I think it is finally the end of it all, the final word in a long book that has defined a generation.
It is the end of the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 era, officially. A year of mixing the two generations have left us knowing whether we are getting a Xbox One or a PlayStation 4. for a year, we have poured over graphics and engines, game mechanics and online experiences. And in that year, the change has come. Even the Wii-U has become a force of power, with major franchise releases throughout the year.
It happened to me earlier this month, while I was sitting at school on a break from studying. I was on Battlefield 4, looking for a specific game type. I have not bought any of the new maps that have come out during the game's two-year life cycle.
I began a search for any playlist with original maps and a hardcore game type. The previous day I had five separate playlists to choose from, all over half filled with other players, but this day I had none. I changed to a normal playlist with the same maps, and I had three options to choose from. I switched game modes, and still only five games to choose from.
I checked my friends list last night and ten of my friends were officially on Xbox Live. Of those ten, only three were on an Xbox 360, and of those three, only one was playing a game. It is just one example of the newest generation moving in on the old, replacing it.
Another example I see is in advertising for games themselves. The games are being advertised for either of the big names, One or PS4. Assassin's Creed Unity is being sold alongside the Xbox One this month for the holiday, and PlayStation's are being sold with Destiny.
And then there are the games. I have only seen Destiny played on the One or PS4, and it looks marvelous, no screen tearing and little lag. I have not gone complete into either console, examining the ins and outs, just the surface. But each still has a large leg above its predecessors. Better graphics, larger hard drives and improved controller response.
I have not bought a new game in a year, because I do not want to be disappointed with my "puny" 360. I don't want to see worse graphics or decreased game play.
Oh, that is a thing, decreased game play. Due to increased processing power and graphics improvements, more games provide options for the new generation. According to Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor producer Monolith, the engine they created was too large for the less-powerful consoles. Comparing Battlefield 4 between one generation to the other, I don't see clipping between characters or screen tearing when the action increased. Even FIFA looks good and has better collision graphics and AI.
And in a year, the newest generation has completely separated itself from its predecessors. Next year, there are games coming out not available except for the new consoles. Evolve is one example, and Arkham Knight is another. So far those two games are only announced to have a PS4 or Xbox One release. Sony also has some planned releases just for the PS4 and not for the PS3. Microsoft has yet to make any such announcements.
So is it the end? Is my 360 phased out, making way for the new guns on the block? I think so, which makes 2014 the final year of this generation. We will be seeing a further decrease in games available to them. Icing on the cake for this generation's end would be a drop in support from Call of Duty, and any EA or Ubisoft game.
Let me know what you think below. Until next time.
Tuesday, December 23, 2014
Tuesday, December 9, 2014
Breaking up the Trilogy: on Mockingjay Part 1
WARNING: THERE ARE SPOILERS INVOLVED IN THIS BLOG!!!! If you haven't seen the movie yet wish to invest time to do so without me ruining the entire thing for you, stop and read something else. I have a ton of other options here for you to pick from, so don't be afraid to try something new!
Over thanksgiving break I went and saw Mockingjay: Part 1 of the Hunger Games trilogy. The movie begins the conclusion of the series, similar to Harry Potter And the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 did to the seven-book, eight-movie series. It picks up after Katniss Everdeen, AKA Jennifer Lawrence, is taken to the hidden, thought-to-be-destroyed, District 13. District 13 was thought to be destroyed after rebelling against the Capital of Panem (Do you guys remember the backstory or have you read the books?). But, They have survived, and have been rebuilding their forces to fight against the Capital's oppression of the twelve other districts. Katniss is to be used as a symbol hope to the other districts due to her heroics in the previous two books/movies.
Let it be known that I have read and seen the previous two iterations of the series. And from what I have heard, the book Mockingjay is not as good of a read, and I just never have gotten around to reading it. So all of my opinions are based on the movie, and not comparing it to the book or referencing the book in any way.
