"
The fruits of my labor will eventually be placed into the comics.  So there.  Still hard at work.
Turkeys everywhere rejoice, for your day of death is almost over!

November 26, 2008

STT:3

Hey, guess what... they added a new level to Hell.

It's where you are forced to watch Starship Troopers III, on a HiDef system.  Over and over again.  And again.

Why did ANYBODY pour money into this movie?

November 08, 2008

I'm pretty sure my vote doesn't count if I don't cast it. Figure it this way Jeff:

There is a V-8 motortrends awesome car engine of the year. It needs to be upgraded to either Hydronic-plus oil, or Turbotransflow oil. You know absolutely nothing on either of these oils - but you have the option to "vote" to decide which one should be used. You, not knowing anything about either - may actually do more harm than good by voting willy-nilly.

The obvious response to this is: "WELL RESEARCH THE TWO OILS TO MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION" - to which my obvious response is: "I DONT GIVE A FUCK WHAT OIL WE USE, THE ENGINE WILL STILL RUN".

I'm still peeved that we're not working on a 100% republic system with the advent of the internet, but noooo movies like MAN OF THE YEAR ( link ) have to call into question a computer's ability to A L P H A B E T I C A L L Y sort candidate names. YEAH NOBODY TESTS SOFTWARE OF COURSE NOT.

I encourage people NOT to vote. I'd rather have someone who did research and made an informed decision cast a vote than some fucker who decides "ITS MY RIGHT TO VOTE I HAVE A VOICE" - honestly I don't think everyone should have a voice. YOU DO NOT DESERVE THE RIGHT TO THINK FOR YOURSELF.

Everyone gets pissy when I say that. Remember, I advocated totalitarianism in highschool. Dictatorships get shit done. The rights of the many should be sacrificed for the whims of the few. And everyone goes: " you just want to be in control of everything!" - which is poppycock. Look at my education and placement in society. I'd be at the bottom, honey. And. It. Wouldn't. Bother. Me.

And lastly: I hope 'iamcrystal531' is a fake name you made up.
As if it isn't - i'm glad she didn't vote based off screen-name alone.

November 04, 2008

"My Vote Doesn't Count" Nonsense.

Now I'm sure that I will get someone who doesn't agree with this, and that's fine... differing opinions are what strengthen communities...

Wait, let me qualify that statement:  INTELLIGENT differing opinions strengthen communities.

I was talking to someone not more than a moment ago, and asked them if they voted.  Her response was:
iamcrystal531:  no
no time
doesn't really matter anyway
its a democratic state
presidents have not wone
won because of the popular vote
we all knwo that
stupid electorial system
I'm not going to the argue for or against the electorial system, because I think it has its pros and cons and that's a debate for a different occasion.

What I more take exception to is one, that the idea that any vote won't count, and that the popular vote doesn't count.

So to the first.
Yes, in a stream of millions of votes, one vote will not likely sway any election.  But, as is typical of our independent-single-server focused society, when you look at one vote out of millions, of course it doesn't matter.  But when you look at it in terms of larger groups, larger group dynamics, and statistics, then every vote does count, because you don't get from one to many in a single bound.  It is a quantitative process.

Secondly, when you take the "my vote doesn't count" theory and expand it outward, you run into the dangerous realm of complacency... a death knell for any democracy.  Indifference and complacency are interesting because they can only really crop up in a democracy, and they are two of the biggest factors in the destruction of democracy.  People who live in a totalitarian state (qualifed:  an oppressive, punishment totalitarian state without at least symbolic rights for the masses), usually become interested and unsettled and take action (eventually).  Then they win their "freedoms" and the complacency sets in.  Cyclical.

It's probably inevitable that the US will move toward a less democratic state.  Certainly if trends in complacency continue.  The speed at which that happens... well that's sadly in the hands of individuals referenced above.

To the second premise, that the popular vote doesn't count.  Okay, so technically maybe it doesn't count.  In the strictist of terms, we elect our president based off of the electoral college.  But the one thing that the popular vote can give a president is a "mandate"... a sort of unofficial boost of enthusiasm for the president-elect, at least if the popular vote win has a decent margin.  In effect, is says, "hey, we as the populace give you our blessings to undertake your agenda for the government".

Whether it seems like it or not, that's kind of important.  So much so that our last president claimed a mandate despite a small margin of victory.

In even less obvious terms, the popular vote is great for statisticians and government officials to understand the true way in which the country swings

So yeah, this is a rant, with a basic premise.  Go Fuckin' Vote.  It doesn't matter to me who you vote for... but if you ever want to bitch and moan about something political, then go fuckin' vote.  Even if you don't like ANY of the candidates, you have the option of a fuckin' write in.  So do that.

(If you do the write in, I suggest candidate jOe Macauley - so that I can be the puppet pulling the strings behind that administration.)

November 01, 2008

CAMPING FOR A WHOLE YEAR EXTRAVAGANZA


So I've been wanting to setup a "BIG CAMPING" event for some time, ever since me-bradbury-jeff-dt-jimmoi went up to that PERFECT place in the mountains (which is nowhere near as far away as I had made out in any sense). I wanted to plot it out for Dec 22 - the first day of winter, however being so close to christmas I doubted anyone would be interested.

Then I got to thinkin' - What about NEW YEARS EVE/NEW YEARS? With most place, people have NEW YEARS EVE off - which is Wednesday. Here's the deal : If you can request the 1st and 2nd off as well, that gives 31st, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th - all for camping.

Problem with this is - because of the timeframe the long mountain road up to that place we went to last time won't be available, so I'm thinking of going to dash-point this time. Being that it is practically 2-3 months away, should be able to wade through whatever bullshit registration-reservation nonsense they can throw at me.

The only problem with this is that camping alone is boring. Is anyone else interested in such an excursion? I'll be sending out txt-notifications as well in an attempt at gauging if it would be successful or not - but its really something that could be fun because really - who goes camping for new years?