Archive for April, 2007

I decided that I might as well use my Samsung Blackjack’s 1.3 mega pixel cam for once and take some shots every now and then. With that said, I decided to create an account on Flickr and upload two pictures I’ve had for a while. I actually took 4 more on a bike ride today, but I screwed up the settings on the cam and everything looked like crap, so I decided to not post them. Either way, you can find the link to my pictures under the “Links” section on the right or, if you’re too lazy to scroll, you can just click here.

I don’t like movies that ask you to think too much. I’ve been a pretty generic movie viewer and I thought that was fine. That changed tonight.

I’m going to break tradition here and put my summation first: V for Vendetta is now my personal favorite movie. The ideology of the passion for truth and the lust for freedom, not for one self, but for one’s fellow man, permeates throughout this film and stirs the soul of anyone who has ever felt a shred of rebellion flow through their veins. Some label this film a rehash of old ideas. Surely, it is not a new idea to wish for something better. Our own country was founded on the belief of fighting against a tyranny designed to suppress the freedoms of thought and passion. That is what V does. It was the villain in “Batman Begins” that taught the important of theatrics. Where Batman uses theatrics, V encapsulates the idea and mesmerizes all who lay eyes upon him. It’s not his stylized finesse, though. No, it’s the words that captivate and move the being. Delivered with a ferocious pace and with an elegance found in few, the words are bound together by the truth that everyone, at one time or another, felt that same wave of passion encompass them. It is this idea that enables this film to quickly mean so much to the viewer. I watched it and I listened. She was right. V is all of us.

10/10

Yes, the video sucks because it was shot by one guy with a complete inability to stabilize his arm and absolutely no budget or skills for the editing. Either way, it’s a catchy song.

It’s amazing how there is so much information out there for us to consume.

Today, with the horrific events that took place at Virginia Tech, this idea of complete access to information outside of what’d given to us by the major media outlets has really shone through. Let’s start with the coverage of the actual event. The best video footage we have of anything related to the shooting did not come from a camera crew. Instead, a student, who immigrated from the West Bank, stood close enough to police to capture video of them rushing a building as twenty seven shots were fired. Without him there, the chaos of the situation would have much less of a face value, so to speak.

Beyond that, though, and what really drove me to post this, is the fact that while news programs and websites do not have specific information about the event, people over at Neowin, both members of the VT student body and friends with those who are part of the college community, have a lot of information regarding the likely motivation. It seems to be that the shooter’s first victims, at the dormitory, were the RA (Residence Adviser) who told him to “Get the fuck out” [1] and then his ex-girlfriend. He then proceeded to the next building in search of his ex’s new boyfriend. [2] [3]

Now, I know, none of this is proven, just yet, but that information is already there and, unless you are a member of Neowin or Facebook, you’d probably have no idea. We’re always informed these days. With a phone or a keyboard, you can talk to someone who knows someone involved or, in this case, hear it from those directly affected or on the scene. [4] [5] [6] The world can seem so large, but it has become increasingly small. We always have access. We’re always informed.

This has nothing to do with my life. I just thought it was a pretty cool story. It comes from DailyMail.co.uk

Mystery cat takes regular bus to the shops

Bus drivers have nicknamed a white cat Macavity after it has started using the No 331 several mornings a week.

The feline, which has a purple collar, gets onto the busy Walsall to Wolverhampton bus at the same stop most mornings – he then jumps off at the next stop 400m down the road, near a fish and chip shop.

The cat was nicknamed Macavity after the mystery cat in T.S Elliot’s poem. He gets on the bus in front of a row of 1950s semi-detached houses and jumps off at a row of shops down the road which include a fish and chip shop.

Driver Bill Khunkhun, 49, who first saw the cat jumping from the bus in January, said: “It is really odd, the first time I saw the cat jumping off the bus with a group of passengers. I hadn’t seen it get on which was a bit confusing.

“The next day I pulled up on Churchill Road to let a couple of passengers on. As soon as I opened the doors the cat ran towards the bus, jumped on and ran under one of the seats, I don’t think any of the passengers noticed.

“Because I had seen it jump off the day before I carried on driving and sure enough when I stopped just down the road he jumped off – I don’t know why he would catch the bus but he seems to like it. I told some of the other drivers on this route and they have seen him too.”

Since January, when the cat first caught the bus he has done it two or three times a week and always gets on and off at the same stops.

Passenger, Paul Brennan, 19, who catches the 331 to work, said: “I first noticed the cat a few weeks ago. At first I thought it had been accompanied by its owner but after the first stop it became quite clear he was on his own.

“He sat at the front of the bus, waited patiently for the next stop and then got off. It was was quite strange at first but now it just seems normal. I suppose he is the perfect passenger really – he sits quietly, minds his own business and then gets off.”

How cool is that? If you have any other cool animal stories, along these lines, make sure to leave a link in the comments.