See, I told you the company will be a Titan. Or rather the loose misspelling of one. But let's focus on Namco first because they got the license from Nishitani.
Namco was interested in making the story into video game material and prior to them, Telenet Japan (a defunct video game company) made a Gauntlet-esque style game. But Namco had a different priority. But as such, it went to a smaller company (Atlus) to make the game.
Atlus was a very relatively new player in the video game market, and just made it onto the scene when other gaming companies like Squaresoft (Square-Enix) and Nintendo already had some ground as well as Sega (both Nintendo and Sega had been around long before shifting their focuses on the Video Game market with Nintendo selling Trading Cards and Sega doing Arcade Machines and even in WWII selling slot machines when it was an American Enterprise on Hawaii. Also, Atlus is now Subsidiary of the Sega company and many people joke it is the only good investment Sega has done given all the bad Sonic games. I would agree.)
Atlus made, instead of a Gauntlet game, a Dungeon Crawler that took heavy inspiration from the storyline of DDS: Megami Tensei, many aspects influencing the future of the franchise. The setting is in Modern Tokyo rather than a fantasy setting, Loki as an antagonist and also Set and as the true villain, Lucifer. Summoning Demons from a Computer and negotiations with the enemies to make them Potential Allies was another aspect that still has its roots in DDS: Megami Tensei. And the monster collection genre was a mainstay staple and is a pioneer of the genre. (When this franchise became popular in the West, people compared it to Pokemon.) But these were the small aspects of the game that would make it into the overall franchise of Shin Megami Tensei. The real story is of the two visionaries to made leaps with the game's story.
Kazuma Kaneko (one of my favorite modern artists) and Kouji (Cozy) Okada had both been involved with Atlus since the founding. (Cozy is one of the Six founders of Atlus) Both of them, as well as the Atlus team, wanted to Remake Digital Devil Story so they did but what became a remake, became an all-new storyline. But what made Shin Megami Tensei stand out was the name.
You see, Megami Tensei means Goddess Reincarnation or Goddess Metapsychosis. (The cycles of life, death, and rebirth that were usually tributed to the Goddess Izanami in the very early games.) However, add the Shin and you have the word for True or New so the literal name is True or New Goddess Metapsychosis.
When you think about it, it's kind of a cheap ploy but it's effective nonetheless as the RPG had a new design and look with all sorts of artwork done by Kazuma Kaneko. In fact, my next article will analyze some of the demon designs as well as the human designs for the Shin Megami Tensei Series.
Saturday, March 17, 2018
Thursday, March 15, 2018
Political Correctness: Everybody Uses It
In response to a post over a year ago, I wanted to at least offer up another source of criticism in response to what I said especially since my article was an Obvious Jab to Bill Nye (I used to like his old show and now the new one just disgusted me greatly. Now he truly is Bill Nye the SJW Guy. :( Once again, another reason why your heroes only disappoint.)
But Let's get away from the fantasies and crazy science fiction to another time. Let's talk about Political Correctness. We all don't like it but we all do it. And in my last Article Scientism: A "New" Religion, I pretty much implied, in the second paragraph, that environmentalists used "climate change," Originally, they used global warming but when global warming was just too broad and no one took it seriously enough except die hard fanatics, they resorted to another phrase "Climate Change." This time, they took an alliterative phrase that could attract people quite easily and sadly dupe them easily too. But then you think the Conservatives are the heroes of political incorrectness. This is flat out lie. Everybody uses political correctness whether they know it or not. Whether we say we don't like something or just try to make something sound less serious than ever, Political Incorrectness has been used in our minds for a long time.