Katniss is obviously affected by some for of Post-Traumatic Stress from surviving two Hunger Games and losing her fellow competitor Peeta. Peeta has been taken to the Capital and is now imprisoned there. Katniss has bad dreams about the hunger games, and misses Peeta. Under pressure from the head of District 13, Katniss agrees to become the Mockingjay, the symbol of rebellion to the rest of the districts. Across Panem, the first waves of rebellion are sweeping the districts. The Capital tries to contain the districts through force, primarily execution of those associated with rebelling against the Capital.
During the course of this, Katniss teams up with her friend from District 12, Gale, and they create promotional videos to be spread about Panem. Gale is mainly there to be Katniss's bodyguard when they leave the sanctuary of District 13. They travel around with a camera crew, all of whom escaped the Capital to work towards the rebellion. This whole portion of the movie is orchestrated by Plutarch, the Chief Game Maker of Catching Fire. His role is like the political chess player of the entire movie, indirectly battling President Snow through propaganda of Katniss in the field, and directing the President of 13 on how to rally her people to fight against the Capital. Philip Seymour Hoffman plays the role of Plutarch as a mentor who knows more than what is going on.
Honestly, the first portion of Mockingjay was a bore. There is an obvious set-up for something later, but the pacing is all off for a set-up movie. There are portions of action, with Katniss fighting off some Capital bombers with a bow (Rambo anyone?), but they only serve to break up the portions of Katniss crying over Peeta or Plutarch talking about "moves and counter-moves." Unfortunately this goes against my argument for the acting, which was spot-on over compared to the rest of the series. Every person in the cast understands their characters position in the plot, and acts accordingly. My problem came from the supporting cast. Katniss's family seems hollow, despite having such an influence over her personality and choices, and Gale's position is only a place holder until Peeta returns. Little is known about the President of 13, and the series only barely highlights other characters that escaped the previous Hunger Games from Catching Fire.
I again compare Mockingjay: Part 1 to the first part of the final Harry Potter series. It allows the story to have multiple threads so the second part can wrap up the story as it was intended. The presentation makes this fact forgettable, and allows you to watch with some excitement for the final installment. Overall, however, it is the weakest portion of the series, because its pace and story telling is radically different than the previous two installments.
As usual, comment below or on my Facebook page.
Until next time.
Over thanksgiving break I went and saw Mockingjay: Part 1 of the Hunger Games trilogy. The movie begins the conclusion of the series, similar to Harry Potter And the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 did to the seven-book, eight-movie series. It picks up after Katniss Everdeen, AKA Jennifer Lawrence, is taken to the hidden, thought-to-be-destroyed, District 13. District 13 was thought to be destroyed after rebelling against the Capital of Panem (Do you guys remember the backstory or have you read the books?). But, They have survived, and have been rebuilding their forces to fight against the Capital's oppression of the twelve other districts. Katniss is to be used as a symbol hope to the other districts due to her heroics in the previous two books/movies.
Let it be known that I have read and seen the previous two iterations of the series. And from what I have heard, the book Mockingjay is not as good of a read, and I just never have gotten around to reading it. So all of my opinions are based on the movie, and not comparing it to the book or referencing the book in any way.
Katniss is obviously affected by some for of Post-Traumatic Stress from surviving two Hunger Games and losing her fellow competitor Peeta. Peeta has been taken to the Capital and is now imprisoned there. Katniss has bad dreams about the hunger games, and misses Peeta. Under pressure from the head of District 13, Katniss agrees to become the Mockingjay, the symbol of rebellion to the rest of the districts. Across Panem, the first waves of rebellion are sweeping the districts. The Capital tries to contain the districts through force, primarily execution of those associated with rebelling against the Capital.
During the course of this, Katniss teams up with her friend from District 12, Gale, and they create promotional videos to be spread about Panem. Gale is mainly there to be Katniss's bodyguard when they leave the sanctuary of District 13. They travel around with a camera crew, all of whom escaped the Capital to work towards the rebellion. This whole portion of the movie is orchestrated by Plutarch, the Chief Game Maker of Catching Fire. His role is like the political chess player of the entire movie, indirectly battling President Snow through propaganda of Katniss in the field, and directing the President of 13 on how to rally her people to fight against the Capital. Philip Seymour Hoffman plays the role of Plutarch as a mentor who knows more than what is going on.
