Our anticipation mounts like the static charge before a lightening strike. The words "SO MUCH TO DO" thunder through our minds daily like some gargantuan marquee lit for the masses. And our excitement generates expotentially by the day, as we approach "launch date", soaring over seas to land once again in the Land of the Morning Calm.
Oh, there are boxes to pack; pc's to ship; cars to store, addresses to change, banks to notify, suitcases to stuff, spices and deodorant to seek, stickers to hoard, and so, so much more to prepare and get ready for our expatriate life. It's not as if we need to salt beef and pork, mind you, and prepare to wrap ourselves in buffalo skin as we trek across ocean waters for months at a time, all the while dining upon moldy bread and attempting avoidance of scurvey. Nay, we'll land and arrive at our new domicile in, all told, a mere 30 hours (includes flights, layovers, and travel time via automobile). But it's still an invold process, for after all, one can't just toss his 12" Star Wars collectible action figures (note: NOT dolls) of "Palpatine" or "TIE fighter pilot" into a mere cardboard box, and hope to have them survive a year in storage in pristine condition, can one?
And yet, all this pressure, all the mad-dash running around for last-minute supplies, "almost forgot" address changes, and any other of those "as-yet-unforseen or considered" items that we'll need to secure for our travels, is all worth the unmitigated joy that we receive, knowing full well that this coming year will supply ample opportunities for a plethora of creative nonfiction blog-writing, mature and involved challenges, unplanned trials to one's sanity, and daily adventuring. Each day in Korea will find us experiencing some new sight, thought, or epiphany, be it down a new alley, inside yet another Korean BBQ restaurant, or within the fresh pine forrests of the myriad Korean mountains.
Does that lessen the year that we've spent here at home? Hardly. This past year at home, we found ourselves exchanging personal vows at sunset, as we were married in Tucson, Arizona; we discovered the bliss of "all inclusive" on the white-sand beaches of Playa del Carmen, Mexico; and we celebrated our union with family and friends in a historic mansion in St. Paul, Minnesota in December. This year found us experiencing immense pleasure in our weekly evening walks through the sublime sleepy streets of Mendota Heights; it found us burning through all our energy reserves as we attempted to play as much as we could with our nephews, Jonah and Ben; and it found us reconnecting with many loved, old friends throughout the year, which certainly includes the beloved bar, "Al's".
But this is, as they say, only the beginning. Another watershed moment in our lives. A time when we make a dream come true - again. Some would say we are just lucky; I agree with that to a point. After all, as a columnist wrote awhile back, "I feel like I won the cosmic lottery simply be being born in the United States." I certainly agree with that mantra - being born here in the US affords many a great things, and many wonderful opportunities, that billions of others go without elsewhere in this world. It has certainly provided us with as much education and job opportunities as we could desire and achieve. But there's another part to the equation as well, another factor to our "success" - research, willpower, and effort. We have put forth much energy into making this dream come true; we've tried our harded to make living and working in Korea a priority. The result? Round Two, imminently approaching. Success is nothing more than continuing on after the latest failure, unto the goal is achieved.
The Kimchi countdown has begun, folks! Prepare for the many existential, philosophical, and most assuredly comical exploits, posts, and thoughts from the "Morning Calm Cafe" to be posted here in the near future.
Until then, Indian Jones - I bid you "adieu".
Friday, May 18, 2007
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Dealing with incompetance:
What is it with some of us poo-flinging, pink monkeys out there? Sorry - apologies all around to the fellow prehensil tail-swingers, and primates in general - that's an unintential barb directed against them.
I'm referring to a certain Korean recruiter I've had the mispleasure of communicating with recently, during my wife's and my attempt to secure teaching work once again in Korea. I need to underscore a point here in that he's actually an AMERICAN recruiter, residing within Korea and helping expats find work there - so this miscreant doesn't even have an excuse of being from another culture, or playing the "lost in language translation" card.
Simply put, recruiters are not babysitters, nor are they working for you, the teacher. They are in a business, out to make money, and they are employed by various schools to find them employable and suitable teachers for the school. Once that is complete, they can, and do, move on. With this being said, however, there are good recruiters, and there are poor ones. The substandard ones often don't give a do-diddily crap about you (or the school, for that matter), and will simply match up any pulse-bearing meatbag with any hole-in-the-ground bunker that caters to the idea of being an "English establishment", then take their Steve Miller money and run. The good ones, then, naturally adhere to the opposite side of the spectrum, carefully researching both the schools they work with, and the potential teacher candidates, weeding out the less than scrupulous ones on both sides, and actually giving a damn about things such as integrity, honesty, and organization. Then there are the ineffectual doorknobs such as my guy.
The process started out promising, mind you. Mr. Knob has a very impressive website, with a plethora of information regarding his company's reseach process, strong capabilities in relation to the recruiting enterprise, and a myriad amount of helpful links regarding all manner of information for living and working in Korea; things were looking good. The process became even brighter when he appeared to secure for us a fairly tantalizing prospect: two positions in July at a school that appeared to hit all the marks on our "must have" list. Though the chain it belonged to has an abyssmal reputation, this particular campus seemed to have shielded itself from such negativity, and in fact, received high marks from four of the teachers there. We were admittedly cautious, but nonetheless our interest was piqued. And so, I shot off an email to the Knobster, stating fully that we were considering this school to be the front runner, but we need a few more weeks to hammer out some details (read: see if a better offer came along), and to make our decision. In the meantime, I asked him to see if he could talk to the school on our behalf (read: do his job), and ask for the best possible salary, as well as make sure they sent us a very specific contract to review.
What did Captain Moron do? Simply forward my very private email that I'd sent to him on to the director of the school. Well played! After shooting us directly in the foot, he came back to inform us that the school wasn't sure about hiring us anymore, because we had asked too many questions, and we weren't willing to trust them.
Well. There are enough red flags here to invoke the Second Coming of the South. A recruiter who doesn't understand the basic underpinnings of his job?! A school who becomes nervous over candidates that ASK QUESTIONS?! This whole thing was handled about as smoothly as five dollar bottle of whiskey, and smacks of potential danger. But, being ever the optimist, I wrote back to recruiter, mentioned that his actions were woefully unprofessional, and yet we were willing to look past that, receive some contracts for review, and press on. His reply? The school was no longer interested, because a line of trust needs to be drawn somewhere, and the fact that we already knew we would need to negotiate the initial contract offer simply wasn't going to fly, so they were passing on us. In other words then, they're looking for someone who'll buy ocean-front property in Arizona, not even bother to read anything in the contract besides "sign here", and haul their oh-so-trusting souls half-way around the world to begin work in what has become lovingly known throughout the subculture of ESL as "hagwon hell." That five-dollar booze might come in handy right about now, troops.
And so, I kindly thanked him for his incompetance, noted that any school who's looking for people to sign an initial contract are larger fools than we're willing to work for, and wished him luck. But this less-than-fuzzy ping-pong experience of starting off high and ending somewhere in the "Paris Hilton" range, well, it's left a poor taste in my mouth, not unlike rotten kimchi that's been fermented in cigarrette ash for a month.
I have a ten, if anyone has change and a bottle.
I'm referring to a certain Korean recruiter I've had the mispleasure of communicating with recently, during my wife's and my attempt to secure teaching work once again in Korea. I need to underscore a point here in that he's actually an AMERICAN recruiter, residing within Korea and helping expats find work there - so this miscreant doesn't even have an excuse of being from another culture, or playing the "lost in language translation" card.
Simply put, recruiters are not babysitters, nor are they working for you, the teacher. They are in a business, out to make money, and they are employed by various schools to find them employable and suitable teachers for the school. Once that is complete, they can, and do, move on. With this being said, however, there are good recruiters, and there are poor ones. The substandard ones often don't give a do-diddily crap about you (or the school, for that matter), and will simply match up any pulse-bearing meatbag with any hole-in-the-ground bunker that caters to the idea of being an "English establishment", then take their Steve Miller money and run. The good ones, then, naturally adhere to the opposite side of the spectrum, carefully researching both the schools they work with, and the potential teacher candidates, weeding out the less than scrupulous ones on both sides, and actually giving a damn about things such as integrity, honesty, and organization. Then there are the ineffectual doorknobs such as my guy.
