Biggs' Zone

A Geek's Cogitations, Conjectures and other Cortical Experiences

Category: Fulmination Page 2 of 3

Soapbox: Why Should I Care???

By

On August 5, 2015

In Fulmination, General Cogitation, Soapbox

stop-being-offendedI blame social media! If it weren’t for Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and all the other ways idiots can post their narcissistic triumphs then more important issues would be on our minds (like selling fetus parts to the highest bidder). Why should I care if a dentist wants to go on some hunting safari in pursuit of animals that aren’t even endangered?? If that lion didn’t have a name, would we still care?? Poachers are scoundrels, yes, but I’m sure hundreds of other lions, tigers and bears (Oh My!) are hunted just the same. The only difference is those people aren’t stupid enough to post it on Instagram! Unless, of course, you are Sabrina Corgatelli who posts her “trophies” because she knows its going to piss people off – so I applaud her for being a troll!

I’m not completely heartless, I think its pretty despicable that he sought out that lion and then had the audacity to make sure we all knew that he beheaded said beast and he deserves every bit of the backlash he’s getting for doing so. Honestly if he hadn’t posted somewhere for the social media warriors to find the only ire he would have drawn would be from a bad root canal. It still amazes me that social media has been around so long it’s now a staple in our lives yet people are still so ignorant when they use it. Learn how to post privately, noobs!

So lets move on to the next thing I could care less about. Celebrity breakups! Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner splitting up was apparently the most traumatic thing the Internet had ever endured! One person tweeted (I did not alter the format of this tweet, the caps are real):

Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner getting a divorce!? I DONT BELIEVE IN LOVE ANYMORE!!!!

Really?!? I mean, seriously??? How trite is this person’s life that their happiness is so vicariously dependent on two actors whom they will never meet?!? Why should we care that “Bennifer” can’t keep their sacred vows or that Miranda Lambert can’t keep her hands out of somebody else’s pants?? “Celebrity marriages never last” so why is it “newsworthy” when one fails? Just because they couldn’t make their relationship/marriage work doesn’t mean all of ours are doomed. I promise Ben and Jennifer could care less that their divorce has caused you to lose hope and leaves you crying into your pillow at night.

Live your life don’t live it through somebody else!

/end soapbox

minion_keboard_smI could get so much more accomplished if I only had minions!

My First Fanboy Episode VII Concern

By

On July 22, 2015

In Fulmination, Geek Canon, Star Wars

han-chewie-episode-7I try not to read too many spoilers about The Force Awakens because I want to be surprised by the story just like anyone else. However in a couple of recent posts/interviews people have alluded to the possible death of one of the original characters.

Before I go any further I am going to do the ole’ SPOILERS warning. If you have read any of the books from the expanded universe then I won’t unveil anything new (and I am referring specifically to Vector Prime). Also, if you don’t want to hear the rumors going around about the upcoming movie, you may want to stop as well.

Continuing on …

If you are familiar with any of the Star Wars lore then you know the reason Chewbacca is always by Han’s side is he owes Han a life debt. At some point in the past Han saves Chewie’s life and therefore Chewie will remain by his side to fulfill said debt. I don’t recall anywhere else in the canon that suggests Chewie has ever fulfilled his life debt but its probably safe to assume he has not. Which brings us to Vector Prime. Vector Prime takes place several years after ROTJ and Han and Leia are married with three kids (Jaina, Jacen and Anakin). I don’t know the specifics as I haven’t read Vector Prime (yet) but I do know that Chewie fulfills his life debt by giving his own life to save Hans’ kid(s).

So that’s the lore as it stands today. (Btw, all books published using the Star Wars name and characters must be approved by George Lucas.)

In recent plot discussions about The Force Awakens, there have been statements that allude to the fact that either Han or Chewie die and the popular rumor is that it’s Han. At the risk of sounding like a nerd raging fanboy, this is NOT in line with the expanded universe. It doesn’t matter which one of them dies (assuming the rumor is true), neither are supposed to die before Han and Leia’s kids are born. When we deviate from the widely known canon we start to look as inconsistent as Star Trek!

