Sunday, February 27, 2011
Past Vs Future Of American Politics
During the 2008 Presidential Election the choice between candidates was more a choice between the past and the future. A vote for McCain/Palin was a vote to keep America in the 20th century as the Republicans played the 80s, pretending it was still the Reagan Era. A vote for Obama/Biden was a vote for the future and moving the country into the 21st century. A vote for the first ever digital age President. (Sidebar: During the 2008 campaign John McCain said he needed his wives help just to check his email. How sad is that? McCain has just been voted most conservative Republican.)
In 2008 the American people voted to move forward instead of dwelling on the fantasy life of the past, embracing outdated failed ideas like trickle down economics and preemptive war. But apparently the conservative movement of this country is holding on to a history of failed policies and yelling out "from my cold dead hand".
As the Democrats are trying to create an environment of cooperation, conservatives met at CPAC this last month to spit bile and irrational conspiracy theories. When the coming generation of Americans have to face the possibility that they will need to work until their dying breath, conservatives are calling for an end to Social Security. As American education slips further compared to other nations, the right wants to defund the Department of Education. And as mounting evidence from the scientific community supporting the reality of global warming through man made pollutants, the GOP is calling for the disbanding of the Environmental Protection Agency.
While America was gripped in the 2010 midterm election, the conservative Teabagger movement made claims that their only concern was fiscal conservatism. Since conservatives have retaken the House of Representatives, however, they have declared war, not on fiscal issues, but social issues. Republicans have declared war on unions such is the case with collective bargaining and laying off 2,000 teachers at once in Rhode Island. They have declared war on women's rights by going after Planned Parenthood even though the claim that tax dollars being used for abortions have been disproven time and time again because it is currently ILLEGAL to use tax dollars in the US to perform abortions. They are declaring war on public radio for no real reason other then the delusion of their "great liberal media conspiracy".
Nothing that the GOP/Teabagger Alliance has declared war on will help America's economy. In the case of collective bargaining and going after unions, NPR, and Planned Parenthood, nearly every economist says that it won't make a dent in the nations debt. Repealing Healthcare Reform, which many halfwits like Michelle Bachmann and Glenn Beck believe to be this massive socialist takeover, would actually COST America over $200 billion to repeal.
The GOP is living in the past. They are flirting with government shut down which will cost millions if not billions of dollars and millions of jobs and essential services just like they did in the 90s. They are flirting with wrapping Washington in non-sensical investigations on the Administration in some desperate attempt to make the Administration seem as though it is corrupt just as they did in the 90s. Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich has even said that Obama's decision not to uphold DOMA which President Obama sees as unconstitutional, could lead him to grounds for impeachment. Just like Newt and the Republicans attempted to do in the 90s to Clinton.
The Republicans are reliving the past and if the past is any indicator, it not only didn't work out well for America, it didn't work out for the Republicans. America needs to make the choice again to push for the future. Allowing ourselves to fall back into the past will bring back all the wars and recessions of the past as well.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Friendly Reminder
Cbot is just 8 days away from turning 2 months old. It's hard to believe that nearly 2 months ago I had so much time on my hands that I started this blog........who am I kidding, no it's not.Within that nearly two month span, Not The Droids You Are Looking For has averaged about 5 to 6 hits a day with 19 members on the official Facebook page and roughly 20 people following me on twitter. I've also had the pleasure of 3 people telling me how much they really enjoy my banter and, occasionally, my rants. So I'd like to take a moment to extend my gratitude to everyone who follows me and for every hit I get on the blog. But I also want to encourage participation and making others aware of the blog.
Back when I exclusively posted my banter and rants to Facebook I would get a good deal of people to add their two cents and/or debate me on my views. I love that! It makes being a geek more fun if I have someone to geek out with. Doesn't matter if it's sci-fi, design, movies, art, politics, etc... So please, participate!
On the blog [http://not-the-droids-you-are-looking-fo
Finally, Cbot is broke. And I don't mean broke like "Shit, I guess I'll have to eat left overs tonight." I mean broke like "Shit, I guess I'll have to blow the dust off my pack of Ramen noodles tonight." Because I am so broke I need your help in getting the word out about this blog and the Facebook site. There is no funds in the budget to advertise. If there were, Cbot would have a .com right now. So if you know of any designers or geeks or political junkies out there, make them aware of the blog. It can even be something as simple as posting a link to one of the articles I've posted on your Facebook. The more people who follow me the more chances I have at picking up advertisers. The more advertisers I get, the better I can make the site.
Again, thank you for your attention and, for those who have participated in the past, I appreciate your opinions even though they are wrong if they don't agree with mine....HA!
What Would Your Star Wars Occupation Be?
I landed the job of Sith Apprentice. I'll be Sith Lord and Emperor in no time!
Epic Superman Classic Fan Film
This is a Superman classic style cartoon short, not a classic Superman short. The animator, Robb Pratt, was inspired by the old school Superman music and animation from the original live action series to give us this amazing depiction of how Superman should always be depicted. Unlike Batman, who tends to be able to evolve over time, Superman always seems more at home and more believable in the 1930s-1950s America. This animated film proves it. To check out more of Robb Pratts work go to robbpratt.com.