The process started out promising, mind you. Mr. Knob has a very impressive website, with a plethora of information regarding his company's reseach process, strong capabilities in relation to the recruiting enterprise, and a myriad amount of helpful links regarding all manner of information for living and working in Korea; things were looking good. The process became even brighter when he appeared to secure for us a fairly tantalizing prospect: two positions in July at a school that appeared to hit all the marks on our "must have" list. Though the chain it belonged to has an abyssmal reputation, this particular campus seemed to have shielded itself from such negativity, and in fact, received high marks from four of the teachers there. We were admittedly cautious, but nonetheless our interest was piqued. And so, I shot off an email to the Knobster, stating fully that we were considering this school to be the front runner, but we need a few more weeks to hammer out some details (read: see if a better offer came along), and to make our decision. In the meantime, I asked him to see if he could talk to the school on our behalf (read: do his job), and ask for the best possible salary, as well as make sure they sent us a very specific contract to review.
What did Captain Moron do? Simply forward my very private email that I'd sent to him on to the director of the school. Well played! After shooting us directly in the foot, he came back to inform us that the school wasn't sure about hiring us anymore, because we had asked too many questions, and we weren't willing to trust them.
Well. There are enough red flags here to invoke the Second Coming of the South. A recruiter who doesn't understand the basic underpinnings of his job?! A school who becomes nervous over candidates that ASK QUESTIONS?! This whole thing was handled about as smoothly as five dollar bottle of whiskey, and smacks of potential danger. But, being ever the optimist, I wrote back to recruiter, mentioned that his actions were woefully unprofessional, and yet we were willing to look past that, receive some contracts for review, and press on. His reply? The school was no longer interested, because a line of trust needs to be drawn somewhere, and the fact that we already knew we would need to negotiate the initial contract offer simply wasn't going to fly, so they were passing on us. In other words then, they're looking for someone who'll buy ocean-front property in Arizona, not even bother to read anything in the contract besides "sign here", and haul their oh-so-trusting souls half-way around the world to begin work in what has become lovingly known throughout the subculture of ESL as "hagwon hell." That five-dollar booze might come in handy right about now, troops.
And so, I kindly thanked him for his incompetance, noted that any school who's looking for people to sign an initial contract are larger fools than we're willing to work for, and wished him luck. But this less-than-fuzzy ping-pong experience of starting off high and ending somewhere in the "Paris Hilton" range, well, it's left a poor taste in my mouth, not unlike rotten kimchi that's been fermented in cigarrette ash for a month.
I have a ten, if anyone has change and a bottle.
And the Universe answered!
And there it is, folks. One day, count'em, ONE day after I officially through my thoughts out to the universe for acquiring our positions in Korea, and BAM! (to use some onomatopoeia), we've received the job offers this morning! Our second sojourn to the Land of the Morning Calm is about to begin.
True, it was sort of, kind of a done deal. But we really didn't have the official word yet. But now, as with the immortal words of James Tiberius Kirk, "The word is given. Full speed ahead."
Maybe the Universe IS listening. Or, at the very least, Captain Kirk.
True, it was sort of, kind of a done deal. But we really didn't have the official word yet. But now, as with the immortal words of James Tiberius Kirk, "The word is given. Full speed ahead."
Maybe the Universe IS listening. Or, at the very least, Captain Kirk.
Monday, May 14, 2007
When you want something hard enough:
According to Rhonda Byrne in the abyssmal new book, "The Secret", which is nothing but clap-trap tripe thrown together in an overpriced hardcover, if you simply want something hard enough in life, if you simply "will the universe" into making it a reality for you, if you simply see it as "already a done deal, and in your life", well, then you receive that "thing", whatever it may be. True, this is a watered-down version of the points detailed in the book, and I've culled this information from several in-depth user and critic reviews rather than a full-fledged reading of the book in question, but you get the general idea.
However, while this book certainly offers up nothing new, and is arguably a great way to make a million fast-bucks (it's been sold-out nearly since its inception), it does regurgiate an age-old adage that bears scrutiny: the power of positive thinking. As I sit and write this, my wife and I are preparing for our second stint at teaching English overseas in Korea. This is something that we really, really desire, and we are approaching imminent success. We have interviewed twice with a hiring manager at a kid's school that appears to be nigh on perfect for what we are looking for, and she (the manager) essentially told us that "in her mind, we're hired." She just needs to confirm a few small, but important, financial details with her principle, and then get back to us with the update, and contracts.
And yet - it ain't over 'til the Fat Lady Sings, and it's not a sealed deal until there are two contracts reviewed, signed, dated, and copied. Does it seem like we've finally found the employment for Year II in Korea that we've been seeking? Definitely. Are we crazy excited? Absofreakinglutely. But is this a done-deal? No way. Something could fall through, they could change their minds, and any number of small (or large) changes could occur to derail this seemingly smooth-train-to-funsville. The time-space continuum could tear asunder, and leave us sobbing heartily as our beloved hopeful of a school gets sucked into a blackhole. The only thing constant is change.
And so, maybe I should embark on a "Secret-like" mission: throw my thoughts out there to the Universe, and hope/pray/wish for good karma. Are you listening, Mr./Mrs/God-Universe? Canst thou hear me? Canst thou read/feel my benevolent thoughts? The Mrs. and I throw ourselves upon your good mercy, your good karmatic ways, and seek the ending we desire. I am "seeing" this communion between two business parties as "already done". I am marking this down as "complete". In my mind, we are already working at your school.
But my mind won't really stand up in court, so, I just sort of need that little contract, with our little signatures on it, soon. You know, for "backup" and such. So let's get going, Universe. Send us to our destination, and make this good thing happen. We're already thanking you, trust us.
However, while this book certainly offers up nothing new, and is arguably a great way to make a million fast-bucks (it's been sold-out nearly since its inception), it does regurgiate an age-old adage that bears scrutiny: the power of positive thinking. As I sit and write this, my wife and I are preparing for our second stint at teaching English overseas in Korea. This is something that we really, really desire, and we are approaching imminent success. We have interviewed twice with a hiring manager at a kid's school that appears to be nigh on perfect for what we are looking for, and she (the manager) essentially told us that "in her mind, we're hired." She just needs to confirm a few small, but important, financial details with her principle, and then get back to us with the update, and contracts.
And yet - it ain't over 'til the Fat Lady Sings, and it's not a sealed deal until there are two contracts reviewed, signed, dated, and copied. Does it seem like we've finally found the employment for Year II in Korea that we've been seeking? Definitely. Are we crazy excited? Absofreakinglutely. But is this a done-deal? No way. Something could fall through, they could change their minds, and any number of small (or large) changes could occur to derail this seemingly smooth-train-to-funsville. The time-space continuum could tear asunder, and leave us sobbing heartily as our beloved hopeful of a school gets sucked into a blackhole. The only thing constant is change.
And so, maybe I should embark on a "Secret-like" mission: throw my thoughts out there to the Universe, and hope/pray/wish for good karma. Are you listening, Mr./Mrs/God-Universe? Canst thou hear me? Canst thou read/feel my benevolent thoughts? The Mrs. and I throw ourselves upon your good mercy, your good karmatic ways, and seek the ending we desire. I am "seeing" this communion between two business parties as "already done". I am marking this down as "complete". In my mind, we are already working at your school.
But my mind won't really stand up in court, so, I just sort of need that little contract, with our little signatures on it, soon. You know, for "backup" and such. So let's get going, Universe. Send us to our destination, and make this good thing happen. We're already thanking you, trust us.
Tuesday, May 8, 2007
Could it possibly be this long?
Sigh - oh, the days fly by. I can't believe it's been nigh on two and a half weeks since my last posting. I was going to write a posting concering the shooting at Virginia Tech, and I started one, but I had to go back to work, so I saved it in my drafts. Alas, I feel the moment has now passed, and I'll sum up with: I don't know the answer. But I agree with more gun control; not elimination, but control. And, most certainly, better education throughout society; and more responsibility as a society to aid and care for our sick, which includes the mentally ill.
But, that's not the point of this post. The point is - I don't know what. I think it has to do with me being a bit melancholy. Perhaps I'll turn this into a sort of "stream of conscious" article, and just write what I feel, right now. We're going to go see Spider-Man 3 tonight. I'm excited, but wary - it hasn't received good reviews at all, which is shocking, considering the same cast, same director, etc. And I love Sam Raimi, and I love all the characters involved, but - we shall see.
