What goes around...

I came across this While doing my daily news check.

An excerpt:
-----------------------------------------
"One witness told the court in Arusha in northern Tanzania that Muhimana had once used a machete to rip the abdomen of a pregnant Tutsi woman and cut out the fetus. The baby cried beside its mother's corpse before it died."
-----------------------------------------

To think that something as sickening as genocide can even happen makes my head spin.
To think that any human being could take part in it fills me with a rage that is very rarely matched.

27 rapes (I'd bet on more) and countless murders later Mika Muhimana can rot in a prison cell for the rest of his pathetic life.

To say justice has been served to the families and friends of those who died would be a lie. This in no way makes up for the acts which have been committed, However, one can't hope but feel glad that such a human being has been finally reduced to what he deserves.

also:
--------------------------
"It brings to 22 the number of people found guilty by the tribunal. Three have been acquitted and another 16 await trial."
-------------------------
16 await trial? I wonder how long they have been waiting? These acts occurred some, what? 10 years ago?

I'd vent my frustrations with the U.N. and question the way in which the tribunal runs, but as they say.. Something is better than nothing.

Clicky clicky.

I went out and finally got a new digital camera yesterday.

After a bit of research and some hands on time, I settled for the Canon PowerShot SD300 Digital Elph.

It was either a higher end 4 megapixel or a low end 5 or 6, and since most would be hard pressed to even tell the difference (I don't print or blow up my photos) I settled for this.

Not only is it one sleek looking camera, it's incredibly compact. Smaller than an Ipod, which is pretty remarkable considering it's a camera producing some awesome looking images.

I'm still nerding out over all the features and modes, but I'm sure I'll get the hang of everything eventually.

Here are some quick shots of random stuff. (compressed and size reduced, of course)

The dog

Part of the backyard.


"You may know kung fu, but you're still a fairy."

Went and saw Kung Fu Hustle with the guys.

Fucking great movie. Hilarious and action packed, not to mention fricken crazy.. like off the charts crazy. You've just got to let yourself go and enjoy the ride. There is no other way.

My kind of stuff. Again, much love for the foreign films.

I figure It's time for a spot of Warcraft and then bed time.

Free like the wind

I just finished watching House Of Flying Daggers (Shi mian mai fu) and I have to say, it is one fantastic film.

It is filled with an incredible amount of beauty, even simple scenes are just FILLED with colour, add to that some of the most Brilliant cinematography I've seen, as well as complex and intense fight scenes and you've got a hell of a movie.

It is similar to Crouching Tiger and from the director of Hero...Just, a whole lot better, I think.

After watching something like this, I realize it's getting harder and harder to have to settle for the generic crap some Hollywood studios push on us.

Some argue these "martial arts" films offer nothing but style, though I have to disagree.... The Funny thing is, a film like this could get away with that and still be better than most other films being released these days.

foreign films that are as fanastically made as this deserve to be seen and praised.

Oh, Germany...

You amuse me

I'm just curious as to what kind of person would be a willing participant. I mean, death is death and all, but I could think of a million other ways I'd want to go.

At least he got a piece.

Something about nothing.

I'm amazed at how hot it is outside at the moment.

It's like 23 or 24...In April...In Alberta. That's pretty impressive. It is the first time, in a very long time where I've actually stood outside and said to myself "I'm hot...too hot".

Oddly enough, I think it's making me miss winter already. I'm the type that would rather be too cold than I would too hot.

Oh well. I'll be wearing shorts soon enough, I think.

Finished the first Sin City book, or "graphic novel" if you're the type who feels the need to distinguish the two.
It's titled "The hard goodbye" and covers the whole "Marv" part of the film.
Brilliant stuff, Kind of surprising just how much the films took right out of the book. Surprising and awesome, I suppose. It's well written and has a great art style.

I'll be tracking down the rest, I'm sure.

I'm in love.

I met her months ago, since that day I've stayed up into the early morning hours playing with her, getting to know her.

I've gotten into this routine where I need to see her everyday or something feels terribly off.

Her name is World of Warcraft

For those not in the know WoW is a "massively multiplayer online RPG" in which you create a character, choosing from several classes and races and then proceed to go on adventures and quests.


I cannot describe how incredibly addicting this game is. Roaming the beautiful looking environments and killing baddies in order to level up or find rare items is just a small part of the fun. There is just so much to do and the game is just SO alive with other players and characters. It's just like another world to live in.

With two characters combined (a Level 34 human warrior and a level 23 undead Rogue) I've amassed slightly over 5 days of gameplay time, and I'm not even close to tiring of it yet.

It's THAT huge


Some people have drugs or alcohol as addictions, but I think I've found mine in something else.

I just wish my friends Ryan and Trevor Would/could join me.