Let's look at the liberals. We have seen in Canada and the United Kingdom with a very lazy and uninspiring Conservative movement, (They desperately need some Ayn Rand, von Mises, anyone of great merit to announce and promote the freedoms of Capitalism and the essence of invidiualism badly for being in the West) that has regulated what you can say to people on the street. This is the absolute crime of saying anything of hate speech is intolerable. That just misgendering someone who claims they are trans or "generfluid" is the most reprehensible thing when i would say shouting death threats to someone is absolutely reprehensible. That online should be promoting even more big brother surveillance to stop bullying even though that doesn't stop people from bullying others in anyway or teaching people to accept responsibility for their actions on bullying or teaching our kids if they keep on bullying them, they have every right to defend themselves and slug the fucker down. Oh and before I forget, even though I don't like Steven Crowder and find him unfunny due to trying to hard to be funny with insulting liberals, (Or maybe because I find them seriously too scary to be funny. It's a very odd and ominous parallel.), YouTube and Twitter have personally decided to be authoritarian to delete the video of sending one of his interns to South by Southwest, a film festival, to make his intern claim he is a gay robot. And they even censored cursing and peoples faces but now have shown the video elsewhere because of claims that it goes against so called insulting and shaming others but even though Crowder has claimed to Twitter on how many false accounts have used Libel and Slander against him, it falls on deaf ears.
But Conservatives use of political correctness is also on the boarder of such ideas with what we can and can't say about religion and which religion. It's acceptable for Lauren Southern to call Allah gay but not funny when Life of Brian is on and we joke that it's a documentary of the early Christian movement. (Also the UK has banned her from coming though the papers look fake from mispellings and other things but if true then the Tory Party needs to reevaluate about their positions.) Teresa May (and I thought David Cameron was bad) is ok with censoring porn sites on the supposed idea that parents are too stupid to put parental blocks on their computers or making sure they monitor what their children can access.
And then it goes from Disney to make adjustments to The Pirates of the Carribean ride which obviously looks like political correctness because of the Wife Slave trade wishing to not think people would think Disney supports wife-inferiority and slavery.
BUT JESUS FUCK PEOPLE, STOP BEING FUCKING OVERSENSTIVE CUNT PUSSIES!!!
Look, I'm sorry about the cursing but this is ridiculous how we are manipulating ourselves and others into censorship. The madness will never end until people realize we are taking their freedoms of speech away. China has recently done that with no calling Xi Jinping, Pooh Bear. (I prefer New Emperor Xi because the governmnent once again goes back to Empirical states with Life Tenures.) Also people expect that from China because they're a communist state. But when a Western Nation does it, radicals cry that this is for the betterment of all, a.k.a. Egalitarianist Communist state. Everyone, calm your tits down and listen. Allowing yourselves to be censored will fuck you all in the end. You can't call someone evil because the word would be so meaningless to actual crimes done whether be corruption of any kind or actual physical violence to be overlooked to useless crimes like slips of the tounge or dirty jokes.
I remember watching a scene from George Carlin's stand-up called Euphemisms where he discusses the problems of euphemistic language which shelters, hides, and disintegrates the problems and ideas associated with language. He uses the best example with explaining how being "shellshocked" for many of our brave men and women has been desanitized to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, emphasizing each war that happens gives off a different name and more syllables and the most prevailing being, loss of meaning. Then he explains it all with how phrases we use now have changed overtime with giving me thoughts of what I did or did not say from the examples used. Sad part is, he noted how if people still used shell shocked, many of our vets would get the treatment they need and that is something I feel very true to this day because we just fleetingly mention having PTSD or being shell shocked but sometimes I wonder if anyone is looking out for them because I know VA sure ain't if this is true.
Trust me, this political correctness is getting out of hand and it's detrimental to free societies and free speech. And the only way to stop the destruction of free speech is to fight back with FREE SPEECH!