Also, I miss Korea. BOY, do I miss Korea. I've been perusing some other people's blogs that are teaching there right now, and it just makes me yearn for the experience again that much more. And, it also solidifies my resolve to return, and supports my notion that we are doing the correct thing. Going back to asia, to Korea, is exactly what we need to be doing now. It's in our blood, it's in our memories, and it's darn near in our daily thoughts. Actually, take out "darn" - I assure you, I think of, remember fondly, and ponder Korea on a daily basis. There will be many more posts concering this new sojourn, I promise, but for now, rest comfortably knowing that this journey will not be taken in vain. Again, the Morning Calm will welcome us as guiders and educators, as we explore the land anew, and mentor our little children, so they may grow up learning English, and the importance of the song "Happy Days". :-)
Cheers! Ah, the writing posts are beginning to flow again - thank goodness for small miracles.
But, that's not the point of this post. The point is - I don't know what. I think it has to do with me being a bit melancholy. Perhaps I'll turn this into a sort of "stream of conscious" article, and just write what I feel, right now. We're going to go see Spider-Man 3 tonight. I'm excited, but wary - it hasn't received good reviews at all, which is shocking, considering the same cast, same director, etc. And I love Sam Raimi, and I love all the characters involved, but - we shall see.
Also, I miss Korea. BOY, do I miss Korea. I've been perusing some other people's blogs that are teaching there right now, and it just makes me yearn for the experience again that much more. And, it also solidifies my resolve to return, and supports my notion that we are doing the correct thing. Going back to asia, to Korea, is exactly what we need to be doing now. It's in our blood, it's in our memories, and it's darn near in our daily thoughts. Actually, take out "darn" - I assure you, I think of, remember fondly, and ponder Korea on a daily basis. There will be many more posts concering this new sojourn, I promise, but for now, rest comfortably knowing that this journey will not be taken in vain. Again, the Morning Calm will welcome us as guiders and educators, as we explore the land anew, and mentor our little children, so they may grow up learning English, and the importance of the song "Happy Days". :-)
Cheers! Ah, the writing posts are beginning to flow again - thank goodness for small miracles.
Daily Thought:
"Forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair." -Kahlil Gibran-
Friday, April 20, 2007
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Forgive the incomplete look
Sorry about the above "mess", folks - I'm just trying to add an image to my Blog, but I'm half-way successful at the moment. I can't seem to get rid of that "background template", nor expand my picture to fit that area. If anyone knows how (Tim, Justin, I'm looking at you), well, please contact me. Thanks!
Friday, April 6, 2007
Good GRIEF, the games coming out are insane!
Let me assure you, foks - we are on the verge of an absolutely stunning and amazing epoch for pc (and yes, console) gaming experience. This is truly a watershed moment for the history of video entertainment. Forget the past "buzzwords" of dynamic lighting, or mega-textured pixels. What is about to be unleashed upon us will begin to utterly blow our minds, and these experiences will be manifested in the likes of "emergent gameplay", and "real-word physics".
First, a nowhere-near-complete list of some of the heavy-hitter games about to rock our world: "Universe at War", "Bioshock", "Project Offset", "Alan Wake", "Hellgate: London", "Crysis", "Half-Life 2: Episode 2", Medal of Honor: Airborne", and others. Every single game on this list will present a vehicle for jaw-dropping graphics, many utilizing the new DirectX 10 platform from Microsoft. But that is only the first course, fellow gamers - and oh, the main meal will be a high-caloric, gut-busting feast that will attempt to satiate our rapacity for what PC Gamer describes as "Gaming Goodness". Will they succeed? Let's check out the two main ingredients.
"Real-world physics" - physics within the gaming world are relatively new, but more and more prevalent these past few years. The "Havok Engine" is synonymous with "gaming physics", and has been employed in games like "Max Payne", "Company of Heroes", "Half-Life 2", "F.E.A.R.", and "Company of Heroes". Essentially, it allows for units or material in the game to fly about, fall, bounce, and blow-up like we'd expect their real-world counterpart to do. In the past, you'd be playing a "deathmatch" game, unload a shotgun into a crate (because you're too slow and missed your intended target, dumb*ss), and nada - the crate would just take the punishment, because it wasn't interactive. With current in-game physics, if it's been coded correctly, the crate may move, splinter and break, or even explode; and thus it is for other similar items, such as doors, windows, paint cans, etc.
But we're still in the infancy, folks. With present-day companies like Physix Ageia offering stand-alone physics cards to render thousands of particles on-screen with physics (compared to the current standard of hundreds), or with the upcoming plans to make use of multi-core CPU's to handle phycial explosions in game, expect the world of phyics to balloon to epic proprortions in current and planned games. Think about it - as PC Gamer recently pondered in their physics article, why worry if an armored truck is speeding its way towards you in the game? Shoot out its tires, and watch it careen and roll of the road - problem solved. What if your enemy is hiding behind a wall, within a locked room? Blow up the wall, and topple him. This type of new thinking and execution that physics will allow us to do in games will utterly change the entire way levels are designed, and games are played.
And speaking of the way games are played, the second technology that I'm the most stoked about: "Emergent gameplay" (EM). Essentially summed up, EM is a specific design employed within a game, where a whole bunch of open-ended options, items, situations, and combinations will be presented and available, thereby allowing an unprecedented and near-infinite array of unscripted outcomes. In short, EM really means that game-play will be incredibly dynamic, open-ended and evolving, allowing for all manner of permutations within the game, and be completely surprising to both gamer and developer alike. By allowing things within a game to become combined to produce a newly minted item, outcome, etc. instead of being scripted, the replay value alone in a game will be highly laudible, but the REAL treasure, at least in my mind, will be what truly develops within the game, thrusting you the gamer into a world far more realistic than ever before. What happens if you combine this item with this item in this manner, and then utilize it in this way? Outcomes that will often be completely surprising to even the developers of the game is what will occur, and what a compelling idea that is. Where a monster or enemy was in this level, the next time, they might not be; where this weapon will perhaps cause this damage or this event to occur, perhaps by employing something entirely different, and not "meant originally", one may discover how to avoid an enemy altogether, thus altering the story, and evoking unintended consequences, good, bad, or indifferent. EM will be a new way to play, every time, and I couldn't be more excited.
Just like in "real life" - each day is a new manifest, unfolding before us unscripted, where anything can, and often does, happen. How will you react to the next "uncripted event"? What each of us does have a cause-and-effect directive - just like in our upcoming, gloriously beautiful games.
Sign me up!
First, a nowhere-near-complete list of some of the heavy-hitter games about to rock our world: "Universe at War", "Bioshock", "Project Offset", "Alan Wake", "Hellgate: London", "Crysis", "Half-Life 2: Episode 2", Medal of Honor: Airborne", and others. Every single game on this list will present a vehicle for jaw-dropping graphics, many utilizing the new DirectX 10 platform from Microsoft. But that is only the first course, fellow gamers - and oh, the main meal will be a high-caloric, gut-busting feast that will attempt to satiate our rapacity for what PC Gamer describes as "Gaming Goodness". Will they succeed? Let's check out the two main ingredients.
"Real-world physics" - physics within the gaming world are relatively new, but more and more prevalent these past few years. The "Havok Engine" is synonymous with "gaming physics", and has been employed in games like "Max Payne", "Company of Heroes", "Half-Life 2", "F.E.A.R.", and "Company of Heroes". Essentially, it allows for units or material in the game to fly about, fall, bounce, and blow-up like we'd expect their real-world counterpart to do. In the past, you'd be playing a "deathmatch" game, unload a shotgun into a crate (because you're too slow and missed your intended target, dumb*ss), and nada - the crate would just take the punishment, because it wasn't interactive. With current in-game physics, if it's been coded correctly, the crate may move, splinter and break, or even explode; and thus it is for other similar items, such as doors, windows, paint cans, etc.
But we're still in the infancy, folks. With present-day companies like Physix Ageia offering stand-alone physics cards to render thousands of particles on-screen with physics (compared to the current standard of hundreds), or with the upcoming plans to make use of multi-core CPU's to handle phycial explosions in game, expect the world of phyics to balloon to epic proprortions in current and planned games. Think about it - as PC Gamer recently pondered in their physics article, why worry if an armored truck is speeding its way towards you in the game? Shoot out its tires, and watch it careen and roll of the road - problem solved. What if your enemy is hiding behind a wall, within a locked room? Blow up the wall, and topple him. This type of new thinking and execution that physics will allow us to do in games will utterly change the entire way levels are designed, and games are played.