Yes, I went there! I just compared Star Wars to Star Trek! Granted Star Trek couldn’t keep its story/timeline straight through all the television series and movies whereas we are comparing movies to books. You cannot use the old [Star Trek] cliché that the books are an “alternative universe or timeline” because that is WEAK! You cannot expect us nerdier Star Wars fans to read the books outside the context of the movies because, in our mind’s eye, that’s our sole basis for comparison.

After all, it is those of us that are the mega-Star-Wars-Universe-nerds that can look past the plot and acting flaws of the prequels (or Phantom Menace at the minimum). So, just like a losing wookie, it would also be unwise to piss us off.

minion_keboard_smI could get so much more accomplished if I only had minions!

Save Joystiq and Massively!!!

By

On January 30, 2015

In Fulmination, Gaming, General Cogitation

overworked-290x290I am beyond upset with the folks at AOL (who, ironically, haven’t been relevant since the 90s). I just read devastating news on Massively.com that AOL (or some VP at AOL that performed a “Ghostcrawler nerf” to Joystiq’s budget) will be shutting down Joystiq and all its affiliate sites. This includes Massively and potentially WoW Insider (though I have not heard anything officially posted by the WoW Insider staff).

Massively and Joystiq have been my primary go-to sites for gaming news and they are my primary sources for my MMO Times posts. The gaming industry is booming and will only grow bigger as gamers have children gamers (like me). This is a mistake that will have rippling affects, but I guess AOL is use to making ignorant mistakes.

A petition has been started and you should head over there and sign it immediately. There is also hashtags for twitter that you should start using immedately: #SaveJoystiq, #SaveMassively.

Hopefully there is some organization out there that still supports gamers and the gaming industry that might be willing to pick up these sites and not only give us our community back but give the great writers at Joystiq/Massively/etc their jobs back!

Update: Unfortunately WoW Insider is also going away. It is a solemn and lonely moment; however Adam Holisky (writer for WoW Insider) just tweeted this (there is hope):

/endsoapbox

minion_keboard_smI could get so much more accomplished if I only had minions!

DIAF Drywall!

By

On November 24, 2014

In Fulmination, General Cogitation

I have been MIA from my blog and other online activities for the past couple of weeks primarily because of all the renovation we had to complete before this past weekend. In just three short weeks we had to sand, paint and rip up carpeting in the last of our bedrooms (to convert it to an office) and then we had to tear down two walls, re-frame part of a soffet, hang drywall, mud, sand, paint and carpet the entire basement (which is where we keep the entertainment center and our computers). While the result of our intense labors will be enjoyed for many years, I NEVER WANT TO HANG DRYWALL AGAIN!!!

I’m not a renovation DIY’er. I hate every aspect of hanging drywall, especially the mess. Mud, dust, more dust … MORE DUST!!! OMFG, THE DUST!!!

If another opportunity to hang drywall should come up … I would rather be water-boarded and stretched on the rack!

/wrists

minion_keboard_smI could get so much more accomplished if I only had minions!

Bent Over And Got Screwed

By

On September 30, 2014

In Apple, Fulmination, Technology

gus_facepalmSo here is my chance to berate and belittle Apple and their latest foray into product stupidity. This is probably going to be a bit of a soapbox not only about how you screw something up like manufacturing a phone that has such weak physical integrity but also to those folks that think phones should be impervious no matter where you keep them on your body.

Let me start by saying that if you keep your phone in your back pocket as if it were a wallet then you deserve a busted phone. Your phone doesn’t belong in your back pocket and if you buy the larger phone then don’t treat it like its a small phone. I really don’t understand how the iPhone 6 Plus can fit comfortably in any pants pocket.

People! Use some FRAKKING COMMON SENSE!!!!