Links to the following news posts I mentioned
Steven Crowder Video: https://www.bitchute.com/video/6Hti-rkGR-M/
Lauren Southern: Allah is Gay: http://www.spiked-online.com/newsite/article/why-we-must-have-the-right-to-call-allah-gay/21225#.Wqq8sqjwZPY
Pirates of the Carribean: https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/fans-furious-disneys-pc-pirates-caribbean-ride-makeover-174417307.html
http://ktla.com/2018/03/14/disneyland-to-remove-bride-auction-scene-from-pirates-of-the-caribbean-ride-in-april/
Jordan Peterson and Language Debate: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SiijS_9hPkM
George Carlin and Euphamisms: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKJ69_cWDBQ
Theresa May and Porn: https://www.privateinternetaccess.com/blog/2017/06/uk-prime-minister-theresa-may-war-on-terror-requires-porn-censorship-internet/
But Let's get away from the fantasies and crazy science fiction to another time. Let's talk about Political Correctness. We all don't like it but we all do it. And in my last Article Scientism: A "New" Religion, I pretty much implied, in the second paragraph, that environmentalists used "climate change," Originally, they used global warming but when global warming was just too broad and no one took it seriously enough except die hard fanatics, they resorted to another phrase "Climate Change." This time, they took an alliterative phrase that could attract people quite easily and sadly dupe them easily too. But then you think the Conservatives are the heroes of political incorrectness. This is flat out lie. Everybody uses political correctness whether they know it or not. Whether we say we don't like something or just try to make something sound less serious than ever, Political Incorrectness has been used in our minds for a long time.
Let's look at the liberals. We have seen in Canada and the United Kingdom with a very lazy and uninspiring Conservative movement, (They desperately need some Ayn Rand, von Mises, anyone of great merit to announce and promote the freedoms of Capitalism and the essence of invidiualism badly for being in the West) that has regulated what you can say to people on the street. This is the absolute crime of saying anything of hate speech is intolerable. That just misgendering someone who claims they are trans or "generfluid" is the most reprehensible thing when i would say shouting death threats to someone is absolutely reprehensible. That online should be promoting even more big brother surveillance to stop bullying even though that doesn't stop people from bullying others in anyway or teaching people to accept responsibility for their actions on bullying or teaching our kids if they keep on bullying them, they have every right to defend themselves and slug the fucker down. Oh and before I forget, even though I don't like Steven Crowder and find him unfunny due to trying to hard to be funny with insulting liberals, (Or maybe because I find them seriously too scary to be funny. It's a very odd and ominous parallel.), YouTube and Twitter have personally decided to be authoritarian to delete the video of sending one of his interns to South by Southwest, a film festival, to make his intern claim he is a gay robot. And they even censored cursing and peoples faces but now have shown the video elsewhere because of claims that it goes against so called insulting and shaming others but even though Crowder has claimed to Twitter on how many false accounts have used Libel and Slander against him, it falls on deaf ears.
But Conservatives use of political correctness is also on the boarder of such ideas with what we can and can't say about religion and which religion. It's acceptable for Lauren Southern to call Allah gay but not funny when Life of Brian is on and we joke that it's a documentary of the early Christian movement. (Also the UK has banned her from coming though the papers look fake from mispellings and other things but if true then the Tory Party needs to reevaluate about their positions.) Teresa May (and I thought David Cameron was bad) is ok with censoring porn sites on the supposed idea that parents are too stupid to put parental blocks on their computers or making sure they monitor what their children can access.
And then it goes from Disney to make adjustments to The Pirates of the Carribean ride which obviously looks like political correctness because of the Wife Slave trade wishing to not think people would think Disney supports wife-inferiority and slavery.
BUT JESUS FUCK PEOPLE, STOP BEING FUCKING OVERSENSTIVE CUNT PUSSIES!!!
Look, I'm sorry about the cursing but this is ridiculous how we are manipulating ourselves and others into censorship. The madness will never end until people realize we are taking their freedoms of speech away. China has recently done that with no calling Xi Jinping, Pooh Bear. (I prefer New Emperor Xi because the governmnent once again goes back to Empirical states with Life Tenures.) Also people expect that from China because they're a communist state. But when a Western Nation does it, radicals cry that this is for the betterment of all, a.k.a. Egalitarianist Communist state. Everyone, calm your tits down and listen. Allowing yourselves to be censored will fuck you all in the end. You can't call someone evil because the word would be so meaningless to actual crimes done whether be corruption of any kind or actual physical violence to be overlooked to useless crimes like slips of the tounge or dirty jokes.