Honestly, the first portion of Mockingjay was a bore. There is an obvious set-up for something later, but the pacing is all off for a set-up movie. There are portions of action, with Katniss fighting off some Capital bombers with a bow (Rambo anyone?), but they only serve to break up the portions of Katniss crying over Peeta or Plutarch talking about "moves and counter-moves." Unfortunately this goes against my argument for the acting, which was spot-on over compared to the rest of the series. Every person in the cast understands their characters position in the plot, and acts accordingly. My problem came from the supporting cast. Katniss's family seems hollow, despite having such an influence over her personality and choices, and Gale's position is only a place holder until Peeta returns. Little is known about the President of 13, and the series only barely highlights other characters that escaped the previous Hunger Games from Catching Fire.
I again compare Mockingjay: Part 1 to the first part of the final Harry Potter series. It allows the story to have multiple threads so the second part can wrap up the story as it was intended. The presentation makes this fact forgettable, and allows you to watch with some excitement for the final installment. Overall, however, it is the weakest portion of the series, because its pace and story telling is radically different than the previous two installments.
As usual, comment below or on my Facebook page.
Until next time.
Thursday, December 4, 2014
A Teaser Trailer for the Trailer for the Movie...
So, as the title reflects, I am going over the teaser trailer for the trailer for Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens. I highly recommend watching the trailer before reading further.
So the trailer first has a black storm trooper emerging from a pan across the desert. An obvious homage to the first Star Wars film. I have heard complaints that there are no black stormtroopers, which is true. The actor in the shot, John Boyega, is one of the headline characters of the film, so it could be him disguising himself. Or he could actually be a stormtrooper.
Scene 2: Beach ball R2 rolling down the sandy street of somewhere. This thing looks cool. And really shows how far we have come since the last Star Wars film in terms of how animated pieces look. The R2 unit looks realistic, but in my opinion, it looks out of place. Maybe it should be in a rave, riding the crowd. As long as they do a remix of the Catina song.
Stormtroopers are back, and they have new helmets! The shot looks cool, with just enough shaky camera work to make the scene look like a drop zone or the shuttle they are in moving through the atmosphere. I cannot comment on the accuracy of these troopers, however. Someday we will see one live up to the precedent Obi-Wan gave.
There is a girl riding a sweet speeder in the desert. I am seeing a theme here... But anyway. I have no idea what significance this has on the teaser (hence the name), but the speeder is again showing that the technology looks natural. And it reminds me on a podracer engine.
Another CGI shot shows off JJ Abrams' cinematic shots, and the water effect is cool. slightly overplayed in the comparison to the Enterprise rising out of the water in Star Trek: Into Darkness, but it has its place. The X-wings also don't sound different, maybe a bit crisper in quality, but I am still taken back to their reveal in A New Hope.
And the controversial lightsaber. I wonder why people hate it, seriously.
I realize that the user is now limited to how it is used (don't want to cut your arm off...), but I also see its practicality. I would wield this weapon as a claymore, William Wallace-style, hacking through the forest. We have seen the sabers used in other ways too. Count Dooku was a fencer, using his as a rapier or similar weapon. Most of the Jedi use theirs like katanas,two handed with smooth motions. The saber-locking, with the cool crackling sounds, is also negated by the additional energy projections at the hilt. If you want to argue the specifics, take it up with Stephen Colbert. And also, the blade looks like energy is coursing through it, not just a Tron-like projection of light.
When did the Millenium Falcon become so damn good looking? I mean, did it go to the car wash? Is it fully functional? Truth of the matter is, we don't have to worry about its speed against TIE fighters. And those are back, with the same screaming noises.
Probably my favorite part through the entire teaser is the music. It sounds like John Williams is back and punctuating every frame it great music that makes me want to run around in a bathrobe. And the fanfare is back too, in case you were worried.