Maybe one day.

Now if you'll excuse me... My love awaits.


scrobbling

I recently found out about this cool site and program which allows you to track what songs you've been listening to and display for others to see. It also gives you suggestions based on what it receives and you can add friends to compare, etc.

It's actually pretty cool.

http://www.audioscrobbler.com

Just check the download section, or the help section if you must. It's easy to get up and running and is completely automatic.

check my page out here: http://www.audioscrobbler.com/user/Lewer/

post your page if you've got one and I'll add you to my list.

Everybody dies

Went and saw The Amityville Horror yesterday afternoon. It was pretty good, as far as horror movies today are concerned.

Nothing real special or scary, but worth seeing, I'd say. Especially if you are a horror film buff, like myself.
Although, saying that, it's kind of puzzling that I've never seen the original version. I think I will set out to do that, though.

One complaint about the film, and about a lot of films today though is this:

Why on earth do we always have to settle for the "happy ending"? I'm seriously downright sick of it. Some films can pull it off and not let the end result appear too contrived, but jesus christ, I swear to god if I ever make a film, and it is a horror film...everybody will die. The bad guy will win.

Anyone that hasn't seen The Amityville Horror and doesn't want a "spoiler" (it really isn't) can stop here.

Nobody dies. We see no deaths (aside from the flashbacks, but they don't count). I'd say the movie would have been 86% cooler, better and more chilling if the main character, while possessed, had killed his entire family.

It could have ended how it started, and would have been easier for me to swallow.

Oh well. You know Hollywood.

Oh! How the Dogs Stack Up

I've been having a complete lack of imaginative thoughts lately.

I've got close to 10 short stories and a few crappy poems, as well as countless little ideas laying around that are all unfinished.

Some of these suckers date back over 2 years, it's insane. Some are very close to being done or good enough to call done, but, well, you already know the rest.

I've got little notes scribbled down on scraps of paper, and they decorate my room. If anyone picked them up and read 'em, they might think I was crazy.

Eventually I'm sure I'll get inspiration, it always comes at the strangest times, hence the notes, as I'm usually nowhere near a computer.

Two random, but similar thoughts:

1. The new Weezer song is one of the most god-awful things I've ever heard.

2. Almost as bad as that newest Robin Black song, or any Robin Black song. Jesus Christ where do they come up with this shit? And why do people seem to like it?

It's no wonder I usually avoid Much Music like I do playing in traffic. The time I do turn it on, I'm treated to those two songs back to back, and the only thing worse than the songs are the horrible videos made for them.

good work, guys.

One of those days...

Everything today has felt immensely trivial. Everything I have done, everything that I've said, everything I've felt, that has been said to me or of me.

Trivial.

Which is weird. Sometimes I'm of the mind-set that nothing is trivial.

I don't believe that right now.

There's just this feeling like a massive wave of unimportant crap all around me.

Oh well, 99% of Blogs are people bitching about pointless (hey, trivial) things. I guess it's all too easy to fall into that.

Waking up.

Yesterday I went out and did my weekly DVD browsing thing. I picked up a movie which had been on my "want to see" list for some time.

That movie is Hotel Rwanda. A movie based on the true story and life events of Paul Rusesabagina, a hotel manager who sheltered and saved over 1000 refugees as well as his own family, from the Hutu militia.

To say this movie is "good" is an understatement. This is one of the most profound, emotional and downright powerful things I have ever seen.

It certainly is an eye-opener, in the way that it more or less pulls your eyelids right off, not allowing you to return to the way you were before you saw it.

the genocide that took place in 1994 saw over 1 million (yes, MILLION) people die. This event was more or less ignored by the rest of the world.

Genocide and mass murder on a scale such as this are enough to make the stomach turn, but one has to ask if ignoring it completely is any less sickening.

I will not lament any further on such events, or the complete ignorance of 90% of the Western world, but it goes to show you just how easily people can turn a blind eye.

I think anyone reading this would be well advised to know that such crimes continue even today in Sudan.

Over 300,000 lives of innocent Africans have been lost, thousands if not millions more have been left homeless and starving to death by government backed AND funded "Janjaweed" Militia's consisting of Arabs who systemactically rape, murder and destroy.

I will not pretend to be an expert on the subject, but I've set out to educate myself and already, can see that this has to be stopped. To deny people, any people, the right to life and peace is wrong. To sit back and pretend it isn't happening or that it will go away is just as wrong.

Learn. It must be stopped

Apple ssssshmapple

I bought an iPod a year and some months ago, and while I wouldn't say I regret it entirely, I certainly wish I'd have waited for a different product. I like it for what it is... an mp3 player with a ton of space.