I remember watching a scene from George Carlin's stand-up called Euphemisms where he discusses the problems of euphemistic language which shelters, hides, and disintegrates the problems and ideas associated with language. He uses the best example with explaining how being "shellshocked" for many of our brave men and women has been desanitized to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, emphasizing each war that happens gives off a different name and more syllables and the most prevailing being, loss of meaning. Then he explains it all with how phrases we use now have changed overtime with giving me thoughts of what I did or did not say from the examples used. Sad part is, he noted how if people still used shell shocked, many of our vets would get the treatment they need and that is something I feel very true to this day because we just fleetingly mention having PTSD or being shell shocked but sometimes I wonder if anyone is looking out for them because I know VA sure ain't if this is true.
Trust me, this political correctness is getting out of hand and it's detrimental to free societies and free speech. And the only way to stop the destruction of free speech is to fight back with FREE SPEECH!
Links to the following news posts I mentioned
Steven Crowder Video: https://www.bitchute.com/video/6Hti-rkGR-M/
Lauren Southern: Allah is Gay: http://www.spiked-online.com/newsite/article/why-we-must-have-the-right-to-call-allah-gay/21225#.Wqq8sqjwZPY
Pirates of the Carribean: https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/fans-furious-disneys-pc-pirates-caribbean-ride-makeover-174417307.html
http://ktla.com/2018/03/14/disneyland-to-remove-bride-auction-scene-from-pirates-of-the-caribbean-ride-in-april/
Jordan Peterson and Language Debate: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SiijS_9hPkM
George Carlin and Euphamisms: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKJ69_cWDBQ
Theresa May and Porn: https://www.privateinternetaccess.com/blog/2017/06/uk-prime-minister-theresa-may-war-on-terror-requires-porn-censorship-internet/
Tuesday, March 13, 2018
Shin Megami Tensei Part 1: The Origins of a Gothic RPG
So the game in mind I wanted to review was Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne. But before I do, I want to go over a light history of the franchise from its early origins to what we are experiencing now.
In the 1970's and 80's, Japan was growing into a technological conglomerate and had recently been introduced to Computer technology with the aspirations to use and even improve the system already made by the Americans. Inspired by their desire to change as a world power after heated tensions of the Second World War, Japan marketed itself as a technology company giant and being part of a global Westernized Market especially in the entertainment industry with an example being Toshiba making TVs and VCRs, as well as home computers later. But one man looked onto the new marketplace with inspiration, excitement, and fear. His name was Aya Nishitani.
Nishitani was working for an electronics manufacturer when he noticed the possibilities of this technology and was inspired to write a short serialized story for Oh PC magazine which would later become a new basis for a short pulp novel called Digital Devil Saga: Megami Tensei.
To be honest, I know very little to nothing about this novel's plot other than from bootleg translations, very poorly done though. The novel focuses on two teenagers (male and female) and the female love interest is said to be the reincarnation of the Death Goddess Izanami-no-Okami. Also, the main villain was the trickster God Loki. And that a bunch of demons were unleashed because of accessing computer programing into devil summoning (Nishitani was interested in astrology and black magic and used technology as a basis for summoning demons which are featured quite predominantly in SMT games) which sets the main story in motion. The only ideas we have of the story is the anime adaptation which is a one hour OVA you can find on YouTube if interested. I wasn't too interested in it personally. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vgk4BFIp6G8)
But from what we do know, is very telling with the themes of the story. The story, in essence, deals with the techno-skepticism philosophy of thought with the advancements in the electronic technology of TV and Home Computers. It gives off an aura of being difficult to specifically genre explain since it deals with different levels of Science Fiction, Fantasy, Drama, Horror, Dystopia, Cyberpunk, and Mythology as the main genre vocal points. But this is also odd because it's in such a weird way that this is but the foundational shell of what would later be the Shin Megami Tensei Franchise because it departs so far from the original resource material that it's hard to say that it is a true adaptation and would be more of an inspired game with its own original story.