And speaking of the way games are played, the second technology that I'm the most stoked about: "Emergent gameplay" (EM). Essentially summed up, EM is a specific design employed within a game, where a whole bunch of open-ended options, items, situations, and combinations will be presented and available, thereby allowing an unprecedented and near-infinite array of unscripted outcomes. In short, EM really means that game-play will be incredibly dynamic, open-ended and evolving, allowing for all manner of permutations within the game, and be completely surprising to both gamer and developer alike. By allowing things within a game to become combined to produce a newly minted item, outcome, etc. instead of being scripted, the replay value alone in a game will be highly laudible, but the REAL treasure, at least in my mind, will be what truly develops within the game, thrusting you the gamer into a world far more realistic than ever before. What happens if you combine this item with this item in this manner, and then utilize it in this way? Outcomes that will often be completely surprising to even the developers of the game is what will occur, and what a compelling idea that is. Where a monster or enemy was in this level, the next time, they might not be; where this weapon will perhaps cause this damage or this event to occur, perhaps by employing something entirely different, and not "meant originally", one may discover how to avoid an enemy altogether, thus altering the story, and evoking unintended consequences, good, bad, or indifferent. EM will be a new way to play, every time, and I couldn't be more excited.
Just like in "real life" - each day is a new manifest, unfolding before us unscripted, where anything can, and often does, happen. How will you react to the next "uncripted event"? What each of us does have a cause-and-effect directive - just like in our upcoming, gloriously beautiful games.
Sign me up!
Thursday, April 5, 2007
Question - can life and its infinite questions be figured out over beer?
It's a simple question, really. Can life, and all implied mysteries therein, be questioned, reasoned, debated, pondered, and successfully solved over a tantalizing mixture of water, barley, hops, and grains? This was the question of the evening last night, as my buddy Justin and I gathered at a local "watering hole" and accepted this quest of knowledge.
Our firsthand, empirical experience of "suds with buds" achieved answers that could only be summed up in this way: most definitely, answers can be found to all of life's pressing and challenging conundrums - they flowed like the golden nectar before us - and we were able to satisfactorly put to rest any and all remaining existentialist issues plaguing humankind today.
Oh, there's a catch, however - the answers are only discernable to the members currently privy to the conversation (read: anyone drinking beer at the table, and actively pondering the propositions), and the moment you leap-frog from one answer or subject to the next, the prior discussion, question, and answer are immediately forgotten, thus again renewing all former, current, and future mysteries to their status of "unknowable."
But whatcha gonna do? Order that second round, and try for them again. See you next happy hour.
Our firsthand, empirical experience of "suds with buds" achieved answers that could only be summed up in this way: most definitely, answers can be found to all of life's pressing and challenging conundrums - they flowed like the golden nectar before us - and we were able to satisfactorly put to rest any and all remaining existentialist issues plaguing humankind today.
Oh, there's a catch, however - the answers are only discernable to the members currently privy to the conversation (read: anyone drinking beer at the table, and actively pondering the propositions), and the moment you leap-frog from one answer or subject to the next, the prior discussion, question, and answer are immediately forgotten, thus again renewing all former, current, and future mysteries to their status of "unknowable."
But whatcha gonna do? Order that second round, and try for them again. See you next happy hour.
Tuesday, April 3, 2007
The Great Gaming Experiment:
Gamers and non-Gamers, unite! (for we all know that you're soon to become Gamers anyway, correct?) Check out the new forum for all things "gaming", The Great Gaming Experiment! You may access the site here, or click on the link to it on the right, in my "PC Gaming" section.
What is the GGE, you ask? Let me reference their slogan to clear away any confusion: "Where gamers and game-makers connect." Simply put, it's sort of like a YouTube site has mated with a Blogger site, and produced an offspring of (hopefully) epic proportions, and near-infinite capabilities? :-) Ok, perhaps that's a bit too much hyperbole - but it IS set to become a forum for both fan and publishers alike, allowing anyone (gamers, non-gamers, and potential-gamers) to post their favorite games, rate them discuss them, chastise them, etc., while at the same time allowing publishers and distributers an arena to solict fan feedback, gain beta-testers, take polls for various artistic and business decisions, and even present downloadable demos, maps, mods, files, etc. for their various games. Perhaps most important, however, is it will become a venue for the "indie" projects out there, whom are alive and well, but often overshadowed by the larger corporations. It will allow these small but vital companies, an integral part of the entire gaming machine, to be right upside the big guy, and present their games to the public, which are often as compelling and original as the "triple A" titles, but with a fraction of the price (and consequently, the advertising dollars).
Whatever this venue ultimately becomes, I love its arrival, which to me heralds yet another step towards bridging the gap between the continuously evolving and growing world of consumer and game publisher relations. The growing technology will only allow this open forum and discussion to become easier for ideas to grow, and feedback to be exchanged; this, in turn, will lead to better made games, which will lead better received games, both publically and critically; this, in turn, will produce more games sold, which leads to larger profits, happier shareholders, and a (hopefully) continued succession of good, well produced (and published) games. Sure, there'll be pitfalls along the way, but hopefully with a successful effort, these will be few and far between. What's more, negative fan and gamer feedback on this forum will hopefully lead to the abandonment of projects that would've normally been headed for the abyssmal "bargain bin" or worse, and avoid searing our brains with half-assed gaming, and wasting time, money, and effort. Positive thinking, perhaps, but a potential nonetheless. And let's not forget the benefits of this venue being able to discuss all the glorious games of Yore - the beloved fixtures of pixelations of the past. Could it possibly lead to reincarnation of certain titles, or maybe even resurrection of defunct classics? Time will tell, fellow gamers.
I for one am very excited about this new manifestation of emergent technology, which involves video, blogging, posting, discussion, etc. But instead of discussing something trivial such as the shaving of an ex-pop star's hair, we might be able to actually get into something deep, important, and relevent to our time - the expansive, growing, and extremely versatile world of digital gaming.
In the immortal words of every kid who's ever played a day in his or her life: GAME ON!
What is the GGE, you ask? Let me reference their slogan to clear away any confusion: "Where gamers and game-makers connect." Simply put, it's sort of like a YouTube site has mated with a Blogger site, and produced an offspring of (hopefully) epic proportions, and near-infinite capabilities? :-) Ok, perhaps that's a bit too much hyperbole - but it IS set to become a forum for both fan and publishers alike, allowing anyone (gamers, non-gamers, and potential-gamers) to post their favorite games, rate them discuss them, chastise them, etc., while at the same time allowing publishers and distributers an arena to solict fan feedback, gain beta-testers, take polls for various artistic and business decisions, and even present downloadable demos, maps, mods, files, etc. for their various games. Perhaps most important, however, is it will become a venue for the "indie" projects out there, whom are alive and well, but often overshadowed by the larger corporations. It will allow these small but vital companies, an integral part of the entire gaming machine, to be right upside the big guy, and present their games to the public, which are often as compelling and original as the "triple A" titles, but with a fraction of the price (and consequently, the advertising dollars).
Whatever this venue ultimately becomes, I love its arrival, which to me heralds yet another step towards bridging the gap between the continuously evolving and growing world of consumer and game publisher relations. The growing technology will only allow this open forum and discussion to become easier for ideas to grow, and feedback to be exchanged; this, in turn, will lead to better made games, which will lead better received games, both publically and critically; this, in turn, will produce more games sold, which leads to larger profits, happier shareholders, and a (hopefully) continued succession of good, well produced (and published) games. Sure, there'll be pitfalls along the way, but hopefully with a successful effort, these will be few and far between. What's more, negative fan and gamer feedback on this forum will hopefully lead to the abandonment of projects that would've normally been headed for the abyssmal "bargain bin" or worse, and avoid searing our brains with half-assed gaming, and wasting time, money, and effort. Positive thinking, perhaps, but a potential nonetheless. And let's not forget the benefits of this venue being able to discuss all the glorious games of Yore - the beloved fixtures of pixelations of the past. Could it possibly lead to reincarnation of certain titles, or maybe even resurrection of defunct classics? Time will tell, fellow gamers.
I for one am very excited about this new manifestation of emergent technology, which involves video, blogging, posting, discussion, etc. But instead of discussing something trivial such as the shaving of an ex-pop star's hair, we might be able to actually get into something deep, important, and relevent to our time - the expansive, growing, and extremely versatile world of digital gaming.
In the immortal words of every kid who's ever played a day in his or her life: GAME ON!
