4/20 Hypocrisy

[Unedited]

Right. So, today, as most anyone with a high school education knows, is the unofficial stoner holiday, 4/20. I'm not gonna get into my own use, nor will I talk about how it should be legalized. Pardon the pun, but those are arguments with no need of re-hashing. No, I'd rather like to rant about how fucking annoying people are about this day.

So, let's get started with the obvious- there are going to be people out there who do not want to smoke marijuana. That's a given with most anything- vegans, the "straightedge" movement, and people who refuse to shop at Wal-Mart are all pretty common examples. It's not for everyone. Again, that should be painfully obvious- despite the all-too-common argument against decriminalization, everyone in the world isn't going to blaze before work or take a bong rip before walking down the aisle if weed is legalized. There will always be people who, for whatever reason, do not like marijuana.

There. That's taken care of. Now, down to business.

I've noticed that, in the days leading up to (and including) April 20th, more 4/20 related statuses have been popping up on Facebook, tweets about it are rampant, and bloggers/news outlets are jumping on the pot hype. The annoyance isn't with dissenters; I'm comfortable with people standing up and saying "No, I don't really want to smoke. It's not my thing." My problem is when every other update on Facebook is "______ liked "I Will Not Be Smoking Pot On April 20th - 4/20" or "________ all this 420 shiiiat is super annoying. please refrain from talking about how much weed you're smoking today, no one carrreeees."

I get it. You don't think smoking weed is cool. Fine. But when, out of my 222 friends, exactly one stoner posted, where at least 15 non-smokers did things like what I mentioned above, I feel a bit of hypocrisy. The lone smoker posted, early in the day, this exact message: "happy 420 everyone be safe and don't let PD get you".

Happy 420. Be safe. Don't do something stupid and get caught. That's his entire message. Nothing about how much weed he was going to smoke, nothing about the parties going on, nothing about legalization. He was presented with a current reality- one where smokers are persecuted and prosecuted-, and reminded fellow smokers to be careful, and to not attract unnecessary attention. THAT'S FUCKING IT.

Everyone else that popped up in my News Feed was talking about how they'll never smoke marijuana, how 4/20 is a bullshit holiday, how stoners are worthless jobless lowlifes, etc. Right. I could list off the countless list of celebrities, businessmen, and so forth that smoke, but that too has been overdone. Everyone knows Steve Jobs and Bill Gates smoked. They just refuse to accept that, in time, marijuana will overcome the negative stigma it has accrued from political agendas and corporate lobbying and be legalized.

Until then, it appears that every self-righteous asshole with an opinion is going to loudly proclaim how proud they are about not smoking and judging those of us who do. To you, the judgmental asshats for which this post was written, I should kindly ask you to refrain from bashing those who live a different lifestyle than you, when no harm befalls anyone directly because of their lifestyle. I would, but I know you will simply leave flame-bait comments or try to argue things I've specifically said are not the topic of this note.

So, instead, I will kindly tell all of you to SHUT THE FUCK UP. I don't go around screaming about how I'm Atheist on Christmas and Easter, so do me a favor and stop being so fucking self-absorbed for a second and let us have our day.

Peace, in whatever form it may find you in.

-Andrew

I Think It's Time for a New Post on Here

I haven't slept well these last few nights. As a result, I've had a lot of thinking time. So, in my darkened room, I sit, covered in blankets, legs crossed, music playing, and going over the last 6 years of my life. In that time, I think I've come to a very important- and very depressing- conclusion: I don't want to be happy.

Looking back over the last 6 years, one thing rose to prominence. I realized that, in lieu of allowing myself to be happy for an extended time, I subconsciously sabotage almost everything that could make me content. From relationships to events to achievements, I never allow myself to be happy. I initially rejected metal as banal, bland, and worthless, and if you know me you know that that my discovery of metal is the turning point in my life. It changed who I am and will stay with me until I die.

I've asked myself "Why?" many times over the last few nights, and have yet to come up with a solution. Hopefully one will come soon, because I don't think my body can take another night of fitful and shallow sleep.

Idiocracy Is Right (But Not Why You Think It Is)

XKCD, one of my favorite webcomics, ran one about a month ago called "Idiocracy" after the movie. Basically, it "shows" that the movie is laughably incorrect, in that the general populous is not getting dumber; rather, the standard for "intelligent" is getting higher, dragging the "mediocre" benchmark up with it. While many of these comics are delightfully insightful, witty, or otherwise engaging, this one got me thinking, and I have my rebuttal.

