This is good

I heard a clip of Ryan Secrest on the radio talking to Madonna where Madonna was saying how Ryan reminds her of this song. I checked it out on Youtube. I want to share. This girl is cool.

Good news everyone!

The other day I was looking through things and going over some files. We have been doing official Caravan related activities (or lack there of) for over ten years. We may have mentioned this from time to time. Anyway, my point that I'm trying to make is that we're getting older. Or have gotten older as much as some of us may hate to admit it. In fact one of us is even on Medicare. Seriously.

We're not kids anymore. We've gotten organs, and gotten married, and been to weddings, and met younger brothers and new fathers, and matured, and even gotten pregnant on purpose! So as of this moment I am proclaiming us all full fledged adults! No way around it I'm afraid. I'm as shocked and disappointed as you, but there it is. We're adults. I guess we should start acting like it.

Or are we already? Damn it! I thought I had some good childish years left in me! Where's my Ps2?!

Inevitable

Everyone's either moving or helping someone else move this week so we'll have an easy question that doesn't take much thought. It's the question you should have all been expecting long, long ago, but I held off.

We don't want to know until it's born so give us your boy name top three and your girl name top three. Thanks!

And just remember if your picks don't get selected there's always other children. You could even have one if you wanted.

The Pearl's Core

Alright so I was sitting here rereading some of our posts-as is my want-and I came to last week's question and comments. Nate said that growing up is like being a pearl with new experiences being constantly laid down and wrapped around around mind and personality. As you grow and mature the surface of you changes and you yourself notice changes in the way you behave. The way you used to behave is still there, but it slowly gets buried as you gain new experiences.

Makes a certain amount of sense huh? Clever guy Nate, you should read his book some time. It's rather good.

Anyway, what I got thinking about is what about the core of the pearl of your mind? I've conducted many hours of informal study on personality in general and the ways people tend to follow certain patterns and fall into categories. One could easily say, and I believe rightly so, that this is because of the social conditioning that one under goes from birth and that what we see and interact with is merely the outer most layers of the person.

But what about the pearl's core? When you strip away all the layers that have been laid down over the years what's there? Are people born a certain way? Is that antisocial misfit you work with at the office that way because they were born that way or because they were layered that way? Does that bubbly and helpful girl act that way because she has an innate born instinct to be helpful and kind or did her parents simply teach her since birth?

Can a person overcome and completely bury what's in their core or will it always shine through no matter how hard they try to cover it up? Are we slaves to our cores or are we the masters?

This sucks don't you think?

Starcraft 2 is going to be coming out some time this year. As long time Caravan fans may recall Starcraft came out ten years ago when we were all sixteen. We are now all twenty six, give or take a couple of us. Before I was obsessed about this game, but now not so much. I've grown and matured and I hate it. I want to be sitting outside stores waiting for this game, but I have better things to do. I need to go to work and pay bills and help people move things and have them help me move things. I miss the days when I could be free to be an immature, self-centered teenager. Does anyone else?

So my question for the week is this, does growing up mean you have to give up on things you once enjoyed or does it mean you don't feel the same need to do those things the way you did before?

I want to want my Starcraft damn it!

Are you happy now?

Recently while I was updating our myspace page I was describing Adam and how he hardly ever smiles and when he speaks it's usually some truthful fact that no one wants to hear. It got me thinking about the Truth in general. In our modern times it seems with media spin doctors, talking heads, and politicians constantly talking at us the Truth is hard to find.

But does Truth even exist? What is Truth? We each may have Truths. Are mine the same as yours? Could Truth be something the human mind invented to make it feel safe? Is there such a thing as Truth in the world or is everything we think of as Truth merely a lie we all agreed to?

We're back

Hi everybody, we're back. Nate had to come back after a week and a half to break up with his girlfriend, but the rest of us made the distance. Rich is frothing over the new Avatar preview. He'll probably be posting something tomorrow.

On baby news, what about the name Tyler? It's a boy and girl name. We like the sound. How about you?

In the words of Marvel Comics

See you in thirty! We once again are going to be going without the internet for an entire month! I don't know how we did this last time, but we've decided to do it yet again. The big question is how are we going to keep ourselves occupied. Hipster got himself a book from the Redwall series to read. Nate and I plan on writing and working on our strength training. Adam is going to be doing whatever the hell it is he does all day. The others are going to be working and wondering why we're freaking out. They don't use the internet much anyway.

So, I guess we'll see you all in thirty days. Ta-ta!

No, thank you Alanis

Searching through youtube I found this one. I wanted to share.



Alanis was always one of my favorite artists. I love her stuff. I thought this was hilarious when I saw it. I think she's crying for the defunct women's movement.

If Ignorance is Bliss

If ignorance is bliss does that mean that intelligence is misery? Think about it. Ignorance can be blissful because you don't know or can't necessarily imagine things that could go wrong. You're happy because as far as you can foresee everything is golden. However, if you're smart enough to see what can go wrong then you're not going to be happy about it or anything in general.

Thoughts?

I've always liked Gwen

Hi Everybody! How ya all been? It's been a while since I posted. Baby production takes it out of ya. It doesn't look like we've had many good talks since I went on unofficial hiatus. Boys are so silly aren't they? Without someone who knows what they're doing they just sit around playing and talking about video games. Anyway, on with the post!

My two favorite silent headaches, Nate and Adam last summer had a informal contest on who was the most like Prince Zuko from the Nickelodeon show Avatar. For those who don't watch the show, Prince Zuko is the shows bad boy anti-hero who had a seriously messed up childhood and is less than emotionally stable. Nate managed to win the contest of sorts after a few weeks of well...stepping up his "Nate" game. I'm at this exact moment being told by my husband that Nate clinched it by walking up a mountain during a thunderstorm. Now at this exact moment I am typing with one head as the other is massaging my head.

Anyway, it seems that the two of them think of Zuko as a role model of sorts. The other boys like Zuko enough, but don't have the same fervor and zeal that Nate and Adam do. Nate dressed up and dyed his hair to be Zuko for Halloween and as you may know his avatar here is a still clip of Zuko. They love Zuko and want to be Zuko. One of the more three dimensionally messed up characters I've seen over the years and they want to be just like him.

Now while it may be obvious that they love him so much because they feel they can identify with him so much what I'd like to know and discuss is why they would want to have him as a role model. Surely, if they feel as angry and sad as Zuko does on the show they would want to have a role model that's happy and content as emulating that person could perhaps give them themselves some degree of the same.

Do we choose to be like someone who is just like us? Or do we choose our role models because they remind us of ourselves? And if we choose them because they remind us of ourselves then why bother at all if they don't inspire us to change?

We are so clever it's scary

Ten years ago Nate and I would rent games at Home Vision video. Although once we forgot to return a game for a full week and racked up quite the late fees. So we never went back. Last week we finally did and they didn't know us! We got to rent this cool Avatar game without having to pay our old late fees! All we had to do was wait ten years! We are so smart sometimes it's scary.