Sunday, April 1, 2007
The freaks come out on Sundays:
Good grief, Charlie Brown - the freaks come out to play on Sundays. And pester, and haggle over miniscule percentage differences, and subject you to moronic questions, and act beligerent, and express paranoia, and anything else they can muster - any and all "freak" qualities are on display, in the sunny-side up world of Border's retail. I worked my second shift of the weekend (just what I want on my weekend, correct?) today, from 8am until 3pm, and was flabbergasted at the sheer enormity of freaks that frequented our store. They poked, prodded, and passed the time away in our store, whiling away their minutes by dragging ours down, incessantly lobbying for requests or imploring questions each more ludicrous than the next. "May I have a 2% discount on the difference?" "Will customers run behind your cash registers and grab my book?" "Can I give you two different last names?" (answer: no).
Siiiiiiiiiiigh. I suppose it is the price to pay, the weight to bear, the curse to suffer, when one's employed within the circus that is retail. It takes all kinds, this dizzying contraption, and let me tell you, those kinds are "freaks", who arrive in hordes, on Sunday afternoons. The best thing that can be said about my shift today is that it ended.
At least I was able to watch "Borat" last night - now THERE'S a slideshow of freaks that I can get excited about.
Siiiiiiiiiiigh. I suppose it is the price to pay, the weight to bear, the curse to suffer, when one's employed within the circus that is retail. It takes all kinds, this dizzying contraption, and let me tell you, those kinds are "freaks", who arrive in hordes, on Sunday afternoons. The best thing that can be said about my shift today is that it ended.
At least I was able to watch "Borat" last night - now THERE'S a slideshow of freaks that I can get excited about.
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
The pressure of a Blog:
Oh, the pressure of a blog - indeed, at the heart of this bemoanment, is the bane of any writers's existence - the pressure of words. The pressure to have all these ideas swimming round one's mind, hurling themselves and crashing into your psyche on a daily basis; the pressure to know that you NEED to write, that you NEED to be creative, that you NEED to tell the world something, ANYTHING, and do so in precious, intelligent, specific manner - to achieve that which is driving you inside, this mysterious pulse of creativity. The pressure of needing to be read, to be heard, to be profound, to be insightful, to be humorous, to be loved, to be crazy, to be lauded - the pressure to write well.
I feel this pressure like I feel my own skin, wound snare-drum tight around me, creaking and stretching with each breathe, needing to be caressed, needing to be released, needing to be sloughed off this writer's skin, and poored onto a page. Not in some horrific wax-museum-gone-wrong meltdown, not some shellacking of the page with a bombardment of random synopses firing at record speed, but in carefully constructed pieces of composition latched down, so when viewed from afar, the seemingly myopic pieces of wisdom and wretchedness form not a seared landscape of half-assed ramblings and utterences, but a kaleidescope of beauty, a stained-glass version of poetic arrangement of the written word, suffused with a kernal of wisdom and truth.
Oh, the pressure of a blog.
I feel this pressure like I feel my own skin, wound snare-drum tight around me, creaking and stretching with each breathe, needing to be caressed, needing to be released, needing to be sloughed off this writer's skin, and poored onto a page. Not in some horrific wax-museum-gone-wrong meltdown, not some shellacking of the page with a bombardment of random synopses firing at record speed, but in carefully constructed pieces of composition latched down, so when viewed from afar, the seemingly myopic pieces of wisdom and wretchedness form not a seared landscape of half-assed ramblings and utterences, but a kaleidescope of beauty, a stained-glass version of poetic arrangement of the written word, suffused with a kernal of wisdom and truth.
Oh, the pressure of a blog.
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
My Nazi-slaying lust has hit a snag:
'Tis not an admirable predicament I face, fellow Bloggers - I can no longer smote down the mighty fascist war machine that was Nazi Germany circa 1930's/40's - that is, until I fix that which is currently broken. The bane of my current existence? The pc game version of "Call of Duty 2."
Like my many brothers (and sisters) in arms before me, I answered the mighty call of duty when freedom and oppression cried "Save me!", albeit in an incredibly cowardly and geeky fashion. Nonetheless, I picked up the puissant power of the daunting six-disc install of this recent WWII shooter, and began my Russian campaign in earnest lo the other night. A thunderous clap of shelling did ensue as I led my squad through the trenches and razed buildings of our beloved Motherland, Russia, to a bloody but substantial victory in our once-proud Town Square. But arrive we did, with nary a moment to spare, as we crushed the would-be oppressors who dared venture into our domain, testing the unbending mettle of us fellow "солдат"s (soldiers).
Yet before I could transmit the Allied campaign to the African theatre, those officious gremlins stole into my machine, and via their collective and prodigious skill with all things mechanical, my diminutive green goblin wannabees did wreak havoc upon my precious game install, to the point where it no longer functions as desired. In short: me no kill bad Nazis - me no like.
Worry not, I shall keep freedom and liberation's bell a ringin', circa 1942 - 44, in but a few days. I just need to insert myself digitally back into the gaming world and pulverize the enemy to dusty, mite-sized bits, after I negotiate a playable ".exe" file from the grips of my currently non-function game. How will I achieve such a desirable end? Simple - I just need to think like a gremlin. Starting, of course, with munchin' some chicken after Midnight.
'Scuze me.
Like my many brothers (and sisters) in arms before me, I answered the mighty call of duty when freedom and oppression cried "Save me!", albeit in an incredibly cowardly and geeky fashion. Nonetheless, I picked up the puissant power of the daunting six-disc install of this recent WWII shooter, and began my Russian campaign in earnest lo the other night. A thunderous clap of shelling did ensue as I led my squad through the trenches and razed buildings of our beloved Motherland, Russia, to a bloody but substantial victory in our once-proud Town Square. But arrive we did, with nary a moment to spare, as we crushed the would-be oppressors who dared venture into our domain, testing the unbending mettle of us fellow "солдат"s (soldiers).
Yet before I could transmit the Allied campaign to the African theatre, those officious gremlins stole into my machine, and via their collective and prodigious skill with all things mechanical, my diminutive green goblin wannabees did wreak havoc upon my precious game install, to the point where it no longer functions as desired. In short: me no kill bad Nazis - me no like.
Worry not, I shall keep freedom and liberation's bell a ringin', circa 1942 - 44, in but a few days. I just need to insert myself digitally back into the gaming world and pulverize the enemy to dusty, mite-sized bits, after I negotiate a playable ".exe" file from the grips of my currently non-function game. How will I achieve such a desirable end? Simple - I just need to think like a gremlin. Starting, of course, with munchin' some chicken after Midnight.
'Scuze me.
Friday, February 23, 2007
Warning: Asteroid closer than it appears!
Look out all you land-lovers! In 2029, we're going to have a visit from an extremely close cosmic object - (da da daaa!) The asteroid "aphosis" (1,400 feet in length!) will approach the Earth on the ominous date of Friday, April 13th, 2029, and will come within 40,000 miles of our beloved planet, incredibly close in cosmic-terms. However, initially rated at an unprecedented "yellow alert" level, this mighty space-rock has since been downgraded, and will absolutely not strike the Earth in its passing. However, since it will be flying by at such a close range, its orbit will change due to the Earth's gravitational pull, making any future strikes an unpredictable possibility.
So set your calendars, mark your clocks, and head on over to Africa, Europe, or East Asia, for it'll be viewable with the naked eye, but only from those locations. Unless, of course, it chooses a much closer location, like, say, the continental crust. We shall see, my friends, we shall see!
So set your calendars, mark your clocks, and head on over to Africa, Europe, or East Asia, for it'll be viewable with the naked eye, but only from those locations. Unless, of course, it chooses a much closer location, like, say, the continental crust. We shall see, my friends, we shall see!
Monday, February 19, 2007
Living within ones means:
It always kills me when people find themselves ensconced within layer upon layer of debt (purchasing a house, which is ridiculously expensive in American notwithstanding) - why does it happen, when the "secret" to avoid it is literally a four-sentence doctrine: "Live within your means."
Let's be clear about one thing upfront - I have fallen off the wagon as well. I am not some "untouchable" individual avoiding debt's potent grip. Though I own my car, I too carry a balance on a credit card, as well as student loans. Unfortunately, it's all too easy.
However, they are both relatively minimal, all things considered. No, what I'm referring to seems to be a far larger plague upon this Western society of ours - our collective inability to live within our means, and as a consequence, build a life leadened with debilitating debt, instead of successfully navigating the consumption waters of society.
