While Tumblr has been fun to use, I’ve been envying the basic features Blogger has that Tumblr doesn’t. I also am looking into Google Wave, and it has all those amazing features that Blogger will support. So I’ve decided I’m done with Tumblr, and I’m going back to Blogger as my blog host. The new URL is http://derektheblogger.blogspot.com/ so please bookmark that and continue reading it.
Apple sucks. Microsoft sucks. Most Linux distros suck. Cats are funny. WOOSH. Billy Mays, Admiral Ackbar, Picard facepalm, Pedobear. Nickelback sucks. Pirating is awesome. We are entitled to everything in the world for free. Fuck the RIAA and MPAA. Fail. Epic fail. Epic win. I for one welcome our ____ overlords. Bush sucks. Obama is awesome… until he becomes President, then he sucks. 011000100 1101001011 0111001 10001011 1001001111 00100100000 0111001 001101111 0110001 10110101 101110011. Do a barrel roll. Shopped, I can tell by the pixels. 4chan sucks, Twitter sucks, YouTube comments suck, Reddit sucks. “Digg stole this article from Reddit”. Pot should be legal because it’s good for the economy. AT&T sucks. iPhone sucks. Pre is awesome. OM NOM NOM.
Yeah, yeah, I know Cloverfield is old news. But recently I re-watched the movie, and it kind of got me interested in its history and how everybody reacted to it. The first anybody heard of it was as a trailer before the first Transformers movie. It showed a camcorder tape of a party being interrupted by an unknown monster, and it didn’t even show the movie’s title. But I think it’s safe to say that seeing the head fly off the Statue of Liberty was so awesome that we all got interested.
USA Today said it was going to be something like Voltron, NYT said it was a new Godzilla, somebody else said it would be called “The Parasite”, and many others said it was a LOST spinoff, since JJ Abrams was the one producing it.
And then the hype heightened even more when viral marketing campaign sites such as http://www.1-18-08.com/ and http://www.slusho.jp/ showed up to confuse people. They also made official Myspace accounts for the main characters. (one of the characters’ height was 2’ 7”. Possible forshadowing?)
So once the movie’s title was announced as “Cloverfield” for reasons that still remain unknown, and the release date came around, everybody had to go see it to see what knocked the head off the Statue of Liberty. Walking out of the theater, there were tons of mixed reactions. Many people hated the shaky camera on the big screen and the fact that it wasn’t Godzilla, LOST, or anything else already established. Others loved it because it did something totally different and was overall enjoyable.
Honestly, I didn’t see Cloverfield in theaters. I didn’t know what it was about, I just knew its name at the time, so I didn’t have a reason to go. Then, after it was released on DVD, I saw reviews of it with extremely different opinions. Usually when that happens, I have to see the movie to find out for myself if it’s good.
My opinion: It is a good movie. It has its flaws, sure. I understand the characters holding the camera aren’t trained professionals, but would it kill them to hold the camera straight for just one second? It’s not a big problem on computer screens or iPod screens as much as it is on giant TV screens. Also, I couldn’t help but be slightly disappointed at the generic monster they used. However, the flaws are few and far between in my opinion. The greatness of the movie shines through. It creates the perfect atmosphere; it starts the movie out by introducing us to the characters and making them three-dimensional and even likable. That makes it more important to us when they’re facing certain doom. It makes it more emotional, it makes us care more. The complete lack of a musical score is brilliant; it creates the right mood, and it creates realism at the same time.
Speaking of realism, that’s one thing I loved about Cloverfield. Most monster movies don’t scare me; they just entertain me. I’ve never really believed in the monsters like Godzilla when they’re attacking cities; it’s just not believable. But with Cloverfield, we’re seeing the monster from the people’s point of view, and it makes it somewhat more believable and suspenseful. It’s more realistic that way.
One thing I also like is when a movie is mysterious. This applies for films like 2001: A Space Odyssey, a film I’m a fan of. We may never truly know what that film is about, and that’s part of why it’s so great. Cloverfield has a little of that quality. A lot of people on the Internet have pointed out secrets in the movie, like at the end where you see something falling from the sky into the water at Coney Island. It’s in the background and barely noticeable, but when you see it, you know it’s no accident. There’s also a sound clip at the end credits. Some say it says “Help us” when played forward. Others say when you play it backward it says “It’s still alive.” I find both of those to be likely.
There are lots of people who also think about the meaning behind Cloverfield. Some said that it’s about 9/11. I disagree; the only clear connection is that New York is under attack. That’s about it. I think it might have Godzilla innuendos. Director Matt Reeves said he’s a big Godzilla fan, and he made Cloverfield because it was about time the West had a monster too. (he said King Kong was too small and too much of a wimp.) There’s one part of the movie where the camera picture’s breaking up, and for just one frame, you can see a screenshot from the original Godzilla movie. Also, I think the plot of the movie could have something to do with it. Rob’s new job in Japan was Vice President of Marketing for Slusho! drinks. His job was to make those drinks marketable in the West like it was in the East. Maybe that has something to do with bringing the East’s monster movies to the West with Cloverfield.