I loved the trailer. Going to see it, ASAP, next December. And if you are wondering why there is a teaser trailer for a movie coming out in a year, which will have its own trailer sometime next fall, you have come to the wrong place. I have no idea why they are announcing this so early. Maybe its to draw attention away from the animated film George Lucas is releasing in the spring, Strange Magic.
As usual, comment below, subscribe to the email list or my Facebook page.
Until next time.
So the trailer first has a black storm trooper emerging from a pan across the desert. An obvious homage to the first Star Wars film. I have heard complaints that there are no black stormtroopers, which is true. The actor in the shot, John Boyega, is one of the headline characters of the film, so it could be him disguising himself. Or he could actually be a stormtrooper.
Scene 2: Beach ball R2 rolling down the sandy street of somewhere. This thing looks cool. And really shows how far we have come since the last Star Wars film in terms of how animated pieces look. The R2 unit looks realistic, but in my opinion, it looks out of place. Maybe it should be in a rave, riding the crowd. As long as they do a remix of the Catina song.
Stormtroopers are back, and they have new helmets! The shot looks cool, with just enough shaky camera work to make the scene look like a drop zone or the shuttle they are in moving through the atmosphere. I cannot comment on the accuracy of these troopers, however. Someday we will see one live up to the precedent Obi-Wan gave.
There is a girl riding a sweet speeder in the desert. I am seeing a theme here... But anyway. I have no idea what significance this has on the teaser (hence the name), but the speeder is again showing that the technology looks natural. And it reminds me on a podracer engine.
Another CGI shot shows off JJ Abrams' cinematic shots, and the water effect is cool. slightly overplayed in the comparison to the Enterprise rising out of the water in Star Trek: Into Darkness, but it has its place. The X-wings also don't sound different, maybe a bit crisper in quality, but I am still taken back to their reveal in A New Hope.
And the controversial lightsaber. I wonder why people hate it, seriously.
I realize that the user is now limited to how it is used (don't want to cut your arm off...), but I also see its practicality. I would wield this weapon as a claymore, William Wallace-style, hacking through the forest. We have seen the sabers used in other ways too. Count Dooku was a fencer, using his as a rapier or similar weapon. Most of the Jedi use theirs like katanas,two handed with smooth motions. The saber-locking, with the cool crackling sounds, is also negated by the additional energy projections at the hilt. If you want to argue the specifics, take it up with Stephen Colbert. And also, the blade looks like energy is coursing through it, not just a Tron-like projection of light.When did the Millenium Falcon become so damn good looking? I mean, did it go to the car wash? Is it fully functional? Truth of the matter is, we don't have to worry about its speed against TIE fighters. And those are back, with the same screaming noises.
Probably my favorite part through the entire teaser is the music. It sounds like John Williams is back and punctuating every frame it great music that makes me want to run around in a bathrobe. And the fanfare is back too, in case you were worried.
I loved the trailer. Going to see it, ASAP, next December. And if you are wondering why there is a teaser trailer for a movie coming out in a year, which will have its own trailer sometime next fall, you have come to the wrong place. I have no idea why they are announcing this so early. Maybe its to draw attention away from the animated film George Lucas is releasing in the spring, Strange Magic.
As usual, comment below, subscribe to the email list or my Facebook page.
Until next time.
Tuesday, November 11, 2014
Rooster Teeth Acquired by Fullscreen: What Happens to its Community
Monday I opened twitter to scan through what I had missed after a morning of classes to find a simple tweet from Rooster Teeth. It stated that the production company will be acquired by Fullscreen, Inc.
Now, after I had seen the tweet and read posts on the Rooster Teeth site from creators Matt Hullum and Burnie Burns, I rushed to my search engine to learn who really is Fullscreen. through my research (Wikipedia and the Fullscreen site) I discovered that the company provides YouTube personalities with audience consultation and strategy, in addition to technology to those without up-to-date technology for making YouTube content.
After feeling satisfied with my research, I went on Facebook and saw the same post again. Knowing Facebook allows commentators to say just about anything they wish, I delved into the building drama of the fan reactions.
Most fans I have seen from Twitter and on the Rooster Teeth site are supportive of the move. Facebook users, however, were not afraid to give the post a piece of their mind.
