Currently Reading The Anarchist Cookbook By William Powell see related

OMGWTF! BURN!

I just saw this TV show - Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader? - on Fox.

This numbskull 37-year-old real estate agent could not correctly answer the following questions -

(1) Which of the following states is the farthest west?

     - Alaska

     - California

     - Nevada

(2) Which ocean covers the North Pole?

(3) True or False - Earth is located over 50 million miles from the Sun.

(4) What is 1/2 the area, in square inches, of a square with sides 12 inches long?

Another contestant could not correctly answer the question "What country is on the northern border of the United States?"

These people are college graduates, too

This is the root of all the problems within the United States - our average IQ is below 70

Democracy doesn't work very well when the masses are dumbasses.

Currently Reading Gates of Fire: An Epic Novel of the Battle of Thermopylae By Steven Pressfield see related

Spoiler-Free Review for 300

I just got back from watching 300.

Pluses -

- Gorgeous visuals, and a soundtrack that fits the scenes very well.

Minuses -

- Not historically accurate.

This movie looks GOOD. This is the first time I've seen this sort of style in a live-action movie: previously I have only seen this sort of cinematography in animation (Elfen Lied comes to mind), simply because it previously couldn't be done in traditional live-action film. 300 uses its computer graphics and special effects to great effect here. The Matrix fails compared to 300.

On the other hand, the plot... ehh... I guess it's to be expected of a film adaptation of a COMIC BOOK based on a true story. There were some plot points that made my stomach churn, because they were put in solely to make the movie (and comic book) more sensational...

... that word actually summarizes the movie quite well - SENSATION. The whole movie is about imparting sensations to the audience. You feel what the director wants you to feel, for better or worse. The plot gets lost in the sensations of the movie. From the excitement of watching blood spilling to the disgust of betrayal and everything in between, this movie makes you FEEL, and you don't really care about who is fighting who or what they are fighting for as long as you continue to experience the RUSH that the movie gives you.

I suppose that is what the director is going for. He succeeded.

Currently Reading Mr. Pusskins: A Love Story see related

Wolf in Sheep's Clothing

Meet my best friend's buddy, the SKS -

He did pretty good at the rifle range today -

I'll probably take him out to kill Bambi later this year

I find it funny that the AK-47 is banned in New York and California, but the SKS isn't - they fire the same ammunition, and are equally capable of massacring innocent schoolkids. The only difference is that one looks eeeevil, and the other one looks like Uncle Bob's hunting rifle. Oh well... no one ever said that politicians (and the masses) have any sense.

Bloodwork Results Are Back!

The good news: my cholesterol level is 140 mg/dL (HDL = 47 mg/dL, LDL = 93 mg/dL - low!), my hematocrit level is 47% (normal), and my fasting blood glucose level is 87 mg/dL (normal).

The bad news: I was supposed to get an annual HIV antibody (ELISA) test done for my physical, not the Complete Blood Count (CBC) and chemistry report (CHEM-20), which means that I had to get my blood drawn AGAIN. I also have to wait another week for the results to come back before I can continue with the paperwork to transfer from active duty to the Reserves. Ugh

Currently Listening Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 5 "Emperor" see related

My New Best Friend

Meet my new best friend, the Mosin-Nagant 1891/30 -

He's four feet long without the spike bayonet, and just shy of six feet long with the bayonet attached. He's built like a 2x4, has the most clunky bolt and trigger I've ever seen, puny sights, and is older than dirt. But he definitely gets the job done...

...and when he has the bayonet on, he strikes gold -

Any rifle that can shoot three rounds and have the holes touch at 25 yards without a rest or bipod is a good one

Those of you familiar with Metal Gear Solid 3 may recognize this rifle as being the one used by The End except without the scope (and without the tranquilizer darts).

It's also fun to go shooting at the rifle range with the bayonet attached - the bayonet affects the point of impact of the bullet, and the Russians designed this thing to be fired with the bayonet ON