Shuttles and Summer of '69 (MXPX)

Since Lance Armstrong, Sputnik and that dog went up into space. People have been sending crap into the sky quicker then a ball player on steroids. But it wasnt all good times and floating. In 2003 the shuttle Columbia exploded before landing in Miami killing all 7 aboard. Since then NASA has been quickly trying to work out the kinks in shuttle design and electronics. Now with the coming (hopefully) of the shuttle Discovery, the worlds obsession with space can continue.
By this time if you had been born in the last forty years we were supposed to be living on the moon. Having a grand old time floating, playing golf and eating mooncakes. But it seems that we're still where we started. Except we have better clothes instead of tin foil and flock of seagulls haircuts.
Since the beginning of time man has wondered whats out there. So for a couple thousand years we waited until the Soviets sent up the first object ever to make it into space. Sputnik. Sounds like something you say when you get hit. Then they sent a dog and a dude. Not toegether. Thatd be wierd. But it was the God-a-fearin', gun loving, freedom keeping, good ol' USA that sent the first shmuck to the moon. We've all heard the speech so I wont say it.
But with the success of many missions had to have failures. The shuttle Challenger exploded in 1986 after a rocket booster failed. Then more recently the Columbia exploded. But the majority of the missions are successful. If you count if gerbils can survive in flight a success. NASA will continue to tweak and fix most problems.
So whats my point? How long are you people going to keep asking me that? Honestly. My point is this. Though I highly doubt we'll see commercialized space travel in our time, it is becoming more easy to join a space program. I dont want to go to space. Aliens and an evil Empire are out there. Trust me I know. Though it may never be Star Trek or Star Wars or Battlestar Galactia or other of those nerd shows, it will be increasingly rare for disasters to happen. Maybe they'll put Maroon 5 on the moon. Save everyone from ear bleedings. Watch out for falling foam and satillites people.
Adieu.
My shins are glass

ie.

You may have noticed the lack of posting lately, and for this I apologize.
I am currently working on several posts, and am having trouble with all of them.
But fear not good people of earth, they will soon come!
The dark and sinister Lord Writers-block-simus shall not triumph!

Technology and Tropical London (Rancid)

For over a thousand years, when people were seen gesturing and yelling at apparently nothing they were labelled as insane. Or a witch. Either way you were basically kicked out of the community to die a lonely and crazy death. But with the advent of the cell phone those days are long passed. Now we medicate the crazy people. Or give them a computer, a blog and enough coffee to kill a bull moose. Come follow me on the wild rainbow coloured bridge that is this Turkey shoot.
Cell phones now are abundant. Everywhere you look theres adds for family plans or being free from the catch or roll-over minutes or whatever else. The first cell phones were gigantic bricks. Wieghed about 3 pounds and got horrible reception. Only the rich or the stupid would buy them to show thier statues in society. As the times changed so did the phones. Car phones were made because hey, whats more important your life going 75 kmh or your 30 second phone call to your wife on what your going to have for supper?
Then finally the hands-free devices came along and the phones got smaller and smaller. Now they're just inserted into your ear like something see outta that movie I, Robot. Now people clame that cell phones cause brain cancer. I dont know when did I become a radialogist? IF the do then its an incredibly small amount. Unless you got the Nuclear Powered Cell phone Im pretty sure your safe.
So whats to become of our i-Pod, Blackberry, Cell phone the size of your pinky, electric car society? Very little I imagine. There will always be "better" ways to go through your life with the help of doo-dadds and gizmos. Theres an infommercial about this robot that cleans your floor with the help of magnets. Looks like a ball in a cake pan. But maybe soon we'll all be living in a Star Wars/Trek exsistence with light speed, astromech droids and phasers. I wish I had a phaser. My point is, if I can remember correctly, is that technology will improve our lives with more "necessary" ways to do business. Tellers to ATMs, 8-tracks to MP3s, computers to ...smaller, faster computers. Technology is niether good nor bad. It can be annoying all round because if you dont have the latest stuff, well, your nobody.
Adieu.
My eyebrows are smuggling drugs.

Innocence and I Fought the Law (The Clash)

Recently Hilary Clinton spoke to reporters on how the American culture is filled with violence and sex. Why? Could it be the lack of true role-models to teens and kids? Could it be the lack of jobs needed? Is it the drugs? Are you on drugs? Its drugs isnt it? No. Its the old industry that always gets blamed. Not pornography. That industry does fairly unspeakable things but we wont talk about that. Or will I? Hmm. Anyway no. The real industry that gets whacked for degrading our society is..video games.
Remember the good old days of Pong and Mario? Well picture Pong as two guys whaling on each other with tons of blood and guts and Mario doing the horizontal limbo with Princess Peach during the game. Kinda wierd right? Well thats what Mrs. Clinton is saying that happens with all games. Too violent, overly-sexual time wasters. Most games have a degree of violence. And a very small number of games have sexual content. Sexual content being blurry or blacked out images. And time-wasting....well most games are.
Clinton spoke of one game in paticular "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas". Claiming that she was disgusted when she heard that you can follow step by step instructions on how to get a pornographic scene in the game. First of all, who finds these things out? How long do you have to spend to find something naughty? and secondly, the only reason people would look for this is A) Too have a good laugh or B) do naughty sinful things in the privacy of their homes. Now Ive played San Andreas and yes it is violent and it does have very strong language and sexual themes. But it was FUN!
When you think gamer you think of a 16 year old social-indept Dungeons and Dragons, "I got an A on my trigonometry test" type of guy. But the gaming world has changed. Yes, teens and young people make up a large portion of the gaming industry but the average age of a gamer is 31. And not only males are in there. There are tons of female gamers as well. The gaming industry sees the age of the gamers and makes games directed for them. Hence the violence and sex.
Im not saying that showing little Billy a hooker getting beaten is a good thing but I am saying that we can cut a little slack to the industry. But if Hilary and all the rest have their way we'd see titles like "Amish Adventure", "Fun with Shapes", "Watch Paint Dry". Kids should get games that are directed for their age range. But you shoudlnt shelter your kids from it. Being exposed to it and showed that while yes its fun or funny you shouldnt do it in real life. So whats to be done? Games will always have a degree of violence and sexuality. Nothing will save that. If a bill goes through showing that video games are too be always geared for kids there will be many an angry blog. If you want to censor something get Maroon 5 off the air. Now if you'll excuse me Im going to play a rousing game of "Watching Paint Dry".
Adieu.
My spine is crooked.