It is slightly scary to see. Rooster Teeth is not exactly a YouTube channel, but they upload their content to the video site, usually within a day or a week. Primarily, the Rooster Teeth company produces content for its own website, and has a payment plan for those who wish to see the content early and without commercials. This means day-one uploads of their most popular shows, like RvB and RWBY (pronounced Ruby), are available a full hour ahead of of public release to sponsors.
I watch the Rooster Teeth Channel fairly regularly as well, and I am a sponsor. I enjoy watching the Achievement Hunters because they have fun making videos of their game play experiences. I watch other Rooster Teeth shows because it is a unique comedy, and they acknowledge their fans fairly regularly by including them in shows, contests, and live broadcasts. I am not going to jump ship. I have only been a member for six months, but I have been watching for about two years now.
The problem I see people having with the acquisition is they are scared that Fullscreen is taking over all aspects of the company the viewers love. As described by Burnie, Matt, and the social media coordinator Barbara Dunkleman, the move is to allow the company to produce additional content for the fans. Fullscreen is only going to be aiding in coordinating the popular Rooster Teeth Expo in Austin (where RT is based out of), and marketing. In addition, Fullscreen can help Rooster Teeth provide content by giving them certain equipment, and providing market analysis of their viewers to fine-tune what they produce.
Bu I also am afraid of how far the fine tuning will go. The Rooster Teeth content is for a very mature audience, with constant swearing, some alcohol use, and usually talk of male and female genitalia. Censorship of such content will definitely limit the target audience, and lose fans of the company.
But above all else, Rooster Teeth is a company. It is currently creating its first movie, Lazer Team, and is adding new shows to supplement the off-season of Red versus Blue and RWBY. it is now experimenting with audience interaction through Twitter and online surveys. They now have their own Twitch account so anyone in the company can play games in real time for others to watch, though currently it is mostly used by Ray (an employee of Achievement Hunter).
As the dust settles on the acquisition, I am not scared of what will happen to the company. I wait to see what new content or ideas may come out of it. Let me know what you think below or on my Facebook page.
Until next time
Now, after I had seen the tweet and read posts on the Rooster Teeth site from creators Matt Hullum and Burnie Burns, I rushed to my search engine to learn who really is Fullscreen. through my research (Wikipedia and the Fullscreen site) I discovered that the company provides YouTube personalities with audience consultation and strategy, in addition to technology to those without up-to-date technology for making YouTube content.
After feeling satisfied with my research, I went on Facebook and saw the same post again. Knowing Facebook allows commentators to say just about anything they wish, I delved into the building drama of the fan reactions.
Most fans I have seen from Twitter and on the Rooster Teeth site are supportive of the move. Facebook users, however, were not afraid to give the post a piece of their mind.
"Ripsterteeth"That was a common one I saw in the comments. It was sad to see so many jsut give up on an internet content provider that has given its fans some of the most memorable videos on the internet. Red versus Blue is one of the longest running shows on the Internet, and has now concluded its twelfth season. The Achievement Hunter channel provides game play and a community for others to share videos of their gaming experiences. But people are willing to jump ship because they are scared that what Rooster Teeth will do is, God forbid, CHANGE.
It is slightly scary to see. Rooster Teeth is not exactly a YouTube channel, but they upload their content to the video site, usually within a day or a week. Primarily, the Rooster Teeth company produces content for its own website, and has a payment plan for those who wish to see the content early and without commercials. This means day-one uploads of their most popular shows, like RvB and RWBY (pronounced Ruby), are available a full hour ahead of of public release to sponsors.
I watch the Rooster Teeth Channel fairly regularly as well, and I am a sponsor. I enjoy watching the Achievement Hunters because they have fun making videos of their game play experiences. I watch other Rooster Teeth shows because it is a unique comedy, and they acknowledge their fans fairly regularly by including them in shows, contests, and live broadcasts. I am not going to jump ship. I have only been a member for six months, but I have been watching for about two years now.
