Random Playlist Song: Grieg - Holberg Suite - 3 - Gavotte (Allegretto) - Musette (Poco piu mosso) - Gavotte
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Sociology MCQs on a revision site:
- Karl Marx , Emile Durkheim, Max Weber, Harriet Martineau, and W. E. B. DuBois all used cell phones. (True/False)
- No matter which of the three perspectives one favors, all sociologists are guided by:
a. conflict theory
b. the scientific method
c. their parents
d. sociological imagination
- The easy availability of ________ is a factor that has reduced the urgency of getting married and contributed to increases in the mean age of marriage.
a. housing
b. premarital sex
c. children available for adoption
d. jobs
(Oddly enough the answer is b. Someone did a study on it)
- All cultures have developed ________ to help their members respond to biological inevitabilities such as hunger and death.
a. taxes
b. groups
c. holidays
d. formulas
(I don't know about you, but I've always loved a good holiday when hungry)
- Members of institutionally complete subcultures:
a. live in institutions
b. do not usually interact with anyone outside their subculture
c. often interact with other subcultures
d. always speak different languages
!@#$%^&*()
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SykoGrafix: Article - Super Sentai World
So we are at first introduced to the cast. This is a very important event in the world of Super Sentai because we are dealing with, not one, but five Super Sentai teams. And so, before we start, we get to see them all do what they do best: POSE!
... Chikyu Sentai Fiveman. I guess they are called Fiveman because there's five of them, but I can only assume at this point. It seems slightly redundant to me, however, since all of the other teams also have five members, but what do I know? We are then told that Super Robo's "special" sword will crush evil's plans. Well then, that solves that! Dig the paper origami crane helmet. Nice touch. Very fashionable.
The title screen appears, accompanied by... Spanish music! Because when you think about a Super Sentai team with a ninja gimmick, you think about Spanish bullfighting music! Uh, yeah. What the hell?
... before the aliens can move in for the kill, a butt-load of other Sentai teams show up! Hooray! And so the tide seems to have turned, but before we can start with the fighting and the rescuing, what do we all have to do? That's right! POSE! Then, when they're all done posing, what do they do? That's right, they pose again! And this time, coloured explosions go off behind them somehow! Wow!
The aliens call forth the lackeys, who appear out of thin air and start making really annoying noises. This Sentai team mightily runs into the battle, and huge explosions go off behind them for some reason! Wow!
... Most of this fighting is really just an excuse for the Sentai teams to show off their moves and weapons and abilities. These guys, for example, use their "Explosive Shower" technique, which seems to consist of throwing Silly String at their opponents. Looks like it does the trick, too.
The Kakurangers have the final honors. They finish off the aliens by kicking a football, causing them all to explode. ... uh, yeah. A football. Because when you think about a Super Sentai team with a ninja gimmick, you think about football!
Ok, so it took 25 Sentai members to rescue two people. Not exactly an efficient system they've got going there. Yes, I know there was the whole "saving the Earth for justice" thing in there too, but really now, if that were so important, why not have like a hundred Super Sentai teams running around protecting all the time?
All right, yes, I admit that I am being hard on it. But honestly, after years of hearing how the Japanese version is "so much better" than the American Power Rangers, I think I have every right to be hard on it.
Heh heh.
Meanwhile, I found this site which has an, erm, interesting comparison of the "BIBLICAL WORLD VIEW" and the "NEW-AGE (occult) WORLD VIEW". Apparently Zordon is a god. Wow!
| BIBLICAL WORLD VIEW | NEW-AGE (occult) WORLD VIEW |
| God is holy, all-seeing, all-powerful and eternal. | The main god-like person, Zordon, is an all-seeing master-mind shaped by human imagination. |
| God alone can save the earth--and show us how to fit into His plan. | The Power Rangers save the world by invoking their designated animal power. |
| God is the source of all power. He gives His children strength to carry out His plans. | The Rangers manipulate power through mind control, magic symbols and fetishes: crystals, swords, rings... |
| Believers enter into their new identity and eternal life by faith in Jesus, the "Bread of Life." | Rangers are initiated into their new identity and powers through an occult ritual using the "Sword of Life" |
| Christians dedicate their lives to God. | "I dedicated my whole life to the study of martial arts," says the White Ranger. |
| Christians overcome Satan by God's Word and power. | The Rangers overcome evil by manipulating occult powers. |
| God promises power and protection to those who trust and follow Christ. | Zordon promises that "the power will always be with you and protect you." |
This is almost as funny as that "Why Pokemon is Satanic" article, which starts:
"Another clever scheme to seduce children in to occult thinking is Pokemon. It is laced with eastern mysticism. Buddhist Mysticism, Hinduism, meditation rituals, Egyptian Book of the Dead, Book of Tao, the Analects of Confucius, the Gita, the I Ching, and The Tibetan Book of the Dead are some of the teachings that influence the game. It is all wrapped up in cute little characters to teach children Witchcraft and Satanism."
But the best part is this: "'It seemed to us that these cards had some sort of power," continued DiAnna Brannan. "Another nine-year-boy had stolen money from his mother's purse ($7.00) to buy more cards. When questioned, he confessed and said he had heard the devil urging him to do it. The family quickly gathered in prayer, then saw God's answer. Both the boy and his little sister burned their cards, warned their friends, and discovered the joy and freedom that only comes from following their Shepherd."