We'll be back to the weekly questions soon. We're still recovering from Seattle. Well, that and playing Avatar games.

Does this make us wrong?

We all just watched Crank. Ever seen it? We highly recommend it. We couldn't stop laughing. We're fairly sure it was supposed to be a comedy. Of sorts. This is post 101 by the way. Having come along around post seventy something I probably shouldn't take the credit, but I still feel proud. The others tell me I should be too. Go me.

Imperfection for Girls

Lindsay Lohan has recently posed nude recreating a Marilyn Monroe photo shoot. If you'd like to see feel free. It's okay, you can look.

Upon looking at these pictures my first guy reaction was that she looked kinda chubby and rounder than I would have expected. Although as I looked at other pictures I realized that I thought she looked that way because I, like pretty much the rest of the world's population, have been trained to think girls are supposed to be perfectly flawless thin stick figures with large chests. When I see someone that looks like a real girl my training kicks in and I think she's supposed to be thinner.

While Lindsay is quite good looking in those pictures she doesn't have that artificial look to her. Her stomach isn't ripped with muscles, her skin has freckles and marks, and while her breasts are large they don't have that gravity defying perk to them. Also her hips, god forbid, have flesh over them.

I say good for Lindsay. Being trained too, most likely more so as a Hollywood girl, she must feel the constant pressure to be thinner, perkier, and all around more boringly "perfect". Letting these pictures of her body go out is a step in the right direction for the world being untrained. As I find myself saying a lot imperfection is so much more interesting. If I want a Barbie I'll go visit Nate at KB and buy one.

Hi folks!

A full update after a good night's sleep. Nate seems very happy to see us.

God, I'm bored

They've taken off for the week, but I stayed behind. With the weather Hipster, Kate, and Rich went out Sunday morning before the next storm hit so they could be sure they didn't stuck here all week. Dragonrane, Adam, and Shawn left this morning.

So here I am, alone, sitting in my basement by the lackluster fire in Albany NH for the next week. Mandy's car is broken again and she has doctors appointments anyway so I probably won't even get to see her. God, this is going to be boring. I was at Shaws today and a Backstreet Boys came on and I instinctively turned thinking I was going to see Hipster starting to dance, but no. I went to Music for Less and found the next season of Full Metal Alchemist and was all excited that me and Rich would have something to watch, but then I remembered. I still bought the Full Metal of course, but I'll have to watch it alone now. I don't even have to go to work at all.

This sucks.

Give us a week

We're heading out Monday to my mother's wedding. While we can do this from anywhere, we'll be taking a break from it for the Seattle fun. We'll be back next week. See ya's then!

Still

For the record, Final Fantasy 6 is still the best game ever. I've played a few more games since I said this statement a couple years ago, but FF6 is still the top. Just wanted to mention.

Oh you didn't know? You better call somebody!

I want to share this. I felt the need.

cuz this is thriller!

On Jan 19, 2008 8:24 AM, James Quinn <hipsterjq@gmail.com> wrote:

Alright guys! My mom's wedding is Feb 14th and I say we learn how to dance thriller! Who's with me? Adam, your dance skills will be greatly needed! We need to show those west coast people how we roll up in north conway. Who's with me?!

-Golden Sun

so, let me get this straight, not only am i going to spend the next three weeks learning how to dance like michael jackson, but then i'm going to have to fly to seattle and dance in front of a large group of people i've never met.

whatever, where do i sign?

-K

------------

I don't plan on flying to Seattle, but I'll dance during rehearsals for fun. I'm sure you'd pull me in even if I said I wouldn't so I might as well go with the flow on this.

-Darkened Prism

---

The west coast won't know what hit them. Can I get the back though? I suck at dancing.

-Rain of Lightning

-------------

I think the Mrs. and I are going to sit this one out. She's not in the mood for dance numbers and I'm working these days a lot. sorry man. But if you need any help with anything I'd have expertise on you just say the word.

-Shawn

---

Rich and Nate have two left feet and Thriller isn't the shortest number we could learn in three weeks. We better start practicing...yeah.

-Truthful Shadow

What's your theme for the year?

Now that we're a week into 2008 and we've had time to get over 2007, what do you plan on doing this year? Or perhaps, we plan on doing nothing. It will be the special kind of nothing though that we excell at so much won't it? So whatever we plan or don't plan what will the song that sets the tone for the year for the each of us? Mine



I'm setting my sights on a calm relaxed tone this year. Getting all angry at life is getting tiresome for me. While I'm sure I'll still get pissed now and then I'm going to try to just chill.
I'm in no big rush. I just want to relax.

A surprise phone call

I was woken up this morning at Caravan House by the phone ringing. It was 11 and everyone else was gone doing chores or at work so I had to wake myself up and get it. Of all people it was my semi long lost sister. Seems my mother's boyfriend proposed to her new years. She said yes, so my sister and I are going to have a step father. Susanna (sister) also informed me that the guy was married before and has a nine year old son named Ben. We get a new brother too.

Once I had woken up more and it sunk in that I'm going to have the little brother I've always wanted I got thinking about what makes family family. I think of my fellow Caravan-ers as brothers and sisters. Are family whoever you feel close to or is it only who the state has papers saying you're family? Should we tell Ben that you guys are his brothers and sisters too or should it just be me and Sue? If I consider you guys my brothers and we have no blood relation why shouldn't he consider you brothers too?

I mean what only child ten year old in his right mind wouldn't want to wake up one morning and suddenly have eight super cool older brothers and sisters?

Lord Defalco

Nate won the lord contest. It was by a good margin too. I can't help but think that by getting a girlfriend the exact day it started was somehow part of his plan. It was also the six month wedding anniversity of Dragonrane and Boykind, Adam and Kate's six month anniversity, and his year and half anniversity. If he did somehow plan all this he deserved to win.

So as of when I log off and let him take the computer Nate will be changing his name here from Mike to Lord Defalco. 2007 has been a good year for us. The best part of which was the addition of Kate, Alisha, and hopefully soon Mandy. The latter of the three we just haven't gotten around to sending the invite too, but we will be doing so soon.

We look forward to another great one in 2008! See you all soon!

Happy Birthday Honey

Happy Birthday Dragonrane! She's finally joined the quarter century club. Happy birthday!

Lord?

After we tried out rocking each other last week my good buddy and caravan brother Mr.222 decided we should have a contest amongst ourselves. A competition to end all competitions! We are calling it a King's Moot. I am told in a fantasy book series Mr.222 reads this is what one of the more badass kingdoms does to decide their next ruler. Kate and Dragonrane are calling it "Dorkout '07". I like our name better.

How it will work is whenever one of us achieves a victory of any type we assign it a point value on a scale of one to ten. One being you delivered a clever one liner while food shopping and ten being you saved the cheerleader from Sylar and thus saved the world. We have a chart all ready to chronicle and keep score. The contest started yesterday and will end midnight the 31st.