What's so easy about the doctrine? Simple - do not spend more than you have; it's that simple. If you make "x" amount of income per month, whether single or with a partner, then you may spend upwards of "x" in that month. It doesn't matter how much you decide to put towards a savings account, or retirement (hopefully some to both), or car payments, or student loans, or dinners, CD's, entertainment, clothing, baby food, etc - it just simply can NOT go beyond the amount that "x" is. And there you have it - you're living within your means. You are literally living within the boundaries that your income provides to you. It is honestly that simple, and that easy.
What's so hard about it, then? Many external factors, to be sure. There's our own desires and wants, of course (and note the very important distinction between "want" and "need" - our needs are roughly all the same, and it's a very short list - our wants are another beast entirely). There are the ideas and suggestions opined by our closest friends and relatives, informing us that we should/need/have "this thing here". And most dangerous of all, there's the ubiquitous marketing and advertisements of our daily lives that surround us everywhere, demanding we pay attention, and crave said product or lifestyle - this is arguable the most dangerous of all, for it is these advertisements that pull us away from logical thought, and prey upon our internal cravings for happiness and satisfaction. Therein lies the fallacy, of course - we cannot complement internal desire for peace, safety, happiness, and desire with external components; but nonetheless, we try and quelsh those very primordial desires with our external products, and marketers are only too happy to help. This is not to imply these people or corporations are inherently "evil", however (except for various tobacco and alcoholic methods, perhaps) - but they've hit on a good thing, and aren't about to stop.
Think about it - so many people I know simply "must have": cell phones; high-speed internet access; digital cable TV; services such as "Netflix", etc.; high-profile, expensive, new vehicles (usually SUV's); designer clothing; dining out evenings; high-priced entertainment, and so on. These things are not bad, or morally "wrong" - but how many people stop to consider if they can be AFFORDED? That is the rub, and it all goes back to the quintessential point of the maxim "live within your means" - are they in fact doing so, by adding on all these external costly components? If you can live comfortably while doing so, great! I'm pleased for you. But if you CANNOT, then guess what - though you may desire and crave them, if you cannot pay for them from the stash of "x", then you simply cannot have them. Not yet, anyway.
There are other ways to achieve comfortable living within a lower amount of "x", of course, without cutting out all of the "pleasure" additions, but for some reason, they tend to be frowned upon, or scoffed. There seems to be a social stigma to avoid thrift stores, garage sales, smaller houses, or old, used, "not-as-fancy" vehicles. Why? What are wrong with any of these things? If they are functional, nice, and cheap, then by all means - enjoy them. If a vehicle is perhaps older, dented, rusty, or simply not "minty fresh" and new, but has all structural components in the "green zone" for safety, why not purchase that and have it paid for, rather than fork over hundreds of dollars a month for a vehicle with the same safety rating, but that is thousands of dollars more?
Living within ones means is within the reach of all of us - it's right there, outlined in black and white, in our checkbooks and savings records. It's our weekly, monthly, and annual income after taxes, and it shall define exactly what we have at our disposal to meet all our monthly bill requirements, as well as entertainment frivolties (for myself, that would be DVD's, video games, and books). All we have to do is make financial choices, and stick with them.
That, or win the lottery.
Let's be clear about one thing upfront - I have fallen off the wagon as well. I am not some "untouchable" individual avoiding debt's potent grip. Though I own my car, I too carry a balance on a credit card, as well as student loans. Unfortunately, it's all too easy.
However, they are both relatively minimal, all things considered. No, what I'm referring to seems to be a far larger plague upon this Western society of ours - our collective inability to live within our means, and as a consequence, build a life leadened with debilitating debt, instead of successfully navigating the consumption waters of society.
What's so easy about the doctrine? Simple - do not spend more than you have; it's that simple. If you make "x" amount of income per month, whether single or with a partner, then you may spend upwards of "x" in that month. It doesn't matter how much you decide to put towards a savings account, or retirement (hopefully some to both), or car payments, or student loans, or dinners, CD's, entertainment, clothing, baby food, etc - it just simply can NOT go beyond the amount that "x" is. And there you have it - you're living within your means. You are literally living within the boundaries that your income provides to you. It is honestly that simple, and that easy.
What's so hard about it, then? Many external factors, to be sure. There's our own desires and wants, of course (and note the very important distinction between "want" and "need" - our needs are roughly all the same, and it's a very short list - our wants are another beast entirely). There are the ideas and suggestions opined by our closest friends and relatives, informing us that we should/need/have "this thing here". And most dangerous of all, there's the ubiquitous marketing and advertisements of our daily lives that surround us everywhere, demanding we pay attention, and crave said product or lifestyle - this is arguable the most dangerous of all, for it is these advertisements that pull us away from logical thought, and prey upon our internal cravings for happiness and satisfaction. Therein lies the fallacy, of course - we cannot complement internal desire for peace, safety, happiness, and desire with external components; but nonetheless, we try and quelsh those very primordial desires with our external products, and marketers are only too happy to help. This is not to imply these people or corporations are inherently "evil", however (except for various tobacco and alcoholic methods, perhaps) - but they've hit on a good thing, and aren't about to stop.
Think about it - so many people I know simply "must have": cell phones; high-speed internet access; digital cable TV; services such as "Netflix", etc.; high-profile, expensive, new vehicles (usually SUV's); designer clothing; dining out evenings; high-priced entertainment, and so on. These things are not bad, or morally "wrong" - but how many people stop to consider if they can be AFFORDED? That is the rub, and it all goes back to the quintessential point of the maxim "live within your means" - are they in fact doing so, by adding on all these external costly components? If you can live comfortably while doing so, great! I'm pleased for you. But if you CANNOT, then guess what - though you may desire and crave them, if you cannot pay for them from the stash of "x", then you simply cannot have them. Not yet, anyway.
There are other ways to achieve comfortable living within a lower amount of "x", of course, without cutting out all of the "pleasure" additions, but for some reason, they tend to be frowned upon, or scoffed. There seems to be a social stigma to avoid thrift stores, garage sales, smaller houses, or old, used, "not-as-fancy" vehicles. Why? What are wrong with any of these things? If they are functional, nice, and cheap, then by all means - enjoy them. If a vehicle is perhaps older, dented, rusty, or simply not "minty fresh" and new, but has all structural components in the "green zone" for safety, why not purchase that and have it paid for, rather than fork over hundreds of dollars a month for a vehicle with the same safety rating, but that is thousands of dollars more?
Living within ones means is within the reach of all of us - it's right there, outlined in black and white, in our checkbooks and savings records. It's our weekly, monthly, and annual income after taxes, and it shall define exactly what we have at our disposal to meet all our monthly bill requirements, as well as entertainment frivolties (for myself, that would be DVD's, video games, and books). All we have to do is make financial choices, and stick with them.
That, or win the lottery.
Saturday, February 17, 2007
Where in the hell have I been?
Wow - it's been well over one month since my last post - so much for keeping up any semblance of exhibiting prolificacy. Well, that just means I keep my fans waiting with baited breath at my next literate release of erudition. Wait, fans? I mean fan, of course - you know who you are.
Today finds me sitting around the ol' casa with ample amounts of distractions to keep me busy, all the while avoiding any true commitment to actual work. Instead of researching and applying to various Korean business to teach English at next year, I find myself preparing to play various Star Wars video games, compose elegant emails, and "hunker down" (a scholarly Midwest term, to be sure) with a good book. Ah, but heck, is that not what weekends are for?
It is my aim and goal to establish a pattern of composition with greater frequency than has been displayed here as of late, so please do not abandon this humble author just yet, ok folks? I promise I shall wrestle various existential gems loose from the very fabric of time and space itself, burnish them to a veriable sheen, and then extrapolate the pragmatic wisdom for the masses and post them here upon this very site, this quixotic arena of philosophical musings, for one and all.
And I'll do it without too many references to Star Wars to boot.
Today finds me sitting around the ol' casa with ample amounts of distractions to keep me busy, all the while avoiding any true commitment to actual work. Instead of researching and applying to various Korean business to teach English at next year, I find myself preparing to play various Star Wars video games, compose elegant emails, and "hunker down" (a scholarly Midwest term, to be sure) with a good book. Ah, but heck, is that not what weekends are for?
It is my aim and goal to establish a pattern of composition with greater frequency than has been displayed here as of late, so please do not abandon this humble author just yet, ok folks? I promise I shall wrestle various existential gems loose from the very fabric of time and space itself, burnish them to a veriable sheen, and then extrapolate the pragmatic wisdom for the masses and post them here upon this very site, this quixotic arena of philosophical musings, for one and all.