And a little after the success of this novel, describing the cyberpunk storyline being a fresh take on the Fantasy Hero storyline with bleak tones added to the popularity and the anime also helped too. But where the story made success was when it came to the adaption of the story, not be made as a movie, but instead ... a video game.
In my next article, I'll be talking about The Namco Gaming Company and the small Company that would later be an Underdog Titan in the RPG Gaming Market and how a cult novel became a cult video game.
In the 1970's and 80's, Japan was growing into a technological conglomerate and had recently been introduced to Computer technology with the aspirations to use and even improve the system already made by the Americans. Inspired by their desire to change as a world power after heated tensions of the Second World War, Japan marketed itself as a technology company giant and being part of a global Westernized Market especially in the entertainment industry with an example being Toshiba making TVs and VCRs, as well as home computers later. But one man looked onto the new marketplace with inspiration, excitement, and fear. His name was Aya Nishitani.
Nishitani was working for an electronics manufacturer when he noticed the possibilities of this technology and was inspired to write a short serialized story for Oh PC magazine which would later become a new basis for a short pulp novel called Digital Devil Saga: Megami Tensei.
To be honest, I know very little to nothing about this novel's plot other than from bootleg translations, very poorly done though. The novel focuses on two teenagers (male and female) and the female love interest is said to be the reincarnation of the Death Goddess Izanami-no-Okami. Also, the main villain was the trickster God Loki. And that a bunch of demons were unleashed because of accessing computer programing into devil summoning (Nishitani was interested in astrology and black magic and used technology as a basis for summoning demons which are featured quite predominantly in SMT games) which sets the main story in motion. The only ideas we have of the story is the anime adaptation which is a one hour OVA you can find on YouTube if interested. I wasn't too interested in it personally. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vgk4BFIp6G8)
But from what we do know, is very telling with the themes of the story. The story, in essence, deals with the techno-skepticism philosophy of thought with the advancements in the electronic technology of TV and Home Computers. It gives off an aura of being difficult to specifically genre explain since it deals with different levels of Science Fiction, Fantasy, Drama, Horror, Dystopia, Cyberpunk, and Mythology as the main genre vocal points. But this is also odd because it's in such a weird way that this is but the foundational shell of what would later be the Shin Megami Tensei Franchise because it departs so far from the original resource material that it's hard to say that it is a true adaptation and would be more of an inspired game with its own original story.
And a little after the success of this novel, describing the cyberpunk storyline being a fresh take on the Fantasy Hero storyline with bleak tones added to the popularity and the anime also helped too. But where the story made success was when it came to the adaption of the story, not be made as a movie, but instead ... a video game.
In my next article, I'll be talking about The Namco Gaming Company and the small Company that would later be an Underdog Titan in the RPG Gaming Market and how a cult novel became a cult video game.
Wednesday, March 7, 2018
Tariffs are Taxes too
I originally began this as part of what tariffs Donald Trump was suggesting earlier this year back in January. Now we see him at his element showing his true colors about Free-Market Capitalism and his ideas about it.
With the new 25% tariffs, the economy is going crazy, our allies are turning into our enemies by increasing tariffs on American goods, we're instigating a trade war, Gary Cohn leaves frustrated at Trump's economics and it seems as if we don't have any good news on this end. It seems there's only negative news but why? Well, it's because of how tariffs effect us regular Americans.