I should stop rambling now. Thanks J.J. Abrams for a cool movie.
Let’s take a minute to talk about the blogger who manages to make the blogging world even less credible than it already was. Perez Hilton is really stupid, and his post on Michael Jackson’s going to the hospital proves it:
If you go to the article now, he edited everything after “His mother is even on the way to visit him!!!” to look like he didn’t do anything, but it’s true that this is what he said when Michael went to the hospital. Little did he know that Michael would die an hour later.
I can’t even begin to say how insulting this post is. A man goes to the hospital and this ass claims the man is faking it? It doesn’t matter who it is; you don’t joke about or accuse a man who had a cardiac arrest. It’s just not cool. Did Perez even stop for a second and think, “What if Michael dies?” before rushing through this poor excuse for journalism and pressing that “enter” button?
In fact, not only is he offensive, he’s also stupid. If somebody has a cardiac arrest, that means their heart stopped beating. You can’t possibly fake that. Did this idiot do any research at all on this story? Did he even Google what a “cardiac arrest” was? I did, and I wasn’t even writing an article!
The sole reason Perez is popular is because he’s controversial. Whenever his view count goes down, he creates more controversy. That’s not going to work forever. Eventually he’ll have to actually write a good article to get his views. Every time I see one of these posts, I think, “Yep. Still the same stupid, fat loser.”
Nintendo did a great job today, especially compared to last year’s E3. I still have nightmares about that Wii Music performance. But worry not, because today’s E3 was worth watching and being excited for. Let me just show you some games and give my thoughts.
New Super Mario Bros. Wii
This one looks really cool. I loved the first New Super Mario Bros, and the numbers show that a lot of other people also loved it. The idea of bringing back classic 2D Mario gameplay was ingenious. This one clearly has four-player co-op this time around, making it kind of like a party-game, but for all the right reasons. It’s not a Mario Party-like party game. It’s great. One player is Mario, another is Luigi, and the two remainders are different-colored Toads. I can’t wait to play it with my friends. There are clearly some new items, like a propellor suit and a penguin suit (awesome!), as well as the traditional items like Fire Flower and the like. I still have my fingers crossed for the return of the Tanooki suit. Yoshi will be in the game too, which has me excited. And rumor has it that the Koopa kids are returning at last. That is the definition of classic.
Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story
The third in the now-trilogy Mario & Luigi. This one involves the dynamic duo being… um… inside Bowser. It feels weird to be typing that. It looks like there’s also gameplay outside him too, so there should be a balance there. I should get my hands on this since I’m still not that familiar with Mario’s RPGs. Gameplay looks like what you’d expect from the series’s past.
Endless Ocean 2
I’m surprised there’s a sequel to this game. I expected it to just be one title. I hear good things about this game, but I’ve never played it. Looks okay.
Wii Fit Plus
Another one. Okay, well this one is basically similar to the original. I have the original and that was okay. The best thing I got out of it was the Balance Board that came with it, and this one doesn’t come with a Balance Board…
The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks
Alright, time for something awesome. First of all, listen to the music. That is so cool! As for the game… It’s a Zelda title. It’s the sequel to Phantom Hourglass, which I think was exceptional. Looks like Link is going back to being on land, and he’s the conductor of a train instead of the navigator of a tugboat. You’ll get to use a cannon while on the train, and there even seems to be a boss battle where you destroy the creature while you’re driving the train. Pretty cool. You also seem to be able to control a phantom guard from Phantom Hourglass, which helps in several puzzles in the game. Link has a brand new whip for an item, never in a Zelda game before. Whether it’s whipping an evildoer in the face or swinging across a gap Indiana Jones style, I think it’s pretty awesome. Overall, looks really cool. I’ll buy it just because I’m a Zelda geek and that’s what Zelda geeks do.
Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box
It’s Professor Layton again! People say good things, and as long as it’s entertaining people and helping the Wii’s library, I’m happy.
Super Mario Galaxy 2
Wow, this looks great! Obviously a continuation of the critically acclaimed Super Mario Galaxy, this looks like a worthy buy of anyone who enjoyed the first one. First of all, you can ride Yoshi. That alone should justify the $50. This will be the first 3D Mario to fully utilize Yoshi. Sure, Super Mario Sunshine allowed you to ride him, but that was just in the main place you start out in. I want to ride him in levels, and with different colors and power-ups! Also, the diversity of levels is great. You get the ghost house, grassy utopian shapes, snowy area, candy-colored places, and so forth. It reminds me of Super Mario World because it’s a very colorful game. I’m totally picking this one up when it comes out.