And I'll do it without too many references to Star Wars to boot.
Friday, January 12, 2007
7 Wonders: Vote It Up!
Of the original Seven Wonders of the World, all but one are gone forever - the only remaining participants are the great Egyptian Pyramids. The rest, like the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the Temple of Artemis, or the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, have all been washed away by the hands of time.
But now you have a chance to PERSONALLY be involved in the naming of the NEXT Seven Wonders of the World! How cool is that? A global initiative is underway, where anyone from around the world can vote for seven new WOTW, from a list of 21 candidates, including Chichen Itza, the Eiffel Tower, Easter Island statues, Angor Wat in Cambodia, and Petra in Jordan.
I think this is a wonderful idea, and to have a chance to have a personal voice in the next list seems uber-geeky and cool. So whatcha waitin' for? Get out and Rock the Vote! Here's the website: http://www.new7wonders.com
But now you have a chance to PERSONALLY be involved in the naming of the NEXT Seven Wonders of the World! How cool is that? A global initiative is underway, where anyone from around the world can vote for seven new WOTW, from a list of 21 candidates, including Chichen Itza, the Eiffel Tower, Easter Island statues, Angor Wat in Cambodia, and Petra in Jordan.
I think this is a wonderful idea, and to have a chance to have a personal voice in the next list seems uber-geeky and cool. So whatcha waitin' for? Get out and Rock the Vote! Here's the website: http://www.new7wonders.com
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Hydrogen-Peroxide Martians From Space!
Recently in the news, a sexily named scientist by the moniker Dirk Schulze-Makuch has begun to attract the interest of a National Research Council panel (self-nicknamed the "Weird Life" council) with his theory that there may have been, and may still be, hydrogen-peroxide life existing on Mars. In a word: COOL!
Back in the 1970's, when the US-launched "Viking" missions landed probes on Mars, its directive was to seek out Earthlike life, in which saltwater would be an internal key component of cellular structure. However, with Mars' cold, dry atmosphere, the existence of a water and hydroden-peroxide cellular organism would be a much more likely candidate, since this structure stays liquid even at very low temperatures, doesn't destroy cells when it freezes, and can gather water vapor out of the thin atmosphere there. If this is true, the Viking probe would've destroyed any such life it came in contact with of this nature by its pre-programmed responses to both flood areas of land with water, and to bake the land with overheating.
Based on this new theory, NASA might begin a new search for a different form of life when the new "Phoenix" mission to Mars launches this summer.
So, the only question that remains now is: How big will the microbes' Ray Gun be, and will they be benevolent Overlords, or shall we break under the iron boot of our new-found minuscule rulers? Oh, the humanity!
Back in the 1970's, when the US-launched "Viking" missions landed probes on Mars, its directive was to seek out Earthlike life, in which saltwater would be an internal key component of cellular structure. However, with Mars' cold, dry atmosphere, the existence of a water and hydroden-peroxide cellular organism would be a much more likely candidate, since this structure stays liquid even at very low temperatures, doesn't destroy cells when it freezes, and can gather water vapor out of the thin atmosphere there. If this is true, the Viking probe would've destroyed any such life it came in contact with of this nature by its pre-programmed responses to both flood areas of land with water, and to bake the land with overheating.
Based on this new theory, NASA might begin a new search for a different form of life when the new "Phoenix" mission to Mars launches this summer.
So, the only question that remains now is: How big will the microbes' Ray Gun be, and will they be benevolent Overlords, or shall we break under the iron boot of our new-found minuscule rulers? Oh, the humanity!
Thursday, January 4, 2007
Growing Technology, Increasing Connectivity:
TIME magazine (loved by some, loathed by others) recently named its "Person of the Year" as - you. That's correct, YOU. On the cover of their current issue rests a flat-screened monitor and "not-unlike-a-Mac" keyboard, with the monitor's screen a shiny coat of reflective material; if one picks up the mag and stares into it, one should see his or her reflection in it, thus fulfilling the "Person of the Year" nomination.
Before your ego swells to global proportions, or we poke fun at this obvious tongue-in-cheek gag, consider the tagline also on the cover: "You are in charge of the Information Age." Each of us have become the "Person of the Year" because we are all currently living in the exploding, ever increasing "Information Age", with almost anything we want to read or know within a "Google" search. This has me thinking - where will it lead?
Peter Russell has wrote a book a few years ago (of which I've yet to read, I say with much chagrin) entitled "The Global Brain Awakens". This book discusses the phenomenon of global connectivity, where our world, due to the advent and increasing technology of the World Wide Web, cell technology, and increasingly more powerful and smaller personal computers and data pads, becomes "connected" like one giant brain, with us as individuals (and our handy-dandy pocket pc's, etc.) acting like connected neurons. Considering the current breadth of gadgets on the market today, such as MP3 players, PDA's, laptops, cameras, cell phones, tablet PC's, and their ability to have or use Web connectivity, this makes sense - we can now communicate with ease, audibly and visually, with anyone on the other side of the planet who has a similar technological connection. And event that transpires in your local town, say of someone winning the lottery, or a tragedy where a small child becomes wedged in a well, can now become common knowledge in India, Thailand, or New Zealand.
Where will this all lead? The boundaries of nations, and the doors of privacy, are disappearing almost overnight. Not just in a business sense, but also with the rise and popularity of web blogs (such as this one), live camera feeds, and constant uploading, people from around the globe are morphing our world from one of distant and seperate nations and cultures to one large, open arena of awareness. I'm not implying that this will erase local customs or cultures, but what it will do is, for better or worse, increase peoples awareness of anything and everything happening around the globe. If I want to read the news about happenings in New Delhi, I can.
On the positive side, this can help out individuals, as well as nations, by bringing into the limelight such tragedies as genocide, occuring right now in Darfur, Sudan. With this kind of situation, the connectiviy of the Information Age is a perfect vehicle to grab people's and government's attention for extremely important situations such as Darfur, and organize worldwide aid and support to educate about the situation, and to bring support to end such a travesty. On the negative side, however, we are being forced to adjust to a different world altogether, whether we want to or not. The concept of "Big Brother" aside, we are now living in a world where ANYTHING we do could end up on the web, and in people's consciousness, and puplic discourse. Regardless of the fact that we aren't celebrities, we have the potential to become one overnight, and not always in a postive fashion. Consider the boy who was simply recording himself in his garage in front of a rented video camera, acting out a part of a "Star Wars", using a golf club as a home-made lightsaber. His embarrassing antics ended up on the web, where he was accosted with unending ridicule. Fortunatley, this story ended happily, landing him a spot on "The Tonight Show" w/Jay Leno - but couldn't it also have turned quite sour, ending instead with massive psychological damage, or even suicide? This was a few years ago, too - with today's cell phones and other electronic device's ability to take photos and video, and with site like "You Tube" or "My Space" allowing anyone to post content to the web, the next time you act like a drunken idiot and pull your pants down, you just might find yourself a hit on the Internet.
One question remains - with technology ever increasing, and becoming available to more and more people due to falling prices and faster hardware, will this new world of a "global connected brain" fuel our creativity and increase cultural awareness, and aid us in solving crisis, finding others, and building upon our learned mistakes for a better future, or will it have instead an unforseen negative effect, curtailing any risk-taking due to fear of ridicule and mockery, and send us sprinting away from any sort of artistic expression, or even simply BBQ-ing with the neighbors, for fear of a public eye gazing down upon our existence?
Before your ego swells to global proportions, or we poke fun at this obvious tongue-in-cheek gag, consider the tagline also on the cover: "You are in charge of the Information Age." Each of us have become the "Person of the Year" because we are all currently living in the exploding, ever increasing "Information Age", with almost anything we want to read or know within a "Google" search. This has me thinking - where will it lead?
Peter Russell has wrote a book a few years ago (of which I've yet to read, I say with much chagrin) entitled "The Global Brain Awakens". This book discusses the phenomenon of global connectivity, where our world, due to the advent and increasing technology of the World Wide Web, cell technology, and increasingly more powerful and smaller personal computers and data pads, becomes "connected" like one giant brain, with us as individuals (and our handy-dandy pocket pc's, etc.) acting like connected neurons. Considering the current breadth of gadgets on the market today, such as MP3 players, PDA's, laptops, cameras, cell phones, tablet PC's, and their ability to have or use Web connectivity, this makes sense - we can now communicate with ease, audibly and visually, with anyone on the other side of the planet who has a similar technological connection. And event that transpires in your local town, say of someone winning the lottery, or a tragedy where a small child becomes wedged in a well, can now become common knowledge in India, Thailand, or New Zealand.