Well, judging from Trump's economic plans, which sadly have no concrete foundation other than, add one regulation and remove two and the tax decrease on the federal level, (and not controlling the rampant federal spending but then again, which president ever since FDR ever did that) he's around the ideas of Protectionism and Merchantilism. He's trying to bring back a 15th-century economic system which was ousted because of a guy might have heard of called Adam Smith who wrote the Groundbreaking On the Wealth of the Nations. (The first call to the Capitalist System.)
But let's focus on Protectionism and Merchantilism first. Protectionism is pretty much one of Trump's campaign promises, America First. American jobs, American manufacturing, and American citizens working. Which is great but when you ostracize the rest of the world, it makes things difficult. Numerous American companies work with foreign steel and even the military as noted by John Stossel on his video noting the failures of President Bush's trade tariffs as well as looking at how tariffs hurt us in the end. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5wwKf0-DME)
As for Merchantilism, the economic system is made to promote exporting of goods but never importing and allows government intervention in the market to manipulate costs and goods, being the antithesis of Capitalism. In fact, Merchantilism is being practiced as Neo-Merchantilism in developing countries in the world in hopes to upholster their economies but are hurting themselves by not getting the luxuries first world countries get like I-Phones, Computers, Better Cars, Base Foods, Steel, and Oil, etc.
But Trump's main idea is to make sure that we still have jobs. But Trump is unaware of the fact that Robots are making sure that manufacture cars faster and safer for us. So we're harmed less. And yes the jobs are dying but in an ever-changing economy, we always need new jobs. We need technicians and architects to build the robots, designers for blueprints, mechanics to make them, programmers to make the robots function properly. If you want another example, let's look at leisure.
Sadly, humans are a lazy lot and we love our leisure. And thanks to that and innovations in technology, we have robots to work in warehouses but we have more time to ourselves and people have used that to increase enjoyment of passions. We have more novels written and read than ever before thanks to Nook and Ipads (I prefer a good paperback myself), video games have turned into an economic conglomerate with people who know little of programming honing their skills to make independent games like Cuphead, Undertale, and Minecraft, also thanks to a little board game called Catan, people have taken a new interest in board games and a board game revolution came of it with Cards Against Humanity, Betrayal at House on the Hill, Apples to Apples, Dixit, Tokaido, and others. Theme parks have increased sales and to compete have hired people to program and create new ideas for rides like with the Disney company making Star Wars Lands all over the parks in the world and the upcoming Toy Story Land in Disney's Hollywood Studios. Ironically leisure has become a market all on its own.
But there's an aspect I've ignored. The title of this piece. Tariffs are taxes too. Albeit an indirect tax but a tax nonetheless. If steel prices are higher, Disney cant get steel for new rides, the military can't make the guns and ships and aircraft, car sales will decrease to lack of ready steel, no new buildings and homes and restaurants and offices. Ok, it's not that dramatic but it makes it a lot harder for the main large businesses to do business. Also, we have to deal with no avocados too. So Millenials are going to be pissed. And the average consumers too. Imagine the Chinese raise tariffs to 25%. That means we pay 25% more money out of our pockets and we have to budget more so than we already are due to the recession. All plastic containers, clothes, and other materials Chinese made are going to hurt our wallets more and with tariffs, it's going to make the poverty line bigger because of the horror of rising prices.
Basically, Trump thinks we're losing because of all this Trade. We're winning. But we all. In a free-market society, free trade is promoted and encouraged to raise the standards of living for all in the world, promotes peace and prosperity to all, and ensures we get the best of all over and even we can encourage business too. And President Trump ... If I may suggest a way to make America Great Again with the Steel Mills, why not cut the red tape regulations so we can make more steel mills and regulations on all other parts of the economy to keep it booming. You did a great job with the Tax Cuts and DeRegulations. Don't fuck it up.
With the new 25% tariffs, the economy is going crazy, our allies are turning into our enemies by increasing tariffs on American goods, we're instigating a trade war, Gary Cohn leaves frustrated at Trump's economics and it seems as if we don't have any good news on this end. It seems there's only negative news but why? Well, it's because of how tariffs effect us regular Americans.