The problem I see people having with the acquisition is they are scared that Fullscreen is taking over all aspects of the company the viewers love. As described by Burnie, Matt, and the social media coordinator Barbara Dunkleman, the move is to allow the company to produce additional content for the fans. Fullscreen is only going to be aiding in coordinating the popular Rooster Teeth Expo in Austin (where RT is based out of), and marketing. In addition, Fullscreen can help Rooster Teeth provide content by giving them certain equipment, and providing market analysis of their viewers to fine-tune what they produce.
Bu I also am afraid of how far the fine tuning will go. The Rooster Teeth content is for a very mature audience, with constant swearing, some alcohol use, and usually talk of male and female genitalia. Censorship of such content will definitely limit the target audience, and lose fans of the company.
But above all else, Rooster Teeth is a company. It is currently creating its first movie, Lazer Team, and is adding new shows to supplement the off-season of Red versus Blue and RWBY. it is now experimenting with audience interaction through Twitter and online surveys. They now have their own Twitch account so anyone in the company can play games in real time for others to watch, though currently it is mostly used by Ray (an employee of Achievement Hunter).
As the dust settles on the acquisition, I am not scared of what will happen to the company. I wait to see what new content or ideas may come out of it. Let me know what you think below or on my Facebook page.
Until next time
Thursday, October 23, 2014
The Modern Scientist
There is a change in the way we view the world and science. We are shifting away from the wars of yesterday and tomorrow and looking to the wonder and amazement of the world we live in. I have heard so many groups and people talking about the need for change within society to get away from our petty differences and begin exploring the frontiers we have opened.
This is, however, a vision, not a fact.
Wednesday I drove to the University of Indianapolis to see a lecture given by the astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson. Dr. Tyson is the fifth director of the Hayden Planetarium in New York City, and is the host of the reboot series Cosmos.
His lecture was entitled This Just in: Latest Discoveries in the Universe and covered topics like the moon in eclipse, why Pluto isn't considered a planet anymore (get over it), and the world's focus on science.
His lecture was a roller coaster of fact, fun, and somber truth. But it wasn't filled with facts or data or high amounts of questioning. Instead, it was like we were in a bar, and he was talking to us about the universe.
I watched Dr. Tyson and saw that he had a finger on the pulse of the universe, and he recognized that today, that pulse is us. The most astonishing fact to him (and now me) is that we ARE a manifestation of the universe. We are a concoction of star dust that combined to make elements. Elements that make life, and the possibility for that life to understand its origins, its path from the beginning of known time (4.8 BILLION YEARS) to now. We have the power to recognize things that can kill us, make us happy, and put us in touch with the natural world.
And the amazing part of his lecture is that Dr. Tyson can just talk about it. He does it to capture the interest of science, to unlock the secrets. and not to find answers, but to find more secrets and recognize who we really are.
On Pluto, he stands by the designation of a dwarf planet. He helped put it in such a designation, so blame him.
For the moon, he criticized the media, how it considers cosmological events to be "rare" and, in some cases, "signs of the apocalypse." Of course, for him, he knows all these things. He has his own planetarium.
He talked how there is plotting for the number of asteroids large enough to eliminate all life on the planet. And there are pages of them that at any time can hit us. Think of the one that just detonated above Siberia. It was 40 meters in diameter, and traveled at 40,000 miles per hour. when it hit the Earth's atmosphere, it stopped. Like a car hitting a wall. The explosion was equivalent to 500 megatons of TNT. The nuclear bomb over Hiroshima was only 20 megatons. And the asteroid detonated with such force it broke windows around the towns it detonated.
He talked comets. The Rosetta probe, launched earlier this year, caught up to a comet and is soon going to place a probe on the surface of it. Comets are little more than ice balls and dust hurtling through space, so putting a probe on the surface of one is extremely delicate and awesome. Tyson also discussed how a comet shouldn't mess with the sun. The sun wins every time.
I admire Neil deGrasse Tyson because he speaks with such passion about these things. I want to harness that emotion when I talk, feel the passion through me when I present my case to the world. Another part I admire about Neil is how he talks to people. He talks to everyone exactly the same. What you see is what you get, no matter who you are or what age you may be. I watched him last night explain (highly sarcastically) to a teenager why he tries not to reflect his opinion on matters. He wants to express fact when he has a debate.
