Blizzard opening Diablo III beta for stress test this weekend.

http://arstechnica.com/gaming/news/2012/04/blizzard-opening-diablo-iii-beta-for-stress-test-this-weekend.ars


Anyone else planning to play the hell out of it? I know I am. Sleep and social lives are for the weak.

Your tax dollars at work (with hilarious results)

http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2012/04/f35-videos/

From Wired's 'Danger Room' blog:

"YouTube is full up with jet-porn vids of F-35s flying at night, blasting off from a simulated carrier deck or pleasing its pilots, all set to a bombastic modern-rock soundtrack. The idea, apparently, is that when you hear a generic version of the Killers, you'll forget all about sticker shock and engineering mishaps and soar into the air, borne on the back of a fifth-generation fighter jet and propelled by a whammy bar."

That's right, ladies and gentlemen, to put your fears to rest about the F-35's exorbitant price tag and enormous technological hurdles, Lockheed Martin has assembled a series of laughably horrible viral videos. Kudos to whoever put together that cheesy music video, it's magical.

On Ted Nugent.

Recently, professional has-been Ted Nugent (y'know, the guy who wrote songs in the 70's about getting pussy to cope with the fact that the only pussy he was capable of getting in the 70's was the kind that today would land you in prison for serial pedophilia) has been making headlines for his remark at an NRA rally promising to either 'be dead or in jail' if Barack Obama were re-elected as President of the United States (the clear implication being that he would attempt some kind of violent coup; you can't really read that any other way). This gaffe has landed him in hot water with everyone from the Secret Service (investigating his remarks) to his homeboy Mitt Romney (whose campaign has denounced the aging rocker) and even his beloved National Rifle Association.

I have a question, regarding the brouhaha surrounding this.

...why are we giving this man attention?

Because that's what he wants. That's exactly why he made the remark- do you actually think this draft dodging, three-chord-playing, lolita-screwing elderly walking delusion of grandeur  has the balls to even attempt to think about possibly putting down assassination plans on paper? C'mon now. He wouldn't even contemplate actually going through with anything that could actually get him in trouble. That leaves a single reason (apart from the fact that he is utterly batshit) as to why he said this: he wants to be back in the spotlight again. He misses that brief but happy time when anyone not dating their sister gave a fuck about him. Why are we giving him this? 

He wants to be considered some big, badass rebel. He wants to be that rock star he's always wished he was capable of being, the kind of sloppy, oversexed musical god giving a middle finger to the establishment. He's not that, he's never been that...but we're giving him a shadow of the sort of attention he craves, and even that little bit is going to ensure that he'll stick around for a while, making the occasional dumbass remark about shooting this or that Democrat for the sole purpose of whipping the media into a frenzy and winning that fleeting moment in the spotlight he so desperately needs to stay even remotely relevant.

So, I ask again...why are we giving this man attention?

Just a couple of reviews to pass the time!

Couple of movie reviews I wanted to share real quickly. I'm not gonna get into anything densly worded so I'm just gonna come out and say it. THE HUNGER GAMES: Very long (about 2 hours and some change), epic, brutal, captivating action, compelling story, great supporting cast; Not TOO violent, so don't look for anything too gory. But the film does the exceptional trick. If you're not one for campy romanticism then you won't have to worry too much about that. But very great love story, very emotional, full of energy and well worth the price of a ticket.

THE RAID: REDEMPTION, from the same people that brought you MERANTAU...saw this one last weekend. Trust me, if you are any kind of action film fan, you may very well enjoy yourself with this one; Police corruption is uncovered when a raid into a criminal mastermind's apartment building goes awry, leaving the team to fight for their lives and bring a just-end to an already failed mission. There are deep story arcs about family, duty and honor, and the action is where it belongs. Director Gareth Evans is obviously perfect at what he does, and so are the amazing cast and stunt members, including action star Iko Uwais who lights up the screen, and doesn't just let the fighting speak for his talents. Great story, great soundtrack by Joe Trapanese and Mike Shinoda of Linkin Park...this one's a win.

Hopefully I'll get to see a few more films this summer, busy schedule notwithstanding. But go see these in the meantime! They don't disappoint!

Peace!

Battleship Clip

Found this puppy over at ComingSoon.Net.

This is gonna be interesting to look at. It stars Taylor Kitsch (who played Gambit in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, and the recently released John Carter), Rihanna, and Liam Nesson among others.

