• Taking Back Sunday
• Thursday
• Anti-Flag
• Underoath
• Senses Fail
• Saosin
• Alex Is On Fire
• Parkway Drive

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BugMeNot.com was created as a mechanism to quickly bypass the login of web sites that require compulsory registration and/or the collection of personal/demographic information (such as the New York Times).
Source: BugMeNot Faq

Genius.

See BugMeNot
See Firefox extension

An example is this post over at FatfinguR. I guess the author doesn’t understand the idea behind the suspension of disbelief, something that is vital to TV, movies and comic books. I will say to them: Just enjoy the film (which, by the way, has done pretty well. Check metacritic).

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Those characters at DC are so dumb just like in Superman Returns the movie. Haven’t they noticed any similarity on Clark Kent and Superman? Superman was gone for 5 years and so was Clark. Didn’t the people at the Daily Planet knew that or they were just playing dumb?
Source: Superman Returns, Tragedy Uprises , FatfinguR

Superman has been using the same disguise for over 70 years, and only now you realise that his costume is a farce? Hmmm…

The Doctor Who Finale

All I can say is wow, what a send off for the second series. I’ve been mightily impressed by David Tennant (far better than Christopher Eccleston) and Bille Piper (she just oozes girl power), and I’m sad that the season has ended. But, this final fling contained Daleks, Cybermen, and a tasty teaser to keep us all gripped. Roll on Christmas!

To hear more about the episode, then download the free commentary from the BBC website, featuring input from Russell T Davies, Julie Gardner and Phil Collinson.

Go here: “Doomsday” (21 Mb)

The World Cup

This spectacle will be coming to an end soon, but what a ride it has been. It’s been a sensational tournament, eclipsing Japan 2002 easily. There has been goals, cheating, whinging and red cards abound, it has been brilliant.

Though I’m welsh, I was backing the English team to the end, and if it wasn’t for Christiano Ronaldo and his less-than-honest Portuguese team mates, England may very well be in the final tonight. I’m just glad that Germany hammered them 3-1 last night.

But that’s by-the-by now, for tonight we have the big one: France vs. Italy. Though I’d love France to beat Italy (for the sake of Thiery Henry, one of my favourite players), I just can’t see it happening. Italy has been phenomenal this World Cup, and I can’t see France being able to withstand the pressure. Oh well.

Anyway, I say best of luck to both teams; and to everyone else, enjoy the greatest game on Earth!

John Prescott Under The Cosh

Well, what a week for the Deputy PM. He’s never been shy of creating some scandal, but his apparent incestuous relationship with Philip Anschutz may be the final nail in his coffin. I always enjoyed his blustering attitude; he always tried to keep his connection with the working class of the land. But the lifestyle he has now is so far removed from his (supposed) roots, that it is hard to ignore.

See you on the other side Mr. Prescott.

And that, as they say, is that.

David Cameron

So when I read the following news report on the BBC News website, a small grin flickered on to my weary face.

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Conservative leader David Cameron is expected to call for greater understanding of teenage “hoodies” in a forthcoming speech on social justice.
Source: Cameron to make ‘hoodie’ appeal, BBC News

The socialist inside of me usually views all statements by the Tory party with a seething anger, coupled with disbelief. But I agree with what the speech outlines, so here’s some select quotes:

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He will describe hoodies as “a response to a problem, not a problem itself”.
Source: Cameron to make ‘hoodie’ appeal, BBC News

and…

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“We – the people in suits – often see hoodies as aggressive, the uniform of a rebel army of young gangsters,” the Tory leader is expected to say.
Source: Cameron to make ‘hoodie’ appeal, BBC News

also…

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However, he will go on: “For me, adult society’s response to the hoodie shows how far we are from finding the long-term answers to put things right.”
Source: Cameron to make ‘hoodie’ appeal, BBC News

So, do we view this as a shameless attempt by the right wing to ensnare voters? I hope not, but I guess we’ll never know. All I can guess is that it’s going to ruffle a lot of feathers from Middle England, which can only be a good thing.

Keep it coming, Mr. Cameron!

Photo: Altermedia UK

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All I knew is that all my friends would joke about faggots and that if I ever came out of the closet, it would be nothing short of social suicide. It’s a horrible experience, and I would hope that no other generations of teens ever have to go through that. Fortunatly, laws like this are working to change that very problem.
Source: Sodomy to be taught in San Fracissyco (sic) elementary school!

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I’m also doing a project with Joe [Steinbrick] from F-Minus and our friend Sam and our buddy Ben is producing it. It’s kind of got a Depeche Mode kind of vibe. I’m singing it, and Joe wrote all the music. We’ve got some guest performers coming in too.
Source: Epitaph signs Heavens (Matt Skiba, Joe Steinbrick)

Roll on September 11th (never thought I’d say that again)

Listen to a track: 4. Patent Pending (will open in a new window)

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The nature of the right-wing attack on The New York Times — an attack not on the newspaper’s judgment, but on its motives — seems to have startled many people in the news media. After an editorial in The Wall Street Journal declared that The Times has what amount to treasonous intentions…
Source: The Treason Card, by Paul Krugman

I was slightly concerned, though, by the reply posted on Hennessy’s View, as it portrays perfectly the willingness of people to persecute detractors.

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…Personally, the gas chamber is not enough for Keller and Krugman. I think they need a visit to Club Gitmo for a permanent vacation.
Source: Krugman Obfuscates

Photo credit: Office of Communications, Princeton University.

The get out of jail free card is used by someone after they say something offensive to a person, but then say “no offense”, or (even worse) “just joking”. I think it’s reprehensible of the person. This is used mostly by people who are too cowardly to admit it’s what they actually think, but want to say it anyway. How can someone say something insulting, and think that by saying “just joking” will make everything okay? Is the culprit saying the victim is some sort of figure of fun?

I can say some things that are horribly insulting, but I feel I don’t have to clarify it. My family and friend’s know what I’m like, so they know I wouldn’t dream of saying something like that and mean it. But I would never think of spilling insults to someone I have just met. I believe it shows immaturity and just a rude streak in the person.

Maybe I’m a hypocrite. I don’t think I am, but I guess that’s just a matter of opinion.

Absurdism is…

…a philosophy stating that the efforts of humanity to find meaning in the universe will ultimately fail because no such meaning exists (at least in relation to humanity).⁴

There is, of course, more to it than that but here I will try to explain my own experiences with the absurdities of life.

I came to the unfortunate conclusion that life is absurd during one of my (then) frequent bounts of depression⁵. Before, I’d always put this down to manic depression⁶. I’d be on top of the world, quickly followed by a period of intense guilt⁷ and self-loathing⁸. But this time was different; I sat there, having not eaten properly for about three days, and thought “What the fuck am I doing? This is absurd”.

A few days later, I stumbled upon the wikipedia article explaining absurdism and, suddenly, it all made sense. I realised I’d always been an absurdist, just without realising. From then on, my whole outlook changed; as the lead article mentions…

Henceforth, the absurd hero’s refusal to hope becomes his singular ability to live in the present with passion, forever responsible but never guilty.

So I now do appreciate the absurdity of life, but I’ve taken it to an extreme that may not be covered by it. I now view most (not all) social interaction as absurd; if you flirt with a girl, you know why you do it, she knows why you do it, but you don’t ever speak about doing it. When you do, people become uncomfortable and sometimes react badly to this, which can be unfortunate.

Where this path of thinking will lead me, I don’t know, but I’m sure when I get there I’ll be able to see how absurd the conclusion is.

References & Footnotes

1. Existentialism
2. Religion
3. Fatalism
4. Absurdism
5. Depression
6. Manic depression
7. Guillt
8. Self-loathing