Metroid: Other M
Wow… They really saved one of the best games for last. This looks incredible. Nintendo’s teaming up with Team Ninja to make a dark, edgy Metroid unlike any we’ve played before. It will introduce more of Samus’s story too. In this trailer you can definitely see her kicking ass. We see Ridley in the trailer. Maybe Kraid is in the game too. I’ll definitely find out when I buy this game.
I missed it, it was on April 21st. But there’s still no reason not to celebrate. I’m proud of Gunpei Yokoi for creating such a magical device that made all our childhoods great. Thank you.
More news stations keep denying the existence of global warming. One reporter said the earth was “cooling, not warming”. Yeah, right. Check your facts next time.
What angers me so much about this is that global warming is being treated like one of these news stories where stations keep arguing back and forth about something that’s clearly a fact in order to get more viewers and make more money. That’s not going to be helpful with global warming; global warming requires immediate action, not waiting around and considering our choice. We urgently need to act right now. Not tomorrow, not next year. Now. If a rhinocerous is charging at you, your natural reaction shouldn’t be to stand around and analyze the rhino and weigh out your options, right?
I sympathize with Al Gore. Can’t wait for his upcoming book, “Our Choice.” Until then, the common public will continue to be ignorant and believe everything they hear on the news.
Look at these ignorant people spreading lies about gay marriage and saying that gays being able to marry is terrible, unclean, impure, and below the level of heterosexual marriage. Does this sound familiar at all?
And if that’s not enough, somebody got ahold of the audition tapes for those anti-gay commercials and put them on the Internet. The people who made the ad are essentially confirming they’re real by continuously pulling them over and over, but since they’re on a separate website, they’ll never be gone forever.
They’re spreading their own ignorance, which is the worst thing anybody can do.
I realize I just compared Barack Obama to Big Brother in the last post I made. I am regretful for this, because something happened yesterday that reminded me of who the real Big Brother was.
Yesterday, North Korea launched what appeared to be a nuclear missile. This showed up on the Internet as soon as it happened and many of us were afraid for whoever they were trying to destroy. It landed in the ocean and didn’t harm anybody. Even though the North Korean government claimed it was for a satellite or something, we all know that’s bullcrap. What they were really doing was testing their nuclear missile technology to see whether they could successfully hurt a country or not. This was a very irresponsible and provocative act which President Obama called out the same day, declaring his wishes for nuclear warfare to be nonexistent someday.
Kim Jong-il is the leader of North Korea. Although it’s not in his title and his people will claim that it’s not true, he is absolutely a dictator. And a bad one. You think Bush was bad? Kim Jong-il is probably the worst man alive today. He’s the main perpetuator of lies, warfare, and extreme punishment throughout Korea.
Kim Jong-il was born on February 16, 1941, in the former Soviet Union. At least, that’s the real story. Official biographies which were obviously swayed by the N. Korean government claimed he was born in 1942, in Baedku Mountain in Japanese North Korea. Obviously this makes him look more politically righteous, so they spread this lie throughout the country. These same biographers claim that a swallow foretold his birth and that when he was born, a double-rainbow appeared in the sky and a new star was added to the heavens. That’s an outrageous claim, but to the North Korean people, it’s as good as true. Why? Because they have to worship him their whole lives. They have to refer to him only as “Dear Leader”, and they throw huge festivals to him all the time. They constantly sing a song known as “No Motherland Without You”, a song made specifically for him. His birthday is an important holiday in the country, and his recent 60th birthday (61st in real life) had plenty of huge celebrations sponsered by the government. The people are always going to claim they do this because he’s their hero, but it’s actually because they’re scared to death of him.
He’s known to be a crazy, emotional, and eccentric man. That doesn’t surprise me at all. He never broadcasts himself to the nation like our President does. He has the government officials do it for him. He has a serious problem with nuclear warfare too. He signed an agreement with America to not use any nuclear weapons, but we all know that didn’t work out. He’s always breaking his promises and spreading lies.
Well North Korean state media says he’s an avid golfer, and that he makes about 3 or 4 holes-in-one per round. Right. One time in 1978, Kim ordered a South Korean actress and her director husband to be kidnapped. He kept them in captivity in North Korea while forcing them to make dozens of propoganda movies so he could advance North Korea’s film industry. Rumors are going around that he’s seriously ill, or even dead right now. Based on the few times he ever appears in public, that wouldn’t surprise me one bit if it were true.
Everybody who doubts Obama’s leadership abilities and his plans for this country— remember who the real enemies are.
I realize I just compared Barack Obama to Big Brother in the last post I made. I am regretful for this, because something happened yesterday that reminded me of who the real Big Brother was.