Not surprising, really, coming from a page which:
- calls Democrats "God Hating"
- Labels the Feminist Movement "New Age" and has atits roots "ancient, highly religious elements that are rarely, if ever, mentioned" and many of whose members "are victims of childhood abuse and are bitter toward men".
- Puts Catholicism, Mormonism, Islam, Taoism and Buddhism under the "False Religions" section
- Still has the cheek to place a section called "Double Standards" under their "Misc. Info" heading
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Microsoft Research DRM talk - "Here's what I'm here to convince you of: That DRM systems don't work, That DRM systems are bad for society, That DRM systems are bad for business, That DRM systems are bad for artists, That DRM is a bad business-move for MSFT"
Importantly, this reminds us that content creators have no divine moral right to profit from their works for what is now effectively eternity (A ridiculous 70 years after the author's death, which doubtless will be extended yet again within the next devade thanks to industry lobbying - Source: Copyright Term and the Public Domain in the United States). Copyright is just a way of inducing content creators to create more content, but said content is supposed, after a short period, to become public property, to the benefit of all. Unfortunately this article doesn't offer a compelling alternative business model. But I guess that's for the content companies to think up. They'll think of something. They always have *g*
Cultural Relativism - You would expect a site with the domain "http://www.cultural-relativism.com/" to, if not promote cultural relativism (the view "that all ethical truth is relative to a specified culture"), then at least to offer a balanced view of it. But you would be wrong. In fact, http://www.cultural-relativism.com/ is but one domain in a chain of others set up by "All About God Ministries, Inc.", all of which offer astoundingly narrow-minded and illogical propositions. (eg Evolution is rubbish, everyone else is wrong - including all other denominations, cloning is an abomination etc). Bah.
The brothel creeper - "The general feeling in this country is that the man is somehow exploiting the woman, but I don't believe this. In fact, the prostitute and the client, like the addict and the dealer, is the most successfully exploitative relationship of all. And the most pure. It is free of ulterior motives. There is no squalid power game. The man is not taking and the woman is not giving. The whore fuck is the purest fuck of all. Why does a sleazy bastard like me like whores so much? Why pay for it? The problem is that the modern woman is a prostitute who doesn't deliver the goods. Teasers are never pleasers; they greedily accept presents to seal a contract and then break it. At least the whore pays the flesh that's haggled for. The big difference between sex for money and sex for free is that sex for money usually costs a lot less."
Internet junkies in chilling cold turkey experiment - "Next we'll see how people who are used to talking and communicating with others in person in every day life react when they are locked in a well lit room for two weeks with no human contact... I'm going to give up the internet cold-turkey, and switch to something healthy, like heroin"
Is there more flatulence in a vegetarian diet? - "Suffice it to say that flatulence is a common complaint among and about vegans, and for that matter vegetarians generally."
Trashy Tesla Coil a tesla coil made entirely from junk from dumpster diving
Fr-ooze Pop - "She wanted to buy something sweet. She bought Fr-ooze Pop because it was advertised all over the place as the ultimate candy experience. Licking it she suddenly realized that she had a dildo in her mouth. The feeling it gave her was a mix of embarrassment and excitement... Fr-ooze Pop is currently being marketed directly to children in Singapore via television ads placed on cartoon shows. The advertisements show young children sucking hungrily on the candy, with the message 'squeeze and lick' repeated again and again. The candy is wildly popular with kids. But not so popular with their horrified parents... When you squeeze the base, sugary goodness oozes out of the hard, rounded tip... Look at the jelly that comes out when squeezed."
Who ate all the mice? - "Sam is the UK’s biggest at a hefty 34lbs."
699.45kb Animated GIF movie of a guy attacking a wall - I don't know why he hates the wall so much.
Cows With Guns - I don't really get this.
IDRC: Adventures in Development : Guinea Pig Production (Peru)
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Trillian Pro works better with ICQ, while Miranda works better with M$N. What shall I do, use Trillian for ICQ and Miranda for M$N? :0
Someone on my current blog pic (which is also my current M$N Avatar): "oh, and for a moment. i thought the guy in your avatar was you" (...)
How can one tell if someone has rebonded hair? I look around and so many people have nice hair, which looks suspiciously similar. A friend's suggestion is to look for "too straight" hair, and since naturally beautiful straight hair is very rare, I can just assume all the nice heads of hair I see have been rebonded.
Me: there were freaky people in RJ too. hell, RJ probably had more freaky people. so why do the NUS freaks freak you out more?
Someone: because the RJ freaks are nice freaks. the NUS freaks are rapist freaks
Me: what, they look at you with a lustful gleam in the eye?
Someone: nonono. the sort of serial killer look
Me: right. I don't see many serial killers in the corridors. mostly I see (among the guys):
- nerdy sorts
- poser sorts
- non-descript sorts
maybe it's the company you keep
Someone: poser sorts are rapists. and nerdy sorts are serial killers. the non-descripts are the worst: they're both
Me: err. right. I think you've been smoking too much weed :)
Someone: *laughs* no. it's the sociological imagination
Quotes:
[Someone: I'm not very social.] You should socialise. [Someone else: Who knows, one day you might choose one of us to be your boyfriend.]
[On Regulars] After NS I think NS is the biggest charity in Singapore after Singapore Pools
Don't go. We want company. [Girl: There are so many people here] We want female company.