Whichever one of us wins shall earned the title of Lord. This would apply to all names be they real names, nicknames, nobody name, or Gallant Fraternity name. I would be Lord Hipster or Lord Quinn. Even Lord Jimbo if I so wished it...and I would.

Currently, Nate is in the lead. He got a five yesterday. One of us will try to leave a comment everyday to give you updates. Ta-ta everyone!

Locking Them Away Wouldn't Help

Kate and I were hanging out together the other day. We left the boys at the 'Caravan House', as they're now calling it, and went to do a little Christmas shopping and grab some coffee. When we came home no one was around and we heard music blaring from the upstairs. We went to investigate and found all five of them in Hipster's room dancing around like idiots to the music playlist Hipster had cooked up on his computer. I regret to say my husband was shirtless, had a tie around his head, and was using two wooden spoons like drumsticks. In some cultures I understand I could use this as grounds for a divorce.

Even Adam and Nate were playing along. Adam had a broom like a guitar in a powerslide and Nate was using a snapple bottle like a microphone. Hipster had started it of course then my hubby and Rich joined in and I guess Nate and Adam thought it looked like fun.

As Kate and I have yet to get a good explanation of what exactly what was going on or why it was going on, I felt if I asked here I may get a better answer. So, what exactly were you guys doing? Since when do you guys dance? Or whatever you thought you were doing?

Remember Yesterday? Spongebob Doesn't....

Well folks, we here at the Caravan caved and gave in to those dark urges telling us to go on Youtube and watch the Avatar episodes that won't air for another two weeks. Does that make us weak? Maybe a little, but we're okay with that. Because they were the coolest episodes ever! My mind is still blown from the events I witnessed through the wondrous media of internet television.

Now, Avatar:The Last Airbender is a show on Nickelodeon. It's supposed to be a kids show, but we, the Caravan, all of us in our mid twenties watch and love the show. What we love about it is that the characters will act and talk as though they remember what happened to them in the last episode. It gives a sense of realism that you don't find in many if any cartoons these days. There are some shows where characters are stagnant, unevolving cardboard cutouts that don't act like they remember what happened to them five minutes ago.

Avatar however, does know what happened five minutes ago. The characters evolve and grow as they experience their various adventures and trails. This not only entertains, but teaches. Say, if a character betrays his loving uncle simply try to win the love of his soulless father and then later regrets it and does the right thing, it teaches the youngins' that making mistakes isn't the end of everything and that one should take responsibility for your actions even if there's going to be negative consequences.

One can not teach these lessons if characters are amnesiacs. Without memory there can be no learning, no teaching. Children's shows need to stop treating children like little babies. Last time I checked the rest of the world wasn't. If children are going to be getting their life lessons from television we should at least be trying to teach them good ones.

Elect This Guy President

I'd like to be voting for someone who has some intelligence and isn't so afraid of public opinion that he has to lie all the time and tell us what he thinks we want to hear. I respect can respect that kind of person.

Theme Music

What should the official Caravan of Insanity theme song be? It would have to be something cool, catchy, and mildly bad ass to give people the sense of who we are and what we do and represent. Something that you can see as used as the music to a music video of carefully chosen stock footage of our years and victories. Or perhaps if you can't find good clips, a simple slide show treatment. Either way, what should our theme song be?

I vote the Mute Math song Typical.
In fact I think our artists should create a caravan slide show using that song. I'd help direct.

Edit-The song is question. If you have a different choice post in comments.

Men and Ad Executives are Pigs...and Dumb

Watching Adult Swim the other night I caught an ad for Trojan condoms. They show a bar full of giant pigs at tables and one or two women looking around acting afraid. One of the pigs goes into the bathroom and buys a pack of Trojans from the vending machine and transforms into a man. A man who, by the way, looked better as a pig. Where do they get these guys?

Anyway, the now man looking man walks back into the bar and starts chatting with one of the women, who he shouldn't a chance with as a man or a pig. The tag line comes on saying how guys can evolve from pigs by using condoms.

This is the stupidest ad I may have ever seen. I can only assume that no women were present when this ad campaign was being thought up. I've got a news flash for all you guys out there. We women don't call you pigs and dogs because you don't use condoms. We call you that because all you want is one thing from us. Like a pig only wanting the next meal or a dog only wanting the next piece of meat. You ignore everything about the rest of who we are and just go after our bodies. You think of us as conquests and things to be claimed and won. Once you've got what you want from us you move on to the next conquest. Just like a pig or a dog that goes after the next meal once it's done.

If you boys really want to evolve try talking to us while looking at our eyes instead of our chests.

Deathnote

Hi everyone, this is my first post that's not a comment. Let's stop and appreciate that.
Thank you.

I've taken up reading the manga "Deathnote." The idea is that there's a notebook dropped on Earth by death gods that when you write someone's name in it they die. There's conditions and details to it, but that's the basic concept. In the manga a young, bored kid finds it and decides to make a perfect world by killing criminals.

If you found a notebook like that would you use it? Obviously, no one would ever really know except you. No one would ever come after you and punish you. Or if this idea gets you too squeamish, what if you had a notebook that whatever you wrote would happen? It didn't have to be about killing. It could be whatever you wrote. Would you use that kind of power or would you push it away?

Does happy equal boring?

The last couple months, ever since our post on scars, Nate and Adam have been hinting at this idea. As you long time readers and friends of ours may know Nate and Adam are not the happiest, go-luckiest duo you'll ever meet, but they insist (and they may have a point) that this is what makes them interesting and unique.

So if we assume for the sake of discussion that being miserable and having scars makes you interesting then does this mean that being happy makes you boring? Can someone who has never had anything bad happen to them be interesting? Or are happy, pleasant people doomed to live a bland bored existense?

Happy 10th Us!

It was roughly ten years ago that Shawn, Adam, Rich, and I started the first incarnation of this shindig we call The Caravan of Insanity. Being fifteen year olds it was weird and didn't make a whole lot of sense, but it was fun. We don't remember the exact date, but we're fairly confident it was in late September early October. We took about three years off from 01-04, but just because we weren't on the internets doesn't mean we weren't around. So we have been doing our Caravan thing for ten years! I hold the honor of being one of the original four. Good times, good times.

So my Caravan brothers and defacto sisters inlaw, what has been your favorite Caravan moment from the last ten years?

Nightmares and Dreamscapes

When checking my email this morning (no one ever writes to me...I hate you all) my eye was caught by a blurb on Yahoo saying it explained what nightmares were caused by. As I have all sorts of nightmares I gave the blurb a look see and it turns out that nightmares are our minds way of dealing with mental and/or emotional trauma. Some might say for me that makes perfect sense, but what about others? What kind of nightmares, if any, do you have and what do you think causes them?

I LOVE FALL

Each year I forget how much I love the fall. It's maybe better that way as it makes it extra special when I remember. Tuesday the Earth season of Avatar comes out on DVD. All our favorite shows are coming back for more fun filled fun. Avatar's third and final season begins September 25th, House comes back soon, ER, Heroes, it's just getting better and better! Fall is by far the best time of year.