He showed us a picture someone took of him making waffles one morning. Then later, someone used Photoshop to make it look like he was creating the Earth.
Original Photoshop
Looks great too. But in my opinion, I see Dr. Tyson not creating the Earth, but adding the knowledge of the cosmos to the Earth.
Plus it looks good on a van.
Until next time.
This is, however, a vision, not a fact.
Wednesday I drove to the University of Indianapolis to see a lecture given by the astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson. Dr. Tyson is the fifth director of the Hayden Planetarium in New York City, and is the host of the reboot series Cosmos.
His lecture was entitled This Just in: Latest Discoveries in the Universe and covered topics like the moon in eclipse, why Pluto isn't considered a planet anymore (get over it), and the world's focus on science.
His lecture was a roller coaster of fact, fun, and somber truth. But it wasn't filled with facts or data or high amounts of questioning. Instead, it was like we were in a bar, and he was talking to us about the universe.
I watched Dr. Tyson and saw that he had a finger on the pulse of the universe, and he recognized that today, that pulse is us. The most astonishing fact to him (and now me) is that we ARE a manifestation of the universe. We are a concoction of star dust that combined to make elements. Elements that make life, and the possibility for that life to understand its origins, its path from the beginning of known time (4.8 BILLION YEARS) to now. We have the power to recognize things that can kill us, make us happy, and put us in touch with the natural world.
And the amazing part of his lecture is that Dr. Tyson can just talk about it. He does it to capture the interest of science, to unlock the secrets. and not to find answers, but to find more secrets and recognize who we really are.
On Pluto, he stands by the designation of a dwarf planet. He helped put it in such a designation, so blame him.
For the moon, he criticized the media, how it considers cosmological events to be "rare" and, in some cases, "signs of the apocalypse." Of course, for him, he knows all these things. He has his own planetarium.
He talked how there is plotting for the number of asteroids large enough to eliminate all life on the planet. And there are pages of them that at any time can hit us. Think of the one that just detonated above Siberia. It was 40 meters in diameter, and traveled at 40,000 miles per hour. when it hit the Earth's atmosphere, it stopped. Like a car hitting a wall. The explosion was equivalent to 500 megatons of TNT. The nuclear bomb over Hiroshima was only 20 megatons. And the asteroid detonated with such force it broke windows around the towns it detonated.
He talked comets. The Rosetta probe, launched earlier this year, caught up to a comet and is soon going to place a probe on the surface of it. Comets are little more than ice balls and dust hurtling through space, so putting a probe on the surface of one is extremely delicate and awesome. Tyson also discussed how a comet shouldn't mess with the sun. The sun wins every time.
I admire Neil deGrasse Tyson because he speaks with such passion about these things. I want to harness that emotion when I talk, feel the passion through me when I present my case to the world. Another part I admire about Neil is how he talks to people. He talks to everyone exactly the same. What you see is what you get, no matter who you are or what age you may be. I watched him last night explain (highly sarcastically) to a teenager why he tries not to reflect his opinion on matters. He wants to express fact when he has a debate.
He showed us a picture someone took of him making waffles one morning. Then later, someone used Photoshop to make it look like he was creating the Earth.
Original Photoshop
Looks great too. But in my opinion, I see Dr. Tyson not creating the Earth, but adding the knowledge of the cosmos to the Earth.
Plus it looks good on a van.
Until next time.
Tuesday, October 21, 2014
Watching "The Judge"
Its hard to see Robert Downey, Jr., in any other role besides the billionaire Tony Stark. But he did it -anyway, playing a quick witted Chicago defense lawyer in The Judge.
Its hard to criticize him in the role he was given. The film is rated R, and Downey is allowed more reign than any Marvel movie would allow. He unravels his character in bits of rage, sorrow, and fun, leaving you rooting for him at every turn in the story.