Well, judging from Trump's economic plans, which sadly have no concrete foundation other than, add one regulation and remove two and the tax decrease on the federal level, (and not controlling the rampant federal spending but then again, which president ever since FDR ever did that) he's around the ideas of Protectionism and Merchantilism. He's trying to bring back a 15th-century economic system which was ousted because of a guy might have heard of called Adam Smith who wrote the Groundbreaking On the Wealth of the Nations. (The first call to the Capitalist System.)
But let's focus on Protectionism and Merchantilism first. Protectionism is pretty much one of Trump's campaign promises, America First. American jobs, American manufacturing, and American citizens working. Which is great but when you ostracize the rest of the world, it makes things difficult. Numerous American companies work with foreign steel and even the military as noted by John Stossel on his video noting the failures of President Bush's trade tariffs as well as looking at how tariffs hurt us in the end. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5wwKf0-DME)
As for Merchantilism, the economic system is made to promote exporting of goods but never importing and allows government intervention in the market to manipulate costs and goods, being the antithesis of Capitalism. In fact, Merchantilism is being practiced as Neo-Merchantilism in developing countries in the world in hopes to upholster their economies but are hurting themselves by not getting the luxuries first world countries get like I-Phones, Computers, Better Cars, Base Foods, Steel, and Oil, etc.
But Trump's main idea is to make sure that we still have jobs. But Trump is unaware of the fact that Robots are making sure that manufacture cars faster and safer for us. So we're harmed less. And yes the jobs are dying but in an ever-changing economy, we always need new jobs. We need technicians and architects to build the robots, designers for blueprints, mechanics to make them, programmers to make the robots function properly. If you want another example, let's look at leisure.
Sadly, humans are a lazy lot and we love our leisure. And thanks to that and innovations in technology, we have robots to work in warehouses but we have more time to ourselves and people have used that to increase enjoyment of passions. We have more novels written and read than ever before thanks to Nook and Ipads (I prefer a good paperback myself), video games have turned into an economic conglomerate with people who know little of programming honing their skills to make independent games like Cuphead, Undertale, and Minecraft, also thanks to a little board game called Catan, people have taken a new interest in board games and a board game revolution came of it with Cards Against Humanity, Betrayal at House on the Hill, Apples to Apples, Dixit, Tokaido, and others. Theme parks have increased sales and to compete have hired people to program and create new ideas for rides like with the Disney company making Star Wars Lands all over the parks in the world and the upcoming Toy Story Land in Disney's Hollywood Studios. Ironically leisure has become a market all on its own.
But there's an aspect I've ignored. The title of this piece. Tariffs are taxes too. Albeit an indirect tax but a tax nonetheless. If steel prices are higher, Disney cant get steel for new rides, the military can't make the guns and ships and aircraft, car sales will decrease to lack of ready steel, no new buildings and homes and restaurants and offices. Ok, it's not that dramatic but it makes it a lot harder for the main large businesses to do business. Also, we have to deal with no avocados too. So Millenials are going to be pissed. And the average consumers too. Imagine the Chinese raise tariffs to 25%. That means we pay 25% more money out of our pockets and we have to budget more so than we already are due to the recession. All plastic containers, clothes, and other materials Chinese made are going to hurt our wallets more and with tariffs, it's going to make the poverty line bigger because of the horror of rising prices.
Basically, Trump thinks we're losing because of all this Trade. We're winning. But we all. In a free-market society, free trade is promoted and encouraged to raise the standards of living for all in the world, promotes peace and prosperity to all, and ensures we get the best of all over and even we can encourage business too. And President Trump ... If I may suggest a way to make America Great Again with the Steel Mills, why not cut the red tape regulations so we can make more steel mills and regulations on all other parts of the economy to keep it booming. You did a great job with the Tax Cuts and DeRegulations. Don't fuck it up.