And what of games? Surly Mr.222, he who is known as the Rain of Lightning, the Carrier of the holy Mind Lightning, servant of the great Lightning God, and Ravager of Squaresoft must be playing a game. I'm playing the greatest game ever. The game that makes me feel alive.

I'm playing Jak 2.

Jak 3 was good too, but not quite as good as Jak 2.

In fall we can start picking out christmas presents for each other. My birthday is about a month after christmas. Kingdom Hearts 2 Final mix+ should be out by then along with Avatar season 3 Fire. How can anyone hate fall when there is so much beauty in the world?

Happy 26th Kate

Today is our Kate's 26th birthday. Everyone wish her a happy birthday. Do it! My soul is a lion. I can make you do these things.

My cats know something I don't

The Golden Compass is coming out this December. I checked out the trailer and it looks pretty cool. The web site also had a game/test to discover what animal your daemon (soul) would be.
Mine came out as Athenestia the mouse.

I'm a mouse?! How did I end up a mouse? My cats are always calling me a thumb mousie. Their reasoning be I'm just a mouse with thumbs to them. Did they know something I didn't?

Try it yourself. Movie does look fairly good. They've got actors who can act too. Should be nice.

Nate-isms

Our good buddy and proud blogging member Nate spent four days in the hospital last week on a morphine drip. He had a rather simple procedure done Friday that resulted in a blocked pancreas.
He said it was a 8 to 9 on the pain scale.

Anywho, when it was all over we had a welcome back (again) get together at the house and I got to see the post hospitalization discussion/arguement between Nate and Dragonrane. These are always enjoyable as Nate drops all the best Nate-isms.

This time his best was, "What's the point?! What difference does it make in the long run?! I'm not the most important person in the world!"

So if it's not Nate, is it possible there is a most important person in the world? A person that the world needs, but maybe doesn't realize it? Or perhaps are we all equally important? But if we're all important doesn't that mean that none of us are? What do you think?

Stand up and say hi

Well everybody in our ending quest for equality, or our never ending quest to get Dragonrane to stop nagging us, we have yet another new member. Once again a girl. Hooray for equality! Her interests include writing, journalism, and reading. She's going to be a senior in Kennett this year and her favorite subject is German. One of her favorite teachers is our old buddy Herr Weitz. Her hobbies are listening to country music, surfing the web, and feeling guilty over her bad handwriting on Christmas ornaments. I think she'll fit in fine. Everyone say hi now.

Can We and I be safe?

China plans to or perhaps already has set up a population tracking system using national ID cards that contain chips that must be with a person at all times. These chips also contain all sorts of lovely personal information such as religion, work history, where the person lives. That sort of thing.

The Government of course says it's trying to make it easier for police to clean up of crime as they can ask the satelite system where Criminal X is at that exact moment. Or perhaps where Guy Who Wants Ciivl Rights X is at that exact moment. The idea that they may be the same thing to some people isn't important. Besides that's their way of life. Who are we to impose our beliefs on others am I right?

Think how safe the Chinese people will be! Crime will nearly vanish if they pull this off. A person will never be really safe again, but what's a person to people? A person can be easily replaced, but people can't be. We need people to work the factories and keep the fires of industry burning. We need people to keep the wheels of society turning. We can't let anything happen to people.

We don't need persons anymore. We have people for that sort of thing.

Is there any place for persons in the world? Or have persons been shoved out of the way to make room for people? Can persons and people coexist or do they naturally cancel each other out?

-edit-
Here's a better way of putting my question as I posted it after a hard day at work around one in the morning. Even I don't quite know what I was talking about now. If there's a sudden plague that no one can find a cure for and people are dying everywhere from then suddenly doctors discover one single person that's naturally immune and the only way to get the cure out of the person is to kill and dissect them do we do it or do we let the person live?

Did China just ban Buddha?

The government of China has passed laws saying that living Buddhas (Dali Lamas) must get premission and approval before they reincarnate.

I...what....how....

Okay, do they expect this to actually stop the reincarnation cycle? Do they expect this to really achieve any sort of end? I realize they're trying to clamp down on Tibet and the ruling party has never liked religion, but aren't there better ways of doing it? What's the government planning on doing next week? Outlawing death and giving life sentences for it? Does this make any sense to anyone?

testing

Here's my ten cents. My two cents is free.

Tis a shame people are weak

I was checking news on drudge and found this little gem.
If people around you are fat you're more likely to be fat. Yet Another excuse for people to get overweight. Their friend puts on weight so they put on weight, which makes their friend put on weight, which makes...you get the idea.

You know guys, I love America, but I have to say I'm really starting to hate Americans. We think everything should be free and/or cheap because we're us, we're getting fatter each year and don't seem to have a big problem with it, and our reaction to the war on terror is near sickening.

Where did it all go so wrong huh? Was it the sixites? Was it the eighties? Is it too late to turn back? Can America be saved? Or better yet, should America be saved?

Happy birthday Jimbo!

Happy 25th Hipster! See ya tonight! Me and the Mr. got the cake all set.

The Truth?

Which is more fun, telling people the truth they don't want to hear right when they don't want to hear it or telling elaborate lies that they believe?

Sing it from the mountain tops!

The first DVD of the THIRD (YES! AS IN AFTER THE SECOND) season of Avatar comes out October 30! And they can't have the DVD out without showing the shows first so the third season may start sometime in mid-late September!! And take a look at this ....

YESS!!! I have to start wearing dark red and take up training with the great Fire god!
Not to say I will ignore or foresake the holy Lightning god, but being well rounded never hurt anybody.

Am I the only one who suddenly feels alive again?

A strange thought

The other night we were watching the Colbert Report (as everyone should) and he interviewed someone who had done research into physical characteristics that homosexual people had. The ones they showed during the interview were the hair will swirl a different direction and the ring finger and index finger will have certain length ratios. I'll give you all a moment to look this up and check yourselves.

Done? Good, I hope you came out the way you were hoping. Anyway, during the Colbert interview Stephen asked if this meant that homosexuality was genetic or maybe decided while the baby was still growing prebirth could that mean it could be identified and treated to be switched into a straight baby. The man reluctantly said that it was a ways away, but he didn't see why not.

But, if you could make a gay baby straight then why couldn't you turn a straight baby gay I asked myself. Then I remembered this from a month or so ago.

If we combine the two ideas what do we get? A self propagating colony of lesbians! Two women could have a baby on their own and make sure it's gay. The girls would grow up never seeing a man, but they wouldn't care because they're all gay. Their offspring would always be girls due to that neither of them would have the Y chromosome that is needed to make a boy baby, but I doubt they'd mind.

So, Kate and Natalie, if this marriage thing falls through for me which one of you wants to have my baby?

Welcome to the club!

Happy birthday Nate! Welcome to the quarter century club!