Monday, February 7, 2011
Best Ads Of Super Bowl 2011
Alright, so I'll admit, I'm not the biggest football fan. I find the sport and most major league sports to be rather boring. Baseball? Seriously? Let's watch a group of guys hit a ball with a stick for 5 hours a day for the next 50,000 games. I don't think I can even get drunk enough for that boring bullshit to get fun.
But one thing that football has that baseball does not is the Super Bowl. The reason the Super Bowl is so good? No, not their horrible half time shows which merges the worst but most marketable of todays pop music with some ancient dinosaurs and throwing an instrument in their hands. No, the Super Bowl has epic Super Bowl commercials. So here is the best of the best Super Bowl commercials according to CBot.
P.S. If you work for the marketing wing of GoDaddy please, go kill yourself.
But one thing that football has that baseball does not is the Super Bowl. The reason the Super Bowl is so good? No, not their horrible half time shows which merges the worst but most marketable of todays pop music with some ancient dinosaurs and throwing an instrument in their hands. No, the Super Bowl has epic Super Bowl commercials. So here is the best of the best Super Bowl commercials according to CBot.
P.S. If you work for the marketing wing of GoDaddy please, go kill yourself.
Zombies Ate My Neighbors The Movie
Zombies Ate My Neighbors, developed by LucasArts, was originally released to the Super NES and published by Konami back in 1993. The idea behind the game was simple; create a 90s video game using horror elements from past genres such as Friday the 13th and the Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
These horror elements brought with it a cartoonish amount of gore and blood which would be laughable by todays standard inflamed parent groups into an uproar back when even Link using a magic sword made the Bible thumpers lose sleep thinking the game was glorifying magic.
So, in the time before the ESRB, public pressure forced the game to come out with different adaptations. In Asia the game was pretty much accepted the way it was intended. In the United States, the American brand of Nintendo insisted that any depictions of blood and gore be replaced by purple ooze. The United Kingdom, Ireland, Italy, France, Spain, Austria, Portugal, Finland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Germany, and Australia took it even a step further by changing the title to simply 'Zombies' and forced the game developers to replace all chainsaw-wielding maniacs to ax wielding lumber jacks.
Like many games from my youth, Zombies Ate My Neighbors found itself fading quickly in the midst of the red hot console war which demanded faster more advanced and, ironically enough, even more graphic games. Z.A.M.N. found itself a slight resurrection after being formatted for the virtual console in 2009. But now, it seems it's future will lay within the movies.
The premise of the film will simply be a teenage duo - Zeke and Julie - find themselves in a world where their neighbors have turned into zombies and the world is run amok with an assortment of different monsters and aliens. The whole film is rumored to be made in a very cheesy 50s through 80s horror film format while utilizing very modern special effects. And, as a bonus, the film is almost guaranteed to spawn an all new series of Zombies Ate My Neighbors video game.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Red State
There's a lot in the news about Kevin Smith's 10th film and first horror flick Red State. With the lunatic inbreds of the Westboro Baptist Church crying that it is a direct attack on them (sucks when someone attacks you doesn't it you bottom feeding hillbillies) and the Hollywood machine having an array of responses in regards to Smith distributing the film all on his own without a major studio backing, the anticipation is already mounting for a film that is nearly 9 months away from release. But, to help get our fix, Smith has released a teaser trailer for his highly anticipated film.
Side Note: At the end of the trailer the month of March is mentioned. That is the beginning to Smith's Red State tour. Not the release of the film. The film is set to be released nation wide on October 19th.
Side Note: At the end of the trailer the month of March is mentioned. That is the beginning to Smith's Red State tour. Not the release of the film. The film is set to be released nation wide on October 19th.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Censorship Run Amok
Hey kids, let's play "Why did the insecure fascists ban this one?" This game is very easy. Simply watch the video which, in this case is a fragrance commercial, and then scroll down and read why the insecure fascists of Britain banned it.
Alright, ready for the answer? Britain's Advertising Standards Authority banned this particular commercial because: If you chose that it simulated drug use you would be 100% on the money! According to ASS....I mean ASA, the motion that the dancer was doing by running her finger down her arm suggests the use of opiate injection. So there you have it kids, oppression of speech is FAR from dead. Thanks for playing!
UFO's In The "Holy Land"
Now, of coarse, a UFO doesn't automatically mean aliens. It just means that no one has any idea what it was. However, whether it be ET or angels, wouldn't they both classify as extraterrestrials? After all, is God, Jesus, and angels not of this world? Maybe the Scientologists were right.......I'm just fuckin with ya. Scientologists aren't right about anything ever.
Now, if it turns out that the UFO were visitors let's hope that they are kosher. You know how tolerant the Middle East is about anything that is different from them.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Worst Tattoo Ever
Banksy's Oscar Campaign
(All pictures courtesy of sneakhype.com. If it's not sneak then it must be hype.....HA! No, that's not their real slogan.)