There are no other reasons. In fact recently I've become annoyed at Apple and the people who constantly suck their dicks.

"cutting edge" they say, "sexy looking" they claim.

"overpriced and overrated!" I reply to all of them.

See, Apple has this kind of thing going for them, it's like an image, like a projection of "cool" and "hip" they try and desperately cast over their products.
So many people subscribe to this image, and to be honest it makes me sick. It's about all they can use to sell products, it seems.

Sure, it's all a matter of taste at some point, but I look at an iMac and I see nothing appealing. Not a thing.
I don't care that it's three inches thin (or whatever) I don't care that it's white (what's the deal with that anyway) But they do... And you know why, so they can charge you a shitload of money and call it "modern living"

or, my favourite "Technology Democratized" What the fuck ever.

Some people own a Mac for the sake of it. Cool, whatever.

But others who own them as a status thing, or even view them as such are twisted.

It's clever marketing, I'll give them that. Unfortunately, that's all it is.

This is about Apple and what is on the outside, mind you. I'm not debating whether or not an Apple is a quality computer (that, I could not care less about). It's also not a PC versus Mac thing, cause god knows, I've got plenty of beef with windows and the PC side of the world, too.

People who defend Apple products as "hot", "sexy"and especially "modern" and such are, I'm willing to bet, the same people who follow fashion trends and other such bullshit.

The same people who need to be on top of everything. Or, the same people who need flashy shiny new things.

Bah, I say, give me a black or grey box anyday. I prefer an unassuming look. Always will.

I'll keep my iPod because it does what I want it do, but I'm thinking maybe I'll spray paint it or plaster it with stickers.

PS. that scroll wheel can suck it, too. Yeah, that's real functional. Dipshits.

Dear, _____ with love.

U2: give it up already. What, do you guys make a new album every week?

Collective Soul: Please take another extended hiatus. ASAP.

Matchbox 20: learn how to not make all your songs sound the same. Also, make them not suck, please.

50 Cent: just stop.

Blink 182: you guys are not funny. Immature jokes in songs are not funny. stop making music.

Britney Spears: Stop faking it. Learn how to sing or just become a (horrible) actress. I'm amazed people pay to see you live.

Barenaked ladies: "catchy" stupid sounding songs are overdone. Try something different next time. Or better yet, don't try at all.

your friend,
-Dan

So long, Pope.

You know, I'm constantly annoyed by people who act a certain way, only because they think they should or are told they should.

When somebody dies, we're told the proper thing to do is to grieve, is to be respectful because, hey they ARE dead and they of course, deserve our respect.

Funny thing is, if you can't earn my respect while you are breathing my air, you aren't going to earn it in death.

I'll be honest, I do possess sort of a "sick" sense of humor...Maybe just a little twisted. The bottom line, though, is that when I feel the need, I do indeed say what I want. Because I can. Everyone should be given the right.

I was at work and a few of us started talking about the pope and his death. In more than one way I made it known that I simply did not care. This offended not only the people I was talking directly to, but a person who had simply been listening in to what I had been saying.

all she said was "not within earshot of me."

Which I ignored. I could tell she was a little offended. That's fine.

In the same vein, am I allowed to be offended when I turn on my local news and hear nothing about other world events because of the pope dying? am I allowed to be offended when I hear about yet another one of the pope's Cardinals molesting an innocent child?
or the fact that he, in his life, forgave such acts?

Am I? do I need permission?

No.

The truth is I did not know the pope, I am not religious in any way shape or form. Hell, I'd go so far as to say I'm the least religious person you might ever meet.

So the pope and his life (and now, his death) meant nothing to me, nor do the thousands who weep and cry for him.

There are people dying all over the world. Everyday, every second. I'd just as soon shed a tear for some stranger dying of cancer or yet another civilian from Iraq getting torn to shreds by those oh so well known American bombs than I would for a "holy man" who was placed on a pedestal by members of some over-blown and overzealous cult.

Have I lost my ticket to heaven, yet?

Annnnnd, it was worth it.

I had my doubts all along (I'm that kind of guy)

But Sin City is fantastic. Absolutely amazing in some ways.

First, it provides a massive amount of eyecandy. Being shot almost entirely in black and white, but havving certain elements coloured is just COOL to look at. End of discussion.

So much style. It's like a whole new kind of art in movies.

People talk about comic book films and how the translate to film (mostly poorly) but this movie IS a living comic book. From the previously mentioned colour tones to the characters and the way they speak to themselves (think "thought" bubbles) The only thing missing are frams seperating each scene. Excellent.

Awesome characters, awesome music, awesome action (plenty of gore and brutality) and awesome ALMOST naked Jessica Alba.

go see it.

Oh yeah...I think I'll be dreaming about this tonight: