Wednesday, September 21, 2005

Pirates

So was it two days ago that was the International pirate talking day?. Yeah that's pretty much the dumbest thing ever. Matt Good's album came out yesterday and I'll have to wait for my signed copy to come. The first disc of the album was leaked about a week before the album came out and many people got to listen to it. This is of course a common occurence. In all the vast amounts of internet communities I have been a part of, there hasn't been one that wasn't involved in some sort of piracy.

I don't really know why I'm writing this. I can't say i've had a perfect slate in that area but I do try and support artists. Sometimes I just think about how bad it's gotten and how worse it will get. With broadband internet spreading to the masses newly released movies (and some that haven't come out yet) are just hours away from personal home viewing. It's even worse with music. The dumb thing is when people complain about the quality of a music album yet they're stealing it. Perhaps if these artists actually got some money they could put it into better equipment and such.

The government really doesn't have a clue how to deal with this problem. With internet Privacy acts and other simliar laws they can't really stop the large population from stealing music. Programs like Napster, Yahoo! Unlimited and even itunes (blah) have made it reasonable for consumers to get their music and for artists to get paid. I'm sure some sort of progress is being made but billions are being lost every week. Billions.

Any software, music, movie, video game that you ever wanted is out there right now for free. Some require you to make an effort to look for them, others are considerably easier. If I had it my way I'd get rid of:

MIRC
DC++
Soulseek
Kazaa
Winmx
Limewire
Oink
All torrent sites
and so much others...

Users for the most part don't feel much guilt for what they steal. It's mostly due to the fact that the punishments are not severe enough, nor real enough for them to actually stop. I'm not here to judge you for stealing things (like I said my hands aren't the cleanest either). The whole internet should just be eliminated. It's hurt our society so much more than it helps. I know it brings the world together but man does it ever separate us from the real world too. It's one hell of a paradox. Anyways it's 3am and I just wrote this because I had nothing better to write about. School's a bitch right now.

Later

posted by psychobabbler @ 3:36 AM

Saturday, September 17, 2005

The "N" word

Black man1: Hey nigga
Black man 2: What's up my nigga

Yeah what am I thinking writing this entry eh? Well I'm from the hood as most of you know. That hood being Brooklyn, NY. I am surrounded by black people. I'm probably one of the only non-blacks on my block. Since I was young I've heard them call each other the N word in a multitude of ways. I grew up with them and in a way I "acted black" too. I have used the word nigga amongst them and they didn't find anything wrong with it. That's the problem though, some activists say hey it's a good thing that they turned something so negative into a positive. Did they really? my answer is no. By saying it they've accepted what others have labeled them as. It's not positive at all. From the day they're born their parents teach them about white people and how hard it is to be black. They grow up with a major chip on their shoulder and it doesn't get easier.

Never have I seen a race take something offensive that was used by their enemies as if it were a good thing. I know they removed the "er" from the end and added an "a" instead but those letters mean nothing compared to the self defeat of using the term to begin with. You don't see Jewish people going around saying "Hey check out my cool swastika tatoo" Can you imagine if they did? or Chinese people going around calling eachother "Chinks"

The problem is only getting worse because the excessive use of that word in our media (movies, music, television, and internet) takes us away from it's origin and it's becoming more and more accepted into our vocabulary. I'm not talking about just blacks either, i'm talking about everyone. Sure it's still a little taboo, but in less than 5 years it'll proabably be used without any guilt whatsoever. Rappers who become poplular among white populations such as Kanye West say the N word a lot in their music (see: "Crack Music"). This will only have an adverse effect for blacks and they've had a hard time for much too long. As much as some think it's a positive use, this will backfire.

A final thing to think about: This society is still fucked up. It was only 40 years ago that we had separate water fountains, restaurants, and everything else for whites and blacks. FORTY YEARS. Do you have any idea how short of a time that is? I mean fuck, we think we're all nice and good now and think all that racist stuff was a long time ago. Well it aint and it's still prominent today in different forms. Our society needs major reform yet no one gives a shit about their own countries anymore. I will use whatever powers I have, whether it be as a Psychologist, a Sociologist or film director to help progress our community. Open your minds.

posted by psychobabbler @ 1:49 AM

Thursday, September 15, 2005

OHHHHHHHHH NO'S!

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So this was a popup I received the other day and I found the wording to be funny. Now I know Bush is a pretty bad president but maybe people are taking it too far when they start blaming him for naturally occuring phenomena. I'm also getting word that the court case for Tsunami victims Vs. Kim Jong-il is fast appoaching and let us not forget the day when Hitler started those forest fires (Smokey the Bear was fucking pissed). Now that i'm writing all this saracastic stuff I'm kind of getting jealous. I mean, you really know you've made it when someone blames you for a natural distater. Hell I'd even take a hurricane named after me. I don't remember there being a "Hurricane Michael", because I certainly don't remember me yelling and bragging to everyone saying Hey Hey LOOK AT ME IM A HURRICANE!!, which I obviously would've have done at the time. Since it seems like they're at the letter O right now, I guess i'll have to wait till next year.

posted by psychobabbler @ 1:41 PM

Tuesday, September 13, 2005

Reflections


Memories would be forgotten without these pictures, I regretted taking at the time. Stored away in a shoebox, collecting dust and waterspots from a leaky ceiling. I brought them to my chest, closed my eyes, and wept for you. Not that you were under the ground, nor that I didn't see you anymore, I just miss the person you used to be when you were younger. Time has changed us all I guess, for there was only so long that the innocence could last. I just wish I could get back to enjoying that smell of freshly cut grass and to times when I breathed the world in fully, closing my eyes for more than just sleeping. The trumpets seem to get louder day by day, playing their melancholoy tune of defeat.
For here I am and all that I have become....
A monster.

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posted by psychobabbler @ 1:52 AM

Friday, September 09, 2005

So last night at like 3 in the morning, I walk into my kitchen, looking at my stove and said "Hey those pots look awesome!" So I whipped out my camera and decided to snap some pictures. I even went on a step ladder to get the aerial view. I decided to take some more as well.
100_5381 100_5390

100_5401 100_5397 100_5403

100_5426 100_5427 100_5424

100_5430 100_5452 100_5437
100_5472100_5337 100_5484





posted by psychobabbler @ 10:36 PM

Thursday, September 08, 2005

Lifes Greatest Mystery




Mr. Turtle How many licks does it take to get to the Tootsie Roll center of a Tootsie Pop?


I never made it without biting, ask Mr. Owl.


Mr. Owl, how many licks does it take to get to the Tootsie Roll center of a Tootsie Pop?

Let's find out. One, two, three.


 Crunch

Three




How many licks does it take to get to the Tootsie Roll center of a Tootsie Pop?


Crunch
The world may never know.



posted by psychobabbler @ 2:11 AM

Wednesday, September 07, 2005

I HATE...

Apple Ipods and it's fucking mindless drone users who think ipods are the best player there is because they don't do any fucking research and just buy "whatever's popular" I see so many white earbuds on the train with people who think they're fucking hip, but really look like morons who can't think for themselves. I hate Apple fanboys who can't see past their beloved computers and ipods to see that they suck in comparison to others. I hate that Apple has the namesake and money to pay off Cnet and other review sites, and have the money and domination over tv networks to broadcast their idiotic commericals and advertisements so that no one else sees any other motherfucking player.

I HATE reality tv shows and the cancerous virus infected epidemic that it has become. FUCK AMERICAN IDOL, FUCK SURVIVOR, FUCK BIG BROTHER, FUCK THE BACHELOR. You call this shit entertaining?, well FUCK YOU TOO. This is the demise of television. It has become so bad that many quality sitcoms that would normally come on during this time are being turned down and substitute with pure and utter SHIT. You want a fucking survivor show? show one where PEOPLE ACTUALLY DIE., maybe then I'll have some interest in it. It's not real when every fucking person looks like a fucking model and everyone survives.


I HATE people who always talk in a condescending way, especially when reffering to music. Those morons who call you stupid and retarded because you like a band that they don't like. NEWSFLASH: THE WORLD DOESN'T REVOLVE AROUND YOU, FUCKER. I also hate those people who brag because they know all these indie bands and they claim to like indie music as if they're all the same thing. Indie=short for independent. This does NOT mean they all sound the same.

I HATE idiots who smoke their whole life and get cancer and file lawsuits against the tobacco industry as if it's their fault and their fault alone. Yeah smoking is a horrible addiction blah blah blah, and oh I had no control over it BLAH BLAH BLAH. Oh please, give me a fucking break, in this day and age where information is everywhere you turn you mean to tell me you don't know the risks of smoking? You think you'll be one of the lucky one's who won't get cancer or any other ailments? I'll be the one laughing at your naive ass when you die.


I HATE bloggers who don't deserve any bit of the attention they have and probably only get it because of who they know and/or married to. I also HATE the commenters on those blogs who will praise the ever living fuck out of whatever garbage that person posts. For example a random picture of say SHIT will get comments like "Wow, that's beautiful" , "That's the best picture I ever seen" "I could hang that on my wall" "AMAZING!" "Holy shit, I could cry, this thing is so good" These same undeserving bloggers could say "I have nothing to say" and will get 100 comments of people saying "You're so funny!" and all other comments that will severely damage any ass-kissing meter. This may come off as jealousy but I assure you it is not. I don't blog for anyone but myself and I think I do a damn good job of expressing my many talents. I guess people who post nothing are expressing themselves too.

to be continued...

posted by psychobabbler @ 2:18 PM

Sunday, September 04, 2005

Wilted Rose

You told me you made that with your hands, right after I used mine to destroy it. You looked up at me, and I swear I could've died right then and there. My anger, my anger. "I didn't mean to", I said. Her eyes full of tears, she walked over to console me. I pushed her away. "WHY!..Why are you comforting me after what I just did" She wiped her tears, and said in a muffled voice "because I love you"

I fell to my knees and began crying uncontrollably. I wrapped my arms around her legs, pressing my face against her soft skin. "Please forgive me, please, it'll never happen again!" I yelled. "Shhhh, it's okay" was her reply. I continued asking her for forgiveness, I couldn't stop. I tried picking up the pieces, but there was just too many. I wept more.

She kneeled beside me, embracing me. I whispered "I'm so sorry baby" over and over. The rest of the night, we slept right there on the floor. It was beautifully perfect. I stood in the middle of this room, breathing heavily, remembering that night from a year ago so vividly. I was surrounded by broken glass and destruction, and I was frozen, staring at the door you just slammed on your way out.

posted by psychobabbler @ 3:15 AM

Friday, September 02, 2005

The Realm of Desensitization

In the weeks following 9/11 the media flooded our eyes and our minds with disturbing images from ground zero. I was at college at the time, and my idiot of a roomate called me over to his computer to show me something. He showed me the body of a person who had jumped off one of the towers. It looked like someone spilled tomato sauce all over the place. A few months ago a member of an online community I'm a part of, posted a picture of a US soldier who was beheaded. Last night, I watched a movie called "Blood and Bones", about a man who rapes his wife and other people in some of the most horrible sequences I've seen in a while.

So why am I telling you all this? Last night while coming home from school. The image of the beheaded soldier popped into my head. It just came out of nowhere and left me feeling very disgusted. These images that people seek out, and others like myself witness unknowingly, are having a major imapct on us. Sometimes I feel like it's a good thing that I am desensitized to graphic images, because somehow it'll prepare me for seeing the worst in real life. For the most part though, I think it's doing a lot more harm than good.

I've felt different over the past few years, like a part of me is missing. When you get to know me, I'm as warm and nice as other people, but I think I'm making it hard for people to get to know me. I truly believe this strong outershell that I seem to have built for myself is one result of being desensitized to the world around me. It leaves me feeling like an emotionless machine at times and I hate it.

So is there a way to prevent being desensitized? Unless you live in a vacuum, I'd have to say no. From movies, television, music and the internet (especially), we are constantly seeing images that will stay with us for a long time to come. Although we don't know how big of an impact the media is having on our future psyche, I fear it's for the worst. I have no solution or cure for this societal epidemic. All I can do is try to understand how it's affecting me day by day, and trying my best to avoid these images that our brains weren't designed to process.

posted by psychobabbler @ 11:34 AM