Manly men and the fathers who raised them

After reading through last week's question on scars it got me thinking about what's become of true manliness. Over the last decade or so what it means to be a man has stopped being what it should be (integrity, honor, standing up for others, etc..) and has transformed into something horribly wrong (Viagra, Rogaine, sexual conquests, etc...) . After I had given this some thought I came to the conclusion the fault may lay with the fathers of today's generation. They were and still are our primary role models and teachers on how to properly behave and bare the brunt of molding us into the men we eventually become.

So, as yesterday was father's day, let's talk about our dads. How cool were they huh? And more importantly were they the man?

Chicks dig scars don't they?

I was enjoying my daily double dose of ER this morning when I saw an ad for children's scar remover. The six year old boy had a scar from stitches above his right eye and he was all proud to tell me mommy that there was a cream he could use to take away the scar.
When did scars become not cool? What happened to small children showing off their scars to each other because it made them look all aged and mature? Do parents not want their kids to have character anymore? Are we all supposed to be small perfect, flawless clones of each that no one can tell apart?
I don't know about you guys, but I'm proud of all my scars. Scars are signs that you've achieved something. I wouldn't give up my mine for anything. From the one on my face that stops the hair from growing out all the way to my pulsating noisy wrist and of course my foot long slash across my stomach I love 'em all. Who in their right mind wouldn't want badass scars?

Girl Power!

I am ever so pleased to announce that my name is Cassandra Ward Edwards and that our newest member's name is Kate! Or KSpyder as I believe she will be calling herself. This site is finally after all these years getting the feminine touch. Girl power! If we could get two more we'll have total equalization between the sexes.

I just looked at the word sexes and started wondering who's nobody that would be....I hate you Rich.

Site upgrading

If all goes well this weekend I'm planning on upgrading some aspects of the site. Over on Optimates they have a recent comments sidebar. If we could get that it would make things easier as we would not have to memorize the number of comments on each post to know if there's been a new comment. There's a few things I need to do first, but as I said I hope to have it up soon.
That is all.

I never liked blondes

Paris Hilton has been released from jail after five days and will spend the next 40 under house arrest with an electronic monitoring device. I'm not usually one to get upset about these type of things, but what the hell? Five days and she gets out? It's just disgusting.

ahk

Best week ever!

No question this week as we got loads of partying to do for people. Wednesday is the big day for Dragonrane and Boykind and Nate gets to celebrate not being stuck in the lovely Renal Wing of Maine Medical. I just wanted to post that video I found on youtube the other night. Who can't love that song?

Rise up and Leave

The decision on my job has been all but made for me. Boss man gave me a week off this week. I thought it was to give the others some hours, but no. It was because my performance hasn't been all that good. He said if I wanted to stay on as a part timer I could.

So there you have it everybody. It seems that my dislike of my job wasn't a big enough sign to move along. The great lightning god worked his powers through my boss. So Rich, what now huh?
I bet we could come up with some pretty good plans, but as we know life often gets in the way.
Perhaps it's time we became Chunin?

Who are you?

I was looking over the last post and this came to me. Rich said that no video games or internet robbed him of his identity, but that he feels good about it and doesn't seem to mind. So if he's not him then who is he? Who are any of us? Are we the we we think we are?

Is our identity a rough collection of what circumstances have shaped us into or is there a part of us deep down buried underneath everything that never changes and can never change? Are we always going to be us no matter what or could we be changed?

I do feel like dancing

Okay so in the last six months I have gone without video games for over a month and without internet for a month so why aren't I upset about it? I feel pretty good actually. I feel really good.
I feel great. What's up with that?

I'm the resident overly dorky guy. No video games and no internet robs me of my whole identity. So why don't I feel bad about it?

YaTa!

We did it! We all went an entire 30 days without going online at all! We rule! Give us a couple hours to come up with a question. We're sure to have one stirring in our heads.

Break

Mr.222 and I have decided to take a month off from the internet. The others have decided not to go on either. This site will not be updated till 5/20, unless our new member posts something.
He and I are falling behind on our schedules of things to do and thought this might help us catch up.

He also enjoyed how nice it felt to do something he hadn't done in a while after his video game diet last November and December so he thought he'd give another go. We'll see you in May!

New Member!

We have a new member! A girl even. I know somewhere Dragonrane is jumping for joy. I think I speak for all of us when I say we look forward to discussions here with you In. Gadget. Welcome!

Crossroads

Security and safety or the unknown, adventure, and potential glory? Keep in mind that glory and adventure can be rewarding, but they don't keep the lights on.

Happy Birthday Adam!

Happy birthday Adam! A full quarter century. Scary thought ain't it?

Evil Revisited

Okay everyone, Nate found this site while surfing that talks about how we each have an inner nemesis that's the embodiment of all our hidden wants, desires, and dark impulses that we are scared to reveal because they might be not in line with who we want to be as people. What's more is that this person/thing is our complete equal and opposite. It's also the opposite sex.

So according to this there could be a girl version of me that's sole purpose is to do and say all the things I'm afraid to do and say and presumably attempt to seduce me to be like her.

First off, where do I sign up? Secondly, what do I name her and what does she look like? If these things are manifestations of our dark sides that want to seduce us then they have to look like our sexual ideal so to speak. I'm not saying they're our soulmate, or what we look for in a long term partner I'm saying these things are like super insightful super models that know exactly what makes us tick and take that special dark delight in toying with us.

So, question time. What's your nemesis name, what does she/he look like, what is it they try to do, and how do you stop your sexy dark half? Or do you even want to?

Art?

AMV's or Anime Music Video's number by the thousand on youtube and other sites. Most of them are complete crap. Some of them are quite good.



Do they qualify as art? At what point does something become art? Does it matter that neither the visuals or the song were made by the creator of the video?

I chose this one because Nate likes it so much. He calls this song his dialysis theme. If you listen to the words you can guess why. I have to say I dig it too.

I just want to dance!

The solution to the tango problem was this. Boykind and Dragonrane have different schedules and the only real time they spend together they like spending relaxing and hanging out with the rest of us. There is little time for tango lessons. So how do they learn to tango?

They get me to teach them. Rich volunteered, but a little too loudly for Boykind's tastes so I was tapped for the mission. I have more experience with the type of precision movement that it takes so on Dragonrane's days off I dance with her and then I dance with Boykind on his days off.

The other three are undecided if I do his or her part better. That's why we haven't been posting this last couple weeks. We just want to dance.

Nice simple picture

Hey guys, if you gave both of them in the picture hair cuts and who does this remind you of?

Wedding Question

I want to wear a dark red nearly black dress and at somepoint during the dancing do a tango to Freak on a Leash by Korn. Other parties want something shall we say...more traditional. How completely cool would my idea be? And isn't my day too?

The song in question.

As far as what would people think for god's sake we call ourselves the Caravan of Insanity! I may be the little heard voice of reason around here, but that's just because of what I'm up against. I swear there are times when the Unabomber could be the voice of reason with these guys.