The Judge, at its heart, is a family movie. Downey comes back to his backwater, hometown roots of southern Indiana, where his father is the the judge. And his father is a brilliant Robert Duvall. Downey comes back to see his two brothers, a younger one who is autistic, and an older one who is trying to be everyone's rock. he only plans to be in the town for a short time for his mother's funeral. But he gets called back to defend his father, who is being charged with murder.
That is all I want to give away in the story, due to how new the movie is. But a captivating performance is given by the entire cast. Robert Duvall really steals the show at points, being hard on his sons and trying to uphold the righteousness of the law. He gives real insight to what it could be like living as a respected person in the community, and Downey as his opposite only adds to the great pair.
What was great about the movie was all the actors got to be multi-faced. They were allowed different emotions and stories that interacted on the main plot intricately and artfully. I really haven't seen such a great courtroom scene since To Kill a Mockingbird.
Until next time.
Its hard to criticize him in the role he was given. The film is rated R, and Downey is allowed more reign than any Marvel movie would allow. He unravels his character in bits of rage, sorrow, and fun, leaving you rooting for him at every turn in the story.
The Judge, at its heart, is a family movie. Downey comes back to his backwater, hometown roots of southern Indiana, where his father is the the judge. And his father is a brilliant Robert Duvall. Downey comes back to see his two brothers, a younger one who is autistic, and an older one who is trying to be everyone's rock. he only plans to be in the town for a short time for his mother's funeral. But he gets called back to defend his father, who is being charged with murder.
That is all I want to give away in the story, due to how new the movie is. But a captivating performance is given by the entire cast. Robert Duvall really steals the show at points, being hard on his sons and trying to uphold the righteousness of the law. He gives real insight to what it could be like living as a respected person in the community, and Downey as his opposite only adds to the great pair.
What was great about the movie was all the actors got to be multi-faced. They were allowed different emotions and stories that interacted on the main plot intricately and artfully. I really haven't seen such a great courtroom scene since To Kill a Mockingbird.
Until next time.
Friday, October 17, 2014
And we're moving...
So unfortunately today was a stretch for me to write about something. I am fresh out of ideas, and since I am not exactly a newsroom, I don't think much has changed since our last meeting (chuckle).
Wednesday nights I have a philosophy class, entitled Bioethics. It is a course which "teaches" (you'll understand later) how to be a professional in your job. This course mostly focuses on the healthcare field, determining what is and is not good for the patient.
I am not exactly in the healthcare field. I was my freshman year, but now I want to pursue a career in environmental law.
I took the course because I needed a final philosophy course, and I didn't want to take a course on a specific Gospel or religion. Plus I am going to be a professional. So why not?
My professor is a doctor (M.D.) and a Jesuit at the local VA hospital. And the course isn't exactly the best teacher. Or the way the course is laid out is the problem. I have only learned that as a professional, I cannot take advantage of clients, as well as be ethical in the way I approach a client's work. Those are the only tenants I have learned thus far, with multiple philosophers to tell me their opinions of ethics in healthcare.
So besides that, we had guest speakers my last class. They were supporters of the United Federation of Nations. Now, I understand that many of you are either going "Where are you going with that?" or "Star Trek Federation?" This is actually a movement to make the United Nations more powerful and a real governing body of the world (like Star Trek...).
So why am I bringing this up? Because I liked the option of having a complete world governing body. The proposition basis this world order on a checks and balances system. Countries gain representation to the system through a mixture of wealth, size and population. All of the countries will resolve problems and conflicts in the world legislation, and make sure that countries uphold a standard of human rights for all. Trade and corporations will be accountable to the world, not individual states.
So most of what I said above are the beliefs of the group. And I think that having a world governing body will help resolve issues that are in the world today. I take the issues that the Ukraine is having as an example. The United nations actually told Russia that they couldn't take Crimea. Or they just asked if Putin stayed out. Either way, a world federation would put their foot down on whether Russia laid claim to that territory or not. Also, It would be nice to see that companies with stakes in countries outside of their home territories to avoid certain laws that would "constrain" their business.
If you have any questions about this movement, comment below with questions or your own opinions.
Until next time.
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