Where will this all lead? The boundaries of nations, and the doors of privacy, are disappearing almost overnight. Not just in a business sense, but also with the rise and popularity of web blogs (such as this one), live camera feeds, and constant uploading, people from around the globe are morphing our world from one of distant and seperate nations and cultures to one large, open arena of awareness. I'm not implying that this will erase local customs or cultures, but what it will do is, for better or worse, increase peoples awareness of anything and everything happening around the globe. If I want to read the news about happenings in New Delhi, I can.
On the positive side, this can help out individuals, as well as nations, by bringing into the limelight such tragedies as genocide, occuring right now in Darfur, Sudan. With this kind of situation, the connectiviy of the Information Age is a perfect vehicle to grab people's and government's attention for extremely important situations such as Darfur, and organize worldwide aid and support to educate about the situation, and to bring support to end such a travesty. On the negative side, however, we are being forced to adjust to a different world altogether, whether we want to or not. The concept of "Big Brother" aside, we are now living in a world where ANYTHING we do could end up on the web, and in people's consciousness, and puplic discourse. Regardless of the fact that we aren't celebrities, we have the potential to become one overnight, and not always in a postive fashion. Consider the boy who was simply recording himself in his garage in front of a rented video camera, acting out a part of a "Star Wars", using a golf club as a home-made lightsaber. His embarrassing antics ended up on the web, where he was accosted with unending ridicule. Fortunatley, this story ended happily, landing him a spot on "The Tonight Show" w/Jay Leno - but couldn't it also have turned quite sour, ending instead with massive psychological damage, or even suicide? This was a few years ago, too - with today's cell phones and other electronic device's ability to take photos and video, and with site like "You Tube" or "My Space" allowing anyone to post content to the web, the next time you act like a drunken idiot and pull your pants down, you just might find yourself a hit on the Internet.
One question remains - with technology ever increasing, and becoming available to more and more people due to falling prices and faster hardware, will this new world of a "global connected brain" fuel our creativity and increase cultural awareness, and aid us in solving crisis, finding others, and building upon our learned mistakes for a better future, or will it have instead an unforseen negative effect, curtailing any risk-taking due to fear of ridicule and mockery, and send us sprinting away from any sort of artistic expression, or even simply BBQ-ing with the neighbors, for fear of a public eye gazing down upon our existence?
Is it just me, or is it HOT?
"Experts say this will cause melting at the polar ice caps, sea levels to rise and weather patterns to change, bringing floods, famines and violent storms — and putting millions of lives at risk."
Um - does anyone else feel a bit apprehensive about this comment? This is taken from a UN report from 2001, conducted by hundreds of experts who study weather patterns, and concluded that global temperatures will (it didn't say "may", which s even more astonishing) rise between 2.5 - 10 degrees F this century, leading to the description above. And according to a new report from The Meteorological Office in London just issued, 2007 is set to be the hottest year ON RECORD, ever. Part is certainly due to the natural cyclical existence of "El Nino", a general fluxation of weather temperatures globally every few years, but the rest is undoubtedly due to the continued increase of greenhouse gases and carbon emmissions around the globe. What's more, the world's 10 hottest years ever recorded have been since 1994, and the effects are noticable in places such as Austrailia, which is experiencing its longest dry spell in recorded history.
Regardless of whether you believe in or deny humanity has a hand in global warming, for whatever reason it IS happening. What's more, we can predict with almost certain accuracy the alarming outcome to this world and our global society if this in fact reaches a temperature "past the point of no return". Massive animal extinctions, world-wide flooding, changes in weather patterns, increased droughts, floods, and more intensive hurricanes. These things have been, are, and will continue to happen, with the potential to only increase in numbers and intensities. I find it quite fascinating then, that we as a knowledgable, "aware" society, spend so much time focusing on bipartisan arguing, gay marriage, or preparing for another defense against a terrorist attack, instead of what I feel is a lack-luster approach against something that seems to be deemed a "may or may not" happen.
It may be the case that global destruction due to changing weather patterns won't happen - I can concede that. But what is the harm in erring on the side of caution? What would be the harm in investing millions, if not billions of dollars and human-hours, into combating the globes rising temperatures? The outcome would be millions of new jobs to be filled; new careers that would be created; new technologies for renewable, clean energy created, removing our crutch for foreign oil and fossil fuels; and a cleaner, healthier environment. Even if it all turned out to be "not true" (the global-warming doom), we'd still come out ahead for the time and money invested in the pursuit of combating a rising global temperature.
But if it turns out that the predictions ARE true, and we do nothing, the results will be world-wide chaos, and we would only have ourselves to blame - could we have such blame on our conscious? The writing is on the wall now for such predictions, and I feel its time to truly accept responsibility and prepare for a very different future. If you think I am overreacting, just look at the ripple-effect from Hurricane Katrina - mob-rule, shootings, lootings, millions of people w/out clean water and living spaces, disease, and a destroyed economy for the area, which affected some parts of the nation in terms of oil-refining, shipping, etc. What would happen if that same level of hurricane hit every year? What about every year, in multiple coasts around the world? How about the flooding of Japan, our east coast, and droughts in Europe and the Middle East?
A new terrorist attack, or a global pandemic of the HV51 bird-flu is not guaranteed, but global warming, whether we have a hand in the cause of it or not, is - how are we preparing for it?
Um - does anyone else feel a bit apprehensive about this comment? This is taken from a UN report from 2001, conducted by hundreds of experts who study weather patterns, and concluded that global temperatures will (it didn't say "may", which s even more astonishing) rise between 2.5 - 10 degrees F this century, leading to the description above. And according to a new report from The Meteorological Office in London just issued, 2007 is set to be the hottest year ON RECORD, ever. Part is certainly due to the natural cyclical existence of "El Nino", a general fluxation of weather temperatures globally every few years, but the rest is undoubtedly due to the continued increase of greenhouse gases and carbon emmissions around the globe. What's more, the world's 10 hottest years ever recorded have been since 1994, and the effects are noticable in places such as Austrailia, which is experiencing its longest dry spell in recorded history.
Regardless of whether you believe in or deny humanity has a hand in global warming, for whatever reason it IS happening. What's more, we can predict with almost certain accuracy the alarming outcome to this world and our global society if this in fact reaches a temperature "past the point of no return". Massive animal extinctions, world-wide flooding, changes in weather patterns, increased droughts, floods, and more intensive hurricanes. These things have been, are, and will continue to happen, with the potential to only increase in numbers and intensities. I find it quite fascinating then, that we as a knowledgable, "aware" society, spend so much time focusing on bipartisan arguing, gay marriage, or preparing for another defense against a terrorist attack, instead of what I feel is a lack-luster approach against something that seems to be deemed a "may or may not" happen.
It may be the case that global destruction due to changing weather patterns won't happen - I can concede that. But what is the harm in erring on the side of caution? What would be the harm in investing millions, if not billions of dollars and human-hours, into combating the globes rising temperatures? The outcome would be millions of new jobs to be filled; new careers that would be created; new technologies for renewable, clean energy created, removing our crutch for foreign oil and fossil fuels; and a cleaner, healthier environment. Even if it all turned out to be "not true" (the global-warming doom), we'd still come out ahead for the time and money invested in the pursuit of combating a rising global temperature.
But if it turns out that the predictions ARE true, and we do nothing, the results will be world-wide chaos, and we would only have ourselves to blame - could we have such blame on our conscious? The writing is on the wall now for such predictions, and I feel its time to truly accept responsibility and prepare for a very different future. If you think I am overreacting, just look at the ripple-effect from Hurricane Katrina - mob-rule, shootings, lootings, millions of people w/out clean water and living spaces, disease, and a destroyed economy for the area, which affected some parts of the nation in terms of oil-refining, shipping, etc. What would happen if that same level of hurricane hit every year? What about every year, in multiple coasts around the world? How about the flooding of Japan, our east coast, and droughts in Europe and the Middle East?
A new terrorist attack, or a global pandemic of the HV51 bird-flu is not guaranteed, but global warming, whether we have a hand in the cause of it or not, is - how are we preparing for it?
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