On a seperate note, I can't wait to see what's what with Taken 2!

Anyway, what do you think of the clip? Will John Carter redeem himself with this one?

What's up!?

Hey people! Name's Lee, I'm an amateur blogger living in the Big Apple, I work everyday, I play very little, I discuss politics on Facebook on a daily basis as long as I can afford internet access, I share liberal viewpoints while accepting of *some* mindful conservative views from other people (as long as those views are founded on honesty and are grounded in reality).

I used to be a gamer many years ago, but life caught up and now I'm a clothing salesman. Not exactly a dream job of mine, but it's independence for me. My dad built it and during its conception, it became a family effort. It's a small, growing business that has seen its share of success, and, especially, hardship. The recession made things difficult, and things still are.

But the recession was also what politically woke me up. It also woke me up socially and economically over the past few years, and it made me pay attention to the political discourse in this country. And not for nothing-I had always wondered if we would ever see a black president. However, context became more important...hence, why I place emphasis on discourse, particularly on television and in print media.

I baulk at the idea behind anyone who discusses politics claims they became "conservative" because of something they so fatuously say they "learned". Ha!

Well, not to burst anyone's bubble or anything, but personally, I'm very proud to be on the more side that's more prone to reality than anything. ;-)

And yes, I am an Obama supporter, and I though I support the critical arguments and conversations being had about the last four years, make no mistake. For all the egriegious, deleterious and acrimonius positions taken by his critics on BOTH sides, ESPECIALLY by some useful idiots who are supposed to be more mindful about their progressive views (IMO anyway) I support him, for the accomplishments he continues to achieve, and the compromises his opponents refuse to make, and then some...

...you know, for the sake of their "principles".

*smdh

Anyway, that's it for now. You know where I stand. Friends and mindful conversationalists, feel free to follow me!

Ciao!

Can You Raise a Thoughtful Voter?

Do any of you readers out there want to raise your children to be interested and involved in the political system from an early age? I would like that for my children, but it is a daunting task to tackle. I remember growing up-- as long ago as that may be-- and I always found the news on television to be mind-numbingly boring. In fact, I didn't grow out of it until I was in my late twenties.

The news, especially political news, is a bland, dull dish to someone who doesn't have the background knowledge and education to understand the significance of what is being reported. Although I was a somewhat late bloomer when it comes to my deep interest in the political environment, I always wanted to be involved in society and considered it my civic duty to be involved. I was interested in environmental and social justice causes from a young age; it was just that I did not see individual issues that I found compelling in the frame of the big picture.

I did vote reliably as soon as I was eighteen years old, and spent at least the afternoon closely perusing the description of each candidate in the free guide available by the League of Women Voters before making my decisions. Still, once that was over, I went about my everyday life and ignored the news and never saw if the candidates who won (whether I voted for them or not) were making a difference, for better or worse, in our communities.

So, how do we make politics palatable to our children at a younger age so they become involved participants in their government earlier on? I have an idea for one possibility--music. Maybe it's not for all kids, but most young people I know are very interested in popular music.

For better or worse, I was raised on Mtv, back when it actually was music television. I was very nearly obsessed with music-- and here's the important part-- memorized the lyrics to an enormous amount of songs. Granted, many songs, especially pop songs, are meaningless fluff on the whole. However, there are also a decent amount of musical artists who write thoughtful lyrics concerning the most controversial and pressing issues in the world, or at least their own nations, at the time they are written.

There are enough examples of this that I have considered writing at length on different musical artists and their positions on social issues. I have only neglected to do so because I am not sure if there is a sizable audience interested in reading such things. However, when it comes to my topic du jour, the audience is already there: your children.

So, what I am saying here is that music is a fantastic way of introducing your children to politics and societal concerns and nurturing them to be active participants in their government. For example, if you hear your child singing along with a song on the radio or their mp3 player, etc., strike up a conversation. Ask them if that is one of their favorite artists or songs. If so, ask what they like most about it. Listen to or look up the lyrics. If it is a band or song that doesn't have a message that can be used in a discussion about larger issues in society, try and find something about the artist or song that sounds similar to a band or piece that you know and ask them if they have heard of it.

No, this is not a one-time discussion. Yes, it take some effort and time to communicate with your children about their musical interests and then segue it into discussions about politics. However, I believe it is a fun and insightful way not only to raise your child into an aware and franchised young adult, but also to understand what cultural influences are affecting your child and who they are as a person.