Quite simply, you are correct; the standard for intelligence has gone up- quite drastically, in fact. Someone I know put it thusly; "2000 years ago, you were a fucking genius if you could read or write". The average intelligence hasn't gone up or down, but rather the perceived brilliance of individuals has become more obvious. The problem with the argument is that the requirement for average intelligence has gone up. For example, 2000 years ago, reading and writing was a skill reserved for (usually) royalty, the rich, and those who showed a great aptitude. Now, it's taught to everyone in free, public schools. Driving a car would have made Aristotle shit bricks; hell, the EXISTENCE of mechanical transport would have blown his mind.

So when someone doesn't understand why a retail worker can't materialize a Wii console out of thin air, I can see why people leap to the conclusion that people are "getting dumber". I think the real problem is a lack of good parenting. I'm a retail monkey, so I see all of it. I've seen parents buying kids candy every time they ask for it, and the ones who tell them no. I see kids that are free to run around the store, doing as they please, and I see the byproducts of this- the teens who, later in life, go around the store and knock things over, steal, hit all the "Help" buttons throughout the store, and the like.

I think parents, who often lack in "common sense" themselves, pass this inconsiderate nature onto their kids twofold. That might be the single biggest factor in the "people are getting dumber" thought movement. It makes sense, really- in the movie, the dumb people breed indiscriminately while people of intelligence wait until they are in good financial position, but wait so long that one or both become infertile. Such is the case in my scenario- social stigmas prevent intelligence from breeding. Abortion's negative stigma forces many to keep babies fathered from rape, accidents, or "that one time in Cancun". Sexual education in the nation is less effective than "pulling out", as most of the "education" is abstinence only, which has been show to be completely ineffective against teenage hormones.

In short, we as a people are not doing enough to keep people from becoming the dystopian drones that Idiocracy depicts; it will not be from lack of intelligence, but rather the wasting of it.

Your Proudest Gamer Moment

An article on Gamespy recently caught my attention, and started bringing up memories of many years past. The article was about the proudest moments in gaming- those achievements that, while on paper seem rather mediocre, for those that know are badges of honor. Beating Guitar Hero II on Expert? Good. Beating "Jordan" on Expert? Better. Beating the entire game, 5-starring everything, and FC-ing the main setlist? That's a sight to see.

I saw a lot of comments from gamers relating their proudest moments. I started thinking, and I the first one that came to mind was a night to be envied on the COD4 servers. Knifing my way up from a 60-point deficit, against numerous 55's, many of them prestiged many times over, I managed to get a last-second, luck-would-have-it, once-in-a-lifetime double kill. As I knifed my way to 120, I saw a sniper lying behind a truck, face the other direction. I wanted this one to be one for the ages, so i cooked my last frag as long as I dared and bounced it off his skull. I pops as he starts to stands, and the match ends. For a short time, I was the target- the guy to go after.

Then, working later that day, I started thinking about other times an achievement in a game had ever made me proud to sit on my ass and play games. I remembered outracing my gearhead brother in Gran Turismo 3 the first night we had our first PS2. I remembered, at a LAN party, being so frustrated by a player named "Hitler" that I changed my name to "Anne Frank" and gunning for him the entire match. Seeing "Anne Frank killed Hitler" was so epic, the entire LAN went AFK for a few seconds from the sheer force of laughter.

I thought long and hard, and I finally remember my single most favorite gaming moment. I was 6 years old at the time. I had spent a good 2 hours walking with my family at one Disney park or another- I don't rightly remember which- and we stopped in to get some lunch. I ate quickly, and saw a 4-seat cluster of a Mech-game sitting in the corner. As I looked on, a kid stormed out of the booth. He looked to be about 16, so I decided I'd take a turn. I hopped in quietly, dropped in my quarters, and joined the match. Much like my COD4 story above, I quickly began an utter domination the likes of which I could never replicate in that genre of game. When the match ended, I heard banging, grunts, and sighs of disappointment from the other three booths. Pissed and wanting to see what asshole had just dominated them, they pulled back the curtain to find 6-year old me, grinning like an idiot, not even realizing how badly I had beaten them. After watching three teens' jaws drop in rapid succession, I walked away with my family, still smiling ear to ear.