Tuesday, March 6, 2018
Review: The Vampire Lestat
Hello, Darlings! Boy, I have a review for you. It's The Vampire Lestat by Anne Rice. Also before I begin this review, I want to thank Derek Magill for his suggestion for the 25 pages a day suggestion which not only sped me up to finish it but I could find reading enjoyable again and less of a chore and with the same wonder I remember having when I was a kid reading Dr. Seuss and a teenager reading Agatha Christie.
Ok. Let's get on with the show!
Plot: (Light Spoilers) In this story, Anne Rice decides to let us see the Character we want to know more about, Lestat. The hedonistic yet surprisingly moral vampire is quite a departure from what we were told by Louis in Interview with the Vampire. Instead of going at random poor victim Louis hunts only the menaces of society though he does love the passions and ecstasies of life and thus he is shown to respect human life and use his gift in a more positive and enthralling way. And along with his journeys, he meets Armand, from the previous story, and we see more of his backstory but also learn of a secret Armand knows with the mysterious Marius. Primarily the story builds on Lestat's fall, rise, fall again and rising from the ashes and the ground.
Pacing and Setting: The pacing in the beginning but builds up momentum the moment after Lestat gets turned into a Vampire though it slows down enough for Lestat to mourn his mother Gabrielle, another vital character to the story. But Rice still doesn't shy away from showing and breathing so much life into the world with getting us into Paris and the French Countryside, Cairo, and the Mediterranean.
Characters: Lestat and Armand are the two main focuses from Interview to return but also we have newcomers to be introduced to. (Spoilers for two characters.)
Gabrielle de Lioncourt: Lestat's Mother and the main person he cares for most in the family who has primarily ostracized him. He loves her dearly and she inspired him to live his life to it's fullest.
Nicholas de Lenfent: Lestat's friend and first love interest. An expert violinist.
Magnus: The vampire who turned Lestat into a Vampire.
Marius: A vampire who created Armand and is a keeper of Knowledge and Wisdom.
Pluses: The Backstory is so much more fascinating to hear. Lestat is truly made and fleshed into a character. He strives for greatness and potential yet we see even with great supernatural and fantasy stories how species different from us make us all more too human. Also, the attention to details with expensive luxury and excess is still there. I'd say the characterization is a major improvement, especially in Lestat's life in focus.
Minuses: I have very little to say excluding I guess I wish to know more about The Theatre d' Vampires but I know the story focuses on Lestat and why he decided to never return again. And also how the parts where Lestat describes his love life with Louis and daughter Claudia is rushed but then again it's important as Lestat stresses to the reader how we heard most of the story from one side and how it'd be difficult and a bit tedious to mention the whole plot again. Similar to how certain authors (I'm looking at you E.L. James and Stephanie Meyer) write the story from the other main love interests' perspective. Also, Lestat's infatuation seemed pretty creepily Oedipal to me so it made me uncomfortable at times.
Overview: The Vampire Lestat is a great novel in keeping the tradition of the stories but also the adding of new ideas to the overall Vampire Mythos. (If you're a mythologist, there are some inconsistencies with some myth stories but minor nevertheless) Lestat's backstory focuses on his lust for life. LONG LIVE LESTAT!
4.75/5
Ok. Let's get on with the show!
Plot: (Light Spoilers) In this story, Anne Rice decides to let us see the Character we want to know more about, Lestat. The hedonistic yet surprisingly moral vampire is quite a departure from what we were told by Louis in Interview with the Vampire. Instead of going at random poor victim Louis hunts only the menaces of society though he does love the passions and ecstasies of life and thus he is shown to respect human life and use his gift in a more positive and enthralling way. And along with his journeys, he meets Armand, from the previous story, and we see more of his backstory but also learn of a secret Armand knows with the mysterious Marius. Primarily the story builds on Lestat's fall, rise, fall again and rising from the ashes and the ground.
Pacing and Setting: The pacing in the