I'm not saying I want a complete insane overly goth wedding. I'd just like some touches that show our personality. I'm all on board for the Filter songs. Really.

There's no time

Daylight savings time (a useless thing to begin with) is being pushed ahead because people think
it will do something. What the fuck?! Thoughts...

The Gays

Tuesday I went with Nate to his month checkup. The receptionist had a soap opera on (Passions, if you're curious) and there in one of the scenes there was a guy getting out of the shower and talking to someone in bed. The person in bed was under blankets and wasn't talking so you couldn't see or know who it was. I'm sure the shocking truth will come out during sweeps.
The shower guy starts talking and we discover the person in bed is another man. Shower man starts explaining how this was just about sex for him and he can't return Mr. Bed's feelings. He goes on to explain how this is the last time and love can only exist between a man and woman.
He might have talked about how he needed to refocus on his wife or girlfriend nurses were talking a lot so I missed some.
First off, how much was that guy in denial huh? Perfectly okay with having sex with another guy, but acts like he's not gay? What's up with that? Secondly, and more to my point, I want to talk about gay people. Not being gay or having any gay friends I admit I may be sheltered.
Are people born gay? Are they made gay by upbringing or circumstances? Is there a definate line someone has to cross in order to be considered gay? Should the drunk college girl who makes out with other drunk college girls for fun be considered gay and the lonely girl who sits in the back during math and secretly wishes she could kiss the girl up front but never acts on it not gay? Is love love whoever does it or is man/woman love somehow a better type of love than man/man or woman/woman?
I hope we can actually discuss this and not just give two line platitudes. I have to say that damn soap really got me thinking. Not enough thankfully to watch it regularly though.

What was I saying again?

I was going to post something about something, but by the time I got done signing up for the
new blogger account I had forgotten. It might have something to do with Robbie Williams.
Any ideas?

Update: We'll go with this, what does phrase 'face is a map of the world' mean? It's in two songs I heard yesterday. Both songs repeat it a couple times in a row like they really want to get the point across. Also they're talking about someone of the same sex so I think it's something to admire in a platonic sense.

Cleaning up gender roles

Well everyone, I'm happy to finally let you all know that after June 6 I will be Cassandra Ward Edwards! After we get married we plan on moving out of our present place of residence, which is the nice large house we rent with Adam, Rich, and James. This morning James suddenly realized that if I move out no one will be around to clean. Yes, I do most if not all the cleaning in the house.

So today I started teaching how to clean. I began them with the bathroom. Just the shower and mopping the floor. I figure if I get through the real hard yucky stuff first they'll not be as grossed out when we get to the kitchen.

So, having said all that we now come to the question discussion part of the post. Why are women always doing the cleaning? Men will see the dirt just not care. Is it a guy thing I can never understand? When I move out with Shawn is anything ever going to get cleaned around here?

Are we running out of new?

I was looking through the sections of books at the new borders express in town and, as they tend to, a thought struck me. There seemed to be lot's of the same novel with different names.
For example, I saw at least five books with bare middrift and breasted girl on the cover about
said girl isn't normal because she deals with hidden underworld of werewolves and vampires.
Reading the backs you see that some details differ. In this one she has to stop war, this one has to find artifact, here she has to navigate old familes and rescue young boy.
Is this just a trend I'm seeing and next month it will be everything with dragons or are ideas simply becoming overused because fresh ideas are hard to come up with? I can come up with original story ideas that have nothing to do with werewolves or vampires or wizards or elves or any of that. Is it so hard to find something new?

Another plan shot

About two weeks ago I told the boys that if they gave up their $2 iced tea everyday (that's eight bucks a day, $56 a week!) and put aside the money after two weeks they would have 108 dollars they could spend on something expensive they wanted. It took a little bit of doing, but I got them to go along with it.
The first few days were fine, but then they all started headaches and acting extra grumpy and craby. We saved about $80. Mr.222 and Hipster gave in first after three days. Boykind was next a day later then finally Headmaster.
They each bought themselves an extra large snapple and explained how it was something expensive they wanted. For once I have agree. Eight dollars a day is worth them being happy.
Mr.222 has already snapped back to his usual self. He's taking a break from games to work on his chinese.
Is there a lesson here? Anyone? Anyone at all?

Commercial vs Good

I was visiting Nate at work trying to find a good cd today and I was overwhelmed by all the crap that's hyped and how good stuff is barely stocked. What's up with that? Can something still be good and commercial? And why is it 'offical good' seems to always be whiny twenty something guy whining/mumbling into a microphone? Am I just getting old? Is that it? Is that why Fallout Boy sucks? Would music be better if I was a brain dead teenager wearing black eye shadow and t shirt that said "You don't own me"?

The Absurdity Point?

I was playing FF12 last night and I felt cheapened. There's no story difficulty to this game. In the old days of RPGs there were parts where you had no idea where to go and you had to wander around for while til you either accidentally found where yo were supposed to be or remembered that vague clue some minor said fifteen game hours ago.
FF12 though has a map with a giant red X on where you should be and an explaination at the bottom of what is there.
My question. Are things being made easier for everyone on purpose by 'The Man' or am I simply reaching the Absurdity Point*?

*Absurdity Point-a point in which a person becomes so skilled and versed in something that it no longer holds any challenge. You become so good, it's absurd.
Developed in late 90's by Edmont Inc.

New Years Resolutions

Time once again to put down your new years resolutions. Mine is to paint more. I've really been slacking on that. I want to get into my high school jeans.

You know where to find me

It's December 26. I'll be upstairs in front of my Ps2 defeating the evil empire.
FF12 bitches!!!
Did you guys get everything you wanted for christmas? Considering I was there when you opened them and said how happy you were I'm going to ignore your answers and go play more video games. ta.

The Nate Knox Interview!

I interviewed Nate about two months ago. I've been busy since then and I have to say I didn't do a great job of the interview, but here it is.

Good news Everyone!