So I'd like to know from you, the readers; What's your favorite gaming moment? What made you stand up and want to proclaim your badassery to all you can see? What moment of self-accomplishment cements your place in the Halls of Gaming? What's your story?

Pokemon, and a format change

Alright, so for some time now I've been writing for Defenders of the Hate, a metal-themed blog. Since redundancy is a pet peeve of mine (as is the phrase "pet peeve", oddly) I've decided to make this blog a bit more personal-though oriented, like our friends over at Negative Zen and Eye of the Ages. That said...

I love Pokemon. Inside, I'm an obsessive-compulsive 6-year old who's just "Gotta' Catch 'Em All!". I'm not the rabid Pokefan who buys game systems based on having a Pokemon game in their library, nor am I the one who knows all 493 by heart and sleeps next to a giant plush Pikachu (even though I totally have one).

I recently began playing them again, and I will go on record as saying they are one of the best game series' ever created. Based on a typical set of criteria for any game-review site, they were legendary for their time. The visuals were simple at first, and never strayed too far from that. The "helicopter-style" top down view is iconic, and provides a simple interface for all ages. The plot is simple- become the best Pokemon Trainer in the world. The world is expansive, even by some console standards of the time. With each successive generation, new Pokemon were added, new challenges, new worlds, and new ways to interact with the world.

But what I always wished for was a console-based Pokemon game. The logic is profoundly simple- do exactly what you did with the GBC/GBA/DS versions, only on a much more grand scale. Pokemon Stadium was a promising start, but that didn't quite cut it. Think about the possibilities! Full-animation 3-d battles, real-time action, and no more 4-move caps for all pokemon. The previous versions have shown that a 20-30 hour STORY mode is possible on a cartridge; imagine what a DVD or a Blu-Ray could do. Next gen graphics show Blaziken actually kick the shit out of a Graveller, instead of just moving toward him menacingly. No more "harware limitations"; go balls out and give fans what they want.

And that opens up another question, one that recently sprung up in the wake of World of Warcraft's domitation of online gaming: why not make a Pokemon MMO? The money to be made there is impossibly large. Pokemon seems like the perfect base for this- the story is about becoming the best in the world, so prove it! Fight people from all over the world! The possiblities are insane! So why haven't they done it?

Because they have fallen into the "Sports Game Redundancy Loop". Essentially, they update the roster (Pokedex) and add a few new features (Secret Base, tag-team fights), and sell it as a unique game. You've just cut the cost of production by half (using code from a prior game as a base) and made a killing from fans who want to see what new Pokemon they can catch.

Will we ever see a console RPG or an MMO from the Pokemon Universe? Possibly. If either project gets a green-light, the fans will go ape-shit for it, because it could represent a new era for Pokemon games. No more hadheld battles; nay, a 1080p bout between a team of Pokemon would be the proper way to see two trainer compete. The likelyhood? Slim, because the update method is almost fool-proof. If you have a formula, just keep adding minor, inconsequential details to it and make millions.

But a guy can always hope, right?
No, no he can't, because there's no TM for hope.

inFamous- a Sucker Punch Production

Haven't been on here in a long time... Sorry 'bout that. I've been busy plugging away over at Defenders, and haven't really thought about this blog in some time. Oh well, here goes- what has been consuming my time over the last 4-5 days? inFamous, a game by cult favorite developers Sucker Punch.

For those unfamiliar with Sucker Punch, they have a very small library of games, so I don't blame you. They made the surprisingly awesome Sly Cooper series, a trilogy about a raccoon descending from a line of raccoon thieves- the first game is all about getting back your family's book of thieving secrets, the aptly titled Thievius Raccoonus. A childish premise, but quirky and entertaining no less. SP has been inactive until recently, when they declared the development of inFamous, a superhero game in the same vein as Fable, in that you get to choose between good and evil based on what actions you chose throughout the game.