Ok, now I’m not just going to blame the idiots out there that think all phones should be indestructible because Apple should have known better when they engineer something to be so thin and MADE OF ALUMINIUM!! As stated in Wikipedia, aluminium “is a silvery white, soft, ductile metal”. Notice the emphasis on the word “soft” (oh, and by the way “ductile” means “pliable”!!). You must engineer for the troglodytes that will put their phones in their back pockets or store items of any dimension in their pockets; you can’t assume people are smart … you know, design to the lowest common denominator (because not everyone buying smart phones are intelligent – ex: Steve Ballmer – who suddenly reminds me of Frankenstein from Young Frankenstein – sorry Peter Boyle, may he rest in peace).

Apple alleges that all phones and tablets are put through rigorous durability tests to ensure the integrity of their products; obviously their tests weren’t rigorous enough. They also claim that of the 10 million iPhones that were sold, only 9 people have come forward complaining of a bent phone. It doesn’t matter if it was 9 people, or 3 people, or 500,000 people, the fact is that it made headlines and even earned a damn hashtag (#BendGate). I will say the same thing for Apple as I said for Microsoft, I expect a lot more from a company that has been in business for so long.

Again, I’m so glad I’m on the “S-cycle” of iPhones so my next phone will have had these silly mistakes corrected … in theory …

</end soapbox>

Social Media: A Farce For Change

By

On May 27, 2014

In Fulmination, Soapbox

People are funny, especially when it comes to social media. It’s hilarious, and naive, that people think what you post on Facebook or what your profile picture is has any influence on the world. Really, nobody cares. Sure, itsupreme-court-ruling shows that you support a person, cause, group, what have you (in fact I changed mine to a Chik-Fil-A sandwich when they were getting picked on); but the Supreme Court isn’t going to check Facebook statistics before making their final decision. Don’t get me wrong, I strongly encourage folks to support their friends and family, just exercise caution and discretion when you choose to use a public medium such as Facebook and/or Twitter. Personally I think all social media does is perpetuate bullying. Yep, that’s not a typo, it only makes bullying worse. You go online and speak out for or against someone or some group and that word gets around to someone bigger, tougher and less intelligent who may not even have an differing viewpoint and you become a target.

Yes, I agree that the world probably needs to change their perspective on a few things but I really don’t think social media is the catalyst for that change. Everyone is bolder when they sit behind a computer screen but if you think you are causing change only by posting to Facebook, that’s about as effective as walking around with a Post-It note on your shirt. Real change requires real action. Some folks try to write to their congressman and others try to organize awareness events. The one thing I would discourage is getting too overzealous about it. Yes, it’s important to get the word out to make your cause known and to stress its importance but if you keep shoving it in my face day-in and day-out you’re just going to piss me off.

Yes Hollywood, I’m looking at you.

All of you bleeding heart nutjobs in Hollywood don’t need to integrate the social discrepancies into the subtext of every movie and every television show. I already see enough of that in the news and (as you may have guessed by the subject of this rant/soapbox) social media. In fact, the more something is shoved in my face the more I am going to troll about it on Facebook, Twitter and Google+ just because I know it will incite discord. There is nothing more hilarious then causing somebody’s head to explode because of a few lines of text or imgur image on Facebook.

I’ll be honest, my whole point here isn’t to pick on the folks out there that are under the delusion their profile picture will change the world, I’m more worried about the potential that it could be a contributor to bullying. Facebook has become fodder for the bullies. Whether they use it as their method of bullying or if they use the information they see to bully. It doesn’t matter. The point is that social media exacerbates bullying.

If want to show support for your cause or your friend, I get that. I think that is a function of social media; but if you think you can push your personal agenda by changing your profile picture (and urging thousands of others to do the same) in a (feeble) attempt to “show Congress”, that’s just foolishness. A bunch of senators and judges (who probably couldn’t even figure out what they want for lunch) are not going to base their vote on what you or some celebrity tweeted, “Liked”, “+1’d”, etc. Also, claiming to be an activist using such shenanigans is the same thing as claiming your not a virgin because you watch porn.

So good luck with that.

/cheers

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