Well everyone I, Richard Edmont of the clan Edmont, vessel of the holy mind lightning, and Ravager of Squaresoft, have done it again! I was up around 1:30 last night watching Naruto episode 159 on youtube when I suddenly saw in a blinding flash of insight given to me by the great lightning god how to overhaul, revamp, and all around save the american educational system! Oh it's true...
Gather around all and hark! For these words shall be be the stuff of legends.
The Overview
We'll start with preschool. Preschool will for the most part remain unchanged. Kids will still do all the feel good preschool crap like coloring and paper cutouts, but they'll learn numbers and letters more with maybe some basic math thrown in around the end.
In kindergarten the alphabet and addition will be taught, BUT (and here's where the
brillance comes in) you start teaching kids how to learn things on their own. Example, instead of giving kids work sheet homework doing whatever they did in school you send them home with the assignment that they have to learn a fact they didn't know. It can be anything, even something as stupidly simple as their dog is three years old and likes ice cream cones. This will get them into the practice and mind set that learning doesn't have to be something boring or lame that they get only from books or school. It's crucial that you get them at a young age to think of learning as a never ending process that can happen anywhere. This will increase their natural curiousity and make them more interested in the rest of their academic careers.
You also have to assign each incoming class a guidance counselor, to work with the kids through their elementary career. Each child would meet with their counselor twice a month. I'll explain why later.
First grade through third you take their teaching up a notch from how and what they're taught now. Teachers shouldn't be afraid to try to teach thier kids something a little more difficult or go a bit more in depth because they think the kids are too young. I remember a few times over the years kids in my class being actually interested in something and asking a question and the teacher just ignoring them and saying, "You'll learn that later, don't worry about it now." Teachers should try to make things a degree above their students comfortable level, not dumb things down. Also kids only homework should be to learn two things they didn't know, again allowing it to be any stupid thing they like just as long as they learn something.
Fourth grade will be a basic skills year. The students will learn multiplication, division, reading, and writing. History and science won't be taught. Only those four things will be stressed and they'll be stressed all year. Students in this year will have what we would think of as normal homework as well as the learning something homework. By now the learning something new should be second nature to them. At the end of the year they will have a basic skills test in which they will be tested on math, reading, and writing. If they do not achieve a grade of 75% or higher they must either re do the year or take summer classes and retake the test.
Five and six grades will be overview years. Students will be given introductory courses of higher math, science, history, english, vocational, and languages. The purpose of these two years will be to let students see what they like and what they're good at. During these years students will no longer be required to go home and learn something new. They should be doing on their own by now without anyone telling them to. At the end of these two years students and their parents will have a meeting with their assigned guidance counselor to discuss and decide what sort of field of study the student wants to persue during high school. Students will be instructed to go with two, but more or less will be allowed. If a student wants to do simply general studies they can.
High school now becomes more like college. Students in a math or science class are there because they're good at it and they want to be there. Teachers can go more in depth and push their kids because everyone in the class can keep up. During my time in school there were a number of times teachers would put off tests or new material because the class wasn't getting the old material. That wouldn't have to happen. Also if a student is only taking two classes a day (e.i. a math and science) they can cover much more and much faster than anyone could under the present system. Students could reach a level or understanding in their selected field that they wouldn't normally achieve until they're halfway through college! Students who are excellent at math, but are hopeless with grammar and history wouldn't have to waste their and everyone else's time with taking a english or history class. And it wouldn't be that they don't know how to read or write at an acceptable level because they already passed the basic skills exam when they were fourth grade!
Under this system kids could more and faster than they ever possibly could under the present one. Graduating high school would be a matter of accumulating a certain amount of credits in their pre-selected fields. A student could focus on one subject
and concievablly be ready to enter the work force with college level knowledge by the time they were 16 or 17. College as an institution would almost become irrelevant and unnecessary.
The Details
Scheduling and budgeting this system would be...difficult. Teachers on nearly every level would have to be retrained and on the high school level need to be as well read in their area as college professors. Finding the teachers for this and then paying them would be near impossible. An elementary school would need at least seven guidance counselors, more perhaps depending on class size as you would want a ratio of counselor to students that allowed personal interaction meaningful.
Pushing students at an early age could in some cases could simply not work. Some children could respond and adapt to a tougher learning environment and others would need additional years of babying.
One aspect of this that could be done without any additional funding is the elementary level homework of learning something new everyday. This in fact is the most important part of the entire system. If kids can be shown at an early age that learning is discovering things you didn't know by themselves and not memorizing facts for two days so they'll pass the next test they'll be much more likely to suceed later as they never stop learning.
A public school would never go for any of this. Even the ones in Vermont and California. A private school might consider it, but they would have to start with preschoolers and go up to high school and no one would do that even if they wanted to. It would be too costly for them to even dream of making a profit. They could charge an arm and a leg, but not enough people would send their kids to make it worth the investment.
At the high school level teachers would have to not only know their material inside and out to go really into depth, but they'd also have to be interested and interesting enough to keep the students atttetion for long stetches of time. Having students that chose to be in the class would help, but that'd only get them so far. At fifteen I lived and died for Babylon 5, but even after two episodes in a row (which I still refuse to buy on DVD by the way) I was ready to go do something else.
Also, assuming a student wants to go to a private college after high school there could be some trouble if the college has core classes that think the students took classes they may have never took. What if a college required english class assumes a student took high school english classes when the student hasn't taken a english class since they were twelve? Problems could arise.
The Conclusion
As with all my genius ideas (and this one tops the keeper list people!) there are a few bugs to work out. Have no fear however, even as I write this I am coming up with solutions. Ego and joking aside I feel that this type of thinking needs to be done and a change in the american educational system and the very way we teach and learn is long over due. Our understanding and knowledge has increased so dramatically over the last few decades that it seems almost moronic to still be using the same methods we use now that we used then. In the forties and fifties for example, a teacher of biology had significantly less to teach than he or she does now. They could probably teach a single year long course on simply diseases and such and still not be able to fit in everything they wanted to.
Allowing teachers to teach kids that want to learn their given subject and cutting away students who want to not bother could be a practical solution. Students would happier because they're not taking their worst subject and teachers would be happy because they wouldn't have unhappy students. It's win/win people!
Okay, that's enough for me. I'm going downstairs to break out some cookies, open up a milk carton, and get my drink on!

Count Black Fist

Nate was telling me about this book he saw at his boss' house titled How to be a Supervillian.
Part of the first chapter was choosing a name and motivation. My name I've decided would be
Count Black Fist and I'd be doing it for power. I would employ standard thugs. You?

Spiders

I found an interesting quote while watching videos on youtube. It was a trip like I do amv for Trigun. At the beginging and end it said across the screen, "kill the spiders to save the butterflies"
at the end it added, "It's rational until you realize that by striving for it, you become a spider yourself."
Something I just wanted to share.

What happened to victory?

I saw an ad/reminder/service announcement thing saying that when you got the flu to be sure to take anti-viral medication. What the hell?! I know don't for sure if anti-virals make super viruses the way antibotics do, but that's not my issue. My issue is whatever happened to being a man? What happened to getting the flu and eating more meat until you were healthy again?

Business plans

If you had to start a business or simply come up with a business plan, what would your idea be?

Which is More Powerful?

Okay everyone, once again it's me. I seem to be doing this a lot these last fews weeks. After Much Kingdom Hearts playing and Naruto watching Mr.222 and I have a question. We have been debating it between each other and are talking ourselves in circles. We've always thought that a person's mind is the most powerful thing they can own and while emotions are all well and good they can get in the way of reasoning and accomplishing goals. However, after aforementioned game playing and anime watching, we're rethinking this stance. We'll explain in posts.

The question: Which is more powerful, the mind or the heart?

Crazy or just Insane?

There are shootings and robberies over the new Ps3. People are buying them for $600 and selling them online for as much as $3000. Do you think that people are getting too carried away? Is the ps3 really worth $600-$3000? How much is Sony to blame for all this?