You are Cole MacGrath, a bike messenger in Empire City. After unwittingly delivering a bomb to the heart of the Historic District of Empire City, you wake up with superpowers based around electricity. Starting out, you can survive large falls (in essence, you can't die from jumping off a building), shoot bolts of lightning from your hand, cause a "Shockwave" (a concussive blast that can flip cars and send people flying) and draining electricity from any source of power- a lamp post, parked cars, or one of the power lines that litter the city. Eventually, you learn how to snipe (Precision), grind on power lines and railroad tracks (Induction Grind) and, my personal favorite, fire massive rockets of electricity that cause spalsh damage, plus an extra spalsh if the guys happens to blow up. Many more are unlockable, from offensive to defensive, and each carries it's own role in the game.

I am a man impressed by details, and one that stuck out is that they explained everything. EVERYTHING. Cole can climb buildings like Spiderman. Why? He was into "urban exploration" before the blast. He can also jump over cars, climb just about anything in the city, and sprint for miles without stopping. They provided a semi-logical explanation for his powers, and even made getting new powers a plausible experience. The city's power grid is almost entirely out, and by re-connecting high-voltage underground transformers (by hand) your powers increase from the sheer force of energy flowing through you.

Plot: 10
The story is excellent, in my opinion. Betrayal, love, time-travel- all your basic plot-points are covered. The story is told through short cuts scenes and scripted gameplay, a'la Half-Life. Appropriately, the cut scenes are more like a comic panel than movies (in most cases) and are well drawn. It has enough twists that you may not see these things coming. Also, the plot goes one of two ways, depending on the path you choose (Good or Evil).

Graphics: 10
Solid graphics, without the ridiculous amount of bloom found in EVERY GAME nowadays. Even for a 720p game it still looks great. Cole actually changes appearance depending on the path chosen, and noticeably too. The lightning powers are awesome to look at, and the explosions are nice as well.

Sound: 9
Good to see they didn't sell-out and put T.I. as the sole soundtrack. Very atmospheric, changes with the circumstances, and never overbearing. The voice-acting is good (not notable, but sufficient). Essentially, the standard you've come to expect with next-gen consoles.

Mechanics: 8
Don't get me wrong; on the whole, the game plays smoothly. There are just a few points around each district that glitch horribly. For example, you lose the ability to walk in any direction but off a building, or you might find that walking through certain walls is not a problem for the Human Lightbulb. It's more of a nuisance than anything, but otherwise the game is superb. The aiming is great, the platforming is great, just the random glitches.

Atmosphere: 10
Do I feel like a superhero when playing this- kind of. Does Cole seems to be aware of his surroundings? Yes. Are people in the city aware of Cole? Yes. Does this feel like a city where a superhero might be needed? Yes. Problem solved.

Overall Experience: 9
Worth the $60, but not without flaws. A must have for current PS3 owners, but not a reason to buy the system itself.

Concert Preparations: Compiling the Perfect Playlist

With the first in our concert trilogy fast approaching (2 days out as of post), I need to kick into prep mode. There are certain things I make sure are set- rides, tickets, and homework, among other things. Entertainment it key as well, namely the music for the ride up and back. Last thing we need is a boring ride up, or the driver falling asleep from Thrash Deprivation. I sat down about 3 hours ago and meticulously crafted a playlist based heavily around bands we will be seeing, along with bands that are sonically comparable. Here it is.

(a * denotes a band on the bill for any of the 3 shows currently on the radar)