It's not as complicated or difficult as I may have inadvertently portrayed, seriously. Here's an example:

Hey Devin, whatcha listening to? Oh yeah? I hear they're from Ireland. Do you like them a lot? You know, when I was young, there was a popular singer from Ireland named Sinead O'Connor. In fact, she's still around. She was the musical guest on Saturday Night Live back when I was in high school. After she performed, she ripped up a picture of the Pope on camera. Everyone freaked out about it. She did it as a protest against sexual abuse in the Catholic church. Maybe Irish musicians are more prone to speak out against things they think are wrong. Both U2 and The Cranberries are from Ireland. U2 is famous in part for a song about pacifism and civil rights and the band members are activists for causes such as relief for those suffering from famine or unemployment. The Cranberries have a song protesting civil violence in their own country between groups of people who were bombing each other and other atrocities for decades.

Yeah, I tried to cram a whole lot of information there in the one example, but I think you get my point. You have the time to ease into these conversations with your children at home. The above example could actually be the content of two or three conversations with more or less detail, dependent upon the age and apparent interest of the kid.

So, take it for what it's worth to you. If you want your children to be informed and interested in current politics and social issues, maybe the music they are listening is the open door to introducing them to these sometimes onerous topics. Cheers!

How to Identify an Agent Provocateur

By Occupy Taketothestreets Asheville in Occupy Asheville INFO Group

As governments around the world, including our own, face more and more popular resistance, we’re witnessing a revival of the use of agent provocateurs. An agent provocateur is the well-used tactic of using undercover military or police to join a dissenting group or protest in order to provoke others in the group to carry out illegal actions and violence. The goal is to discredit the group from the inside. Sometimes the group gets discredited with those outside. Other times the group is enticed into internal divisions and collapses.

-Drawing from several sources, experienced observers have suggested some tips for identifying such agents. They’re not foolproof, but they’re a start.

-Agents will often lack background connections or references. No one in your circles or related groups will know them.

-Agents try to keep discussions and action unproductive and still. They’ll spend plenty of time debating issues, with little action. They focus on ideas over people.

-They tend to create messes in groups and between group members. They leave chaos in their wake.

-They tend to gravitate toward people in the group who are dissatisfied. Once relationships with those folks grow, the dissatisfaction spreads.

-Some agents have been former prisoners who do this work as part of a deal. These folks tend to jump from organization to organization in a relatively short time.

-Agents don’t have known sources of income. They might have a job that doesn’t match their spending or claim their money comes from prior savings.

-They tend to provide gifts for key figures at first. This helps them build trust with the group.

-When confronted, they will get defensive and start making their own accusations.

-They act like zealots, but they don’t have the fruit of it. They have passion but don’t truly care.

-Of course, good but immature people can do all these things. Discernment involves sound judgment calls. Protection from agent provocateurs increases as your group matures. If your group has rich relationships and trust, you won’t as easily fall prey to cheap provocateurs.

For more info on Agents Provocateurs Please see our other links on ALGG that discuss Anarchists and their tactics such as vandalism and attempts to hijack the marches etc.

O'Keefe apparently has no problems breaking his probation.

                                         
       You may remember James O'Keefe from such incidents as the maligning of an ACORN official, the maligning of NPR executives, and , most notable, his attempted wire tapping of the phones of the New Orleans Senatorial office of Senator Mary Landrieu. The former landed him a felony conviction along with Robert Flanagan, the son of William Flanagan, acting U.S. Attorney of the Eastern District of Louisiana. He was sentenced to probation, court ordered to live with his parents in Westwood, New Jersey. But this hasn't stopped O'Keefe from attempting to malign the occupywallstreet movement. This isnt the first time he has appeared in New York or Washington D.C. If O'Keefe is allowed to break his felony convicted probation, I would love to know what his probation officer thinks about it. Would you?
Darrel Naquin Federal Probation Officer New Orleans 
United States Probation Office 
New Jersey Federal Probation Supervisory Officer
Patrick Hattersley - (973)-357-4080
-humanstruggle

#OCCUPY POSTERS: NIXON STYLE

Click through each image to download hi-res versions! Based on the Poster Issues by OBEY/GIANT. Remixed by Psychological Industries. Do what thou wilt with them in a non-profit way!

Original OBEY Posters Here