As usual I am way ahead of my time

I believe This should sound familar.

I'm only happy when it rains

The Christmas season is starting.
Does anyone actually like Christmas anymore?

We now have titles!

Mr.222 and I finally figured out where the setting was to enable titles for our posts. It was in the settings section. That is all.

My question for the week got eaten or something. I don't know what happened there. Headmaster said he was trying to post stuff last night, but it wasn't working. Blogger might have been having problems.
My question this week is thus. Dragonrane isn't letting me play Final Fantasy 12 or any video games at all until Christmas. Not even so much as letting me look at freecell. My question.
Is it better to wait for something you really want and thus really like it when you finally get it and learn restraint and how to manage you needs and wants OR is it better to have something right when you want it and be happy and fulfilled?
You all can guess which position I take.

I'm doing the question even though I just did one. Dragonrane's busy on other stuff.
Michael J. Fox had a political ad during the world series in St. Louis urging people to vote for candiates that supported stem cell research.
I think that's incredibly selfish and whiny. His main reason for wanting more stem cell reseach i because he wants to be magically cured. I can respect that, but to go on tv and ask people to vote a certain way because you want to be magically cured is just self serving. What do you think?

Heros (monday at nine on NBC) is the coolest thing ever since the last coolest thing ever! Things are starting to look up for me and my kingdom of dorkdom! Heros! Avatar: the last airbender!
Final Fantasy 12!
I've set a goal for myself! I accidentally started final fantasy tactics a few days ago then saw that final fantasy 12 is coming october 31. You can't play two games at once and you can't start another before you finished the last one. So, I have eight days to beat tactics! The clock is ticking!
Have no fear! Am I not the caged lightning? Did not the ancient scrolls foretell of my victory over all things Squaresoft? The game clock says I've been playing for roughly eight hours and I'm in the second chapter with five teleporting ninja knights. I have to work all day, but by the time I go to bed Tuesday I'll be starting chapter three with five teleporting ninja knights that cure themselves whenever they get hit!
Who dares doubt the ancient scrolls?!

I was watching ER this morning and I saw an ad for a toothbrush. I could almost swear I heard it say it had an onboard computer. A toothbrush with a computer inside. Why would a toothbrush need a computer?
This week's question. Is our society becoming too technological? Are we getting too dependent and entwined in all our fancy gadgets whose only purpose is to jingle bad Justin Timberlake songs and take bad pictures of Lindsey Lohan?

This isn't the week's question. Mr.222's in charge of that this week. The following is part of an actual conversation I had with Headmaster today. I had just read on drudgereport a headline about a boyfriend cutting off his girlfriend's head and then cooking her. Yeah, I know...

Me-Did you see this man? "Man decapitates and cooks girlfriend"?
Him-No, but I can't say I'm terribly surprised.
Me-What the hell is happening to the world? Everyone's going fuckin' crazy.
Him-No, everyone's always been insane. Now we just hear about it more.
Me-Naaa...I don't know man.
Him-These things have always been going on. Husbands have always been cheating on their wives and plotting how to get rid of them with their mistresses. Mothers have always been
killing their kids because they can't take the screaming anymore. Young women have always been marrying eighty year old men for money. The only difference now is media coverage.
Me-Media coverage?
Him-Dude, we've got five 24 hour news networks on our tv and we don't even get that good big city cable. They each gotta fill all that time somehow. And don't get me started on the internet.
Me-huh.....I guess that makes sense. Who's idea was 24 hour news anyway?
Him-If memory serves the first was CNN. Started by Ted Turner.
Me-Does that make him some kind of herald of evil?
Him-I've been saying it since 96. Maybe now you'll see that when I say something it's not just because I enjoy the feeling of my lips moving.
Me-So what's the solution then? Don't watch the tv news?
Him-Listen to the radio. They only give you sixty seconds of news once every hour. That should keep you informed and mostly mentally undamaged. You'd have to listen to Justin Timberlake though, so you might want to just blow your brains out now and save yourself some time.

Here he went into the kitchen to make himself a sandwich. After a moment I heard the radio come on.

I'm watching Doom on tv right now. I know it's a sci-fi action movie, but no marine would act like these guys.

Here's the scenerio coming through your stereo. The rest of the crew has abandoned the ship via the lifepods and gotten away to a safe distance. You stayed behind on the bridge to make sure they enemy doesn't get access to the central computer. When they break down the doors and rush in
what do you say right before to set off the nuke sitting right behind you?

This week's question. Why the hell is this popular?

London Bridge

oh shit, oh shit, oh shit
when i come to the clubs, step aside
pop the seeds, don't be hating me in the line
v.i.p because you know i gotta shine
i'm fergie ferg
give me love you long time

all my girls get down on the floor
back to back drop it down real low
i'm such a lady but i'm dancing like a ho
because you know what, i don't give a fuck
so here we go!

(chorus (x2))
how come every time you come around
my london london bridge want to go down
like london london london want to go down
like london london london be going down

drinks start pouring
my speech start slurring
everybody start looking real good

the grey goose got the girl feeling loose
now i wishing that i didn't wear these shoes
it's like everytime i get up on the dude
paparazzi put my business in the news
and i'm gonna get up out my face (oh, shit)
before i turn around and spray your ass with mace (oh, shit)
my lips make you want to have a taste (oh, shit)
you got that? i got the bass

(chorus x2)

Hey everyone! Dragonrane really gets mad when it's your turn to do the weekly question and you don't. I couldn't think up a good one. How about this. What would you want to be doing while
Bitter Sweet Symphony was playing? Like if you were doing something cool and you had someone to follow you around with a boom box.
I'd want to be walking down main street with shirt on that said ' no, you the man' and giving everyone who smiled at me the thumbs up.

This week's question is inspired by a dream I had where I was fighting and killing an army of angels. I expect answers.

What song would you want playing while you were alone doing battle with angels?
What song would you want playing while you were alone doing battle with demons?

My angel song would be Perfect gentleman by Wyclef.
Demon song would be Go With the Flow by Queens of the Stone Age.

This week's question will be put forward by me. It's bit of a mix of two questions.

If you were stuck on an island what three celebrities would you want with you to help escape?

My three,
1. Nick Cage
2.Hally Berry
3.Billy bob Thorton

Think about it.

Okay everyone, we've decided that we're going to have a weekly question here and we'll take turns asking the questions. We came to this conclusion after we sent a few weeks talking around the house if you could defeat your evil self. I've come up with another good one so I'll go first.

If your body was damaged beyond repair would you want your mind transfered into an android body?

Personally, I wouldn't bother waiting for my body to be damaged and or broken. After watching Nate for the last two years I'd just skip to the robot body if I had my way. Think of all the advantges. Total memory recall, replacable parts, not to mention upgrades. I could finally achieve the dream of laser eyes. I wouldn't have to surf the internet all day I could find what I want through my wireless connection while shopping for supper.

In short, becoming a robot would quite possibly be the greatest thing that ever happened to me.

-Mr.222