Week Of Revolution
A little over a week ago the Egyptian people, tired of the police state, puppet government run by a dictator, took to the streets to demand their aristocracy step aside. In that time the Egyptian revolutionaries had gone head to head against the oppressive police regime and forced them from the capital of Cairo. Uprisings began springing up in other cities throughout Egypt. President Mubarak has since fired the government while at the same time digging his heels in saying that, though he won't run for re-election, he also will not step down as President. The military has moved in to try and create some sort of order in Cairo and many reports have come out that the military has shown sympathy to the revolutionaries. Looters, many backed by the disgraced police, had been spotted ransacking homes and buildings riding crotch rockets and wielding samurai swords (Ok, I gotta admit, that is pretty epic.). Neighborhood Patrol's aka militia's have began to form in order to secure parts of the city that the military was unable too. Egypt went through a phase of complete information blackout as the internet and cell phone service was cut. And now, a new element, loyalists to the regime, have begun to take the revolutionaries on.
Hey, if revolution was easy, everybody would be doing it.
The brilliance of the current Egyptian Revolution is, just as it was inspired by the Tunisia Revolution, it is inspiring protests and possible uprising in Yemen and Jordan. The Arab World is on fire and it is a beautiful thing to see the people take their freedoms from the oppressors.
Hey, if revolution was easy, everybody would be doing it.
The brilliance of the current Egyptian Revolution is, just as it was inspired by the Tunisia Revolution, it is inspiring protests and possible uprising in Yemen and Jordan. The Arab World is on fire and it is a beautiful thing to see the people take their freedoms from the oppressors.
(All pictures courtesy of HuffingPost.com)
Republican National Committee: Come For The Conservatism And Buy Our Reagan Crap
So what's with all this cheap Reagan crap now on the market? Well, funny thing. Remember the GOPs token black friend Michael Steele who the Republicans elected to be their chairman in an effort to show that the Democrats weren't the only ones willing to make history? Well, apparently the guy who blinged out the American flag at the bottom of the RNC website spent a bit too much and got his ass canned for it. How much? Well, currently the Republican National Committee is $23 million in debt. Who would have known that all those luxury golf outings and lesbian S&M clubs would be so goddamn expensive. So, new RNC chairman Reince Priebus, is on a quest to restore the RNC back into the green before the Republicans go into the 2012 general election with no support structure. What's Priebus doing? He's selling the Gipper. Or atleast hawking a bunch of Gipper crap. They aren't actually selling the Gipper. That would be illegal.....right? Fuckin socialists trying to ruin capitalism all the time.
Now, the RNC isn't just banking on the memory of Reagan. Priebus has already fired nearly half of his staff and cut back on the massive spending spree which Steele began. But $23 million is a lot of bobble heads. 4.6 million to be exact. But hey, if you just throw on a million dollar shipping and handling fee you'll knock that out in no time. You are the party of overly bloated rich people after all right? Oh, my bad, you don't make the rich people pay for shit. I forgot.
Easy A Review
The funny thing about Easy A was that throughout the film the film maker makes fun of the 80s style of the classic coming of youth story while at the same time following every single one of the rules.
Saving grace about the film? Emma Stone. First time I saw Emma Stone was in SuperBad and lately she has been in a lot of the headlines ever since she was cast in the Spiderman reboot. Stone has a cleverness and a charisma to her that makes you believe that she is the character that she is portraying. The way Matthew Lillard made many believe he was an actual punker after SLC Punk came out; after watching Easy A, you could almost believe that this was a biography of Stone's high school years just with the names and locations changed. She is a less indie hipster version of Ellen Page but better. Better because she is actually funny and not just funny for ironic sakes.
All in all my favorite part of Easy A was how they nailed the Jesus Freaks on the head. Growing up as a pastors kid I knew these people all too well. Believe me, I went to DC Talk and Petra concerts too. They are the "cool, next generation Christians" who grow their hair long, get into shape, wear the ironic t-shirts, don't shave, get tattoos and piercings, sit on their chairs backwards, and strum the guitar. There is ALWAYS some douche bag with a guitar. They act as though they are a new breed but they are just chameleons. Taking the form of anything they can in order to infiltrate any social group to force their message. They are the same religious bigots, just with a better alternative soundtrack.
In closing, we've seen this movie before plenty of times. At one point American Pie attempted to change the formula but it seems as though the pendulum has swung back pretty quickly to the original. Except now, they have the token gay character.
Final Grade: B- = Filled with situations that by no means could ever happen in real life. One of those movies where the entire school becomes obsessed with the problems of just a few students. However, a relatively funny film which didn't need to become overly vulgar as a fall back in order to get the jokes out. Not knocking vulgarity by any means, but it's nice to have none dick and fart jokes once in awhile.
In the scale of Burn It, Wait and Rent It, Wait and Buy It, Go and See It, Obsess Over It, Turn It Into A Religion: Wait and Rent It. Definitely worth a watch but doubtful if I'll ever want to watch it again. The best part of the film is the teachers rant about how our generation is obsessed with documenting our every waking thought on social networks. No need to buy the film though. Can't really imagine the dvd having too many extra features that I would want to sit through.
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