Accept- Balls to the Wall
Airbourne- Running Wild
Alice in Chains- Dirt, Facelift
Amon Amarth- Discography
Annihilator- Alice in Hell, Never Neverland, Metal, The Best of: Annihilator
Anthrax- Spreading the Disease, Among the Living, State of Euphoria, Persistence of Time
Anvil- Metal on Metal
Arch Enemy- Wages of Sin, Anthems of Rebellion, Rise of the Tyrant, Doomsday Machine
*As I Lay Dying- Discography
Atheist- Discography
At The Gates- Slaughter of the Soul
Austrian Death Machine- Discography
Bathory- Bathory, Under the Sign, The Return..., Blood Fire Death, Nordland I & II, Octagon
Behemoth- Demigod, Satanica, Thelma 66.6, Zos Kia Cultos
*Belphegor- Blutsabbath, Bondage Goat Zombie, Goatreich-Fleshcult, Lucifer Incestus,
Black Sabbath- Paranoid, Heaven and Hell, The Mob Rules, Dehumanizer
Blind Guardian- A Twist in the Myth
Bloodbath- Discography
Blue Oyster Cult- Agents of Fortune, The Revolution By Night
Bolt Thrower- Warmaster
Bootsy Collins- Back in the Day: The Best of Bootsy
Buckethead- Crime Slunk Scene, Buckethead and Friends: Enter the Chicken, Decoding the Tomb of the Bansheebot, Population Override
Celtic Frost- Morbid Tales
Chrome Division- Discography
Dark Angel- Time Does Not Heal, Darkness Descends
Dark Tranquility- The Gallery, Damage Done, Haven
Death- Human, Individual Thought Patterns, Scream Bloody Gore, The Sound of Perserverance
Death Angel- Killing Season
Deep Purple- Shades (Disc 2)
Demolition Hammer- Tortured Existence
Demons & Wizards- Discography
Destruction- D.E.V.O.L.U.T.I.O.N, The Antichrist,
Dethklok- The Dethalbum (Special Edition)
Dio- Holy Diver, Last In Line
Dragonlord- Discography
Dublin Death Patrol- D.D.P 4 Life
Ensiferum- Discography
*Epicurean- A Consequence of Design, V.II R.VI
*Exodus- Bonded by Blood, Shovel Headed Kill Machine
Evile- Enter the Grave
Faith No More- The Real Thing
Fastway- Fastway
Finntroll- Nattfodd
*God Forbid- IV: Constitution of Treason
Gojira- The Way of All Flesh
The Haunted- the Haunted Made Me Do It, Versus
Headhunter- Parasite of Society
High on Fire- Discography
Iced Earth- Framing Armageddon: Something Wicked Part 1, Something Wicked This Way Comes, Tribute To The Gods, The Glorious Burden
In Flames- Colony, Clayman, Jester Race/Black Ash Inheritance
Iron Maiden- Number of the Beast, Powerslave, Piece of Mind
Judas Preist- British Steel, Screaming for Vengeance, Painkiller, Jugulator
Kalmah- Discography
Kamelot- Dominion, Eternity, The Fourth Legacy, Karma, Seige Perilous
Kataklysm- In the Arms of Devestation, Prevail, Sorcery/Mystical Gate
King Diamond- Abigail, Them, Voodoo
*Kreator- Coma of Souls, Endless Pain, Enemy of God, Extreme Aggression, Hordes of Chaos, Pleasure to Kill, Terrible Certainty
Lacuna Coil- Comalies, Karmacode, Unleashed Memories
*Lamb of God/Burn the Priest- Discography
*Lazarus A.D.- The Onslaught
Led Zeppelin- Early/Latter Days, Led Zeppelin II
Lordi- Deadache, The Arockalypse
Marilyn Manson- Antichrist Superstar
Megadeth- Countdown to Extinction, Hidden Treasures, Killing is My Business... And Business Is Good!, Peace Sells... But Who's Buyin'?, Rust in Peace, So Far, So Good... So What?, United Abomination, Youthanasia
Mercenary- 11 Dreams
Mercyful Fate- Melissa, Don't Break the Oath, The Beginning
Metallica- Kill 'Em All, Ride The Lightning, Master of Puppets, ...And Justice For All
Michael Schenker Group- Michael Schenker Group
Morbid Angel- Alters of Madness, Blessed Are The Sick, Covenant, Domination
*Municipal Waste- Discography
Nailbomb- Point Blank
Necrophagist- Discography
Obituary- Slowly We Rot, The End Complete, Xecutioner's Return, World Demise
Paul Gilbert- Solo Discography
Possessed- Seven Churces
Primus- They Can't All Be Zingers
Rainbow- Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow, Rising, Long Live Rock 'n' Roll
Riot- Thundersteel
Sabbat- History of a Time to Come, Dreamweavers
Scar Symmetry- Discography
Sepultura- Roots, Chaos A.D., Arise, Beneath the Remains, Schizophrenia
Shadows Fall- The War Within
Sigh- Hangman's Hymn
Slayer- Hell Awaits, Reign in Blood, South of Heaven, Seasons in the Abyss
Sodom- Agent Orange, Code Red, M-16, Persecution Mania, Masqeurade in Blood
Strapping Young Lad- Alien, City, The New Black
*Testament- Discography
*Unearth- The March
Venom- Black Metal
*Warbringer- War Without End
Wintersun- Winter Madness
Zimmer's Hole- Discography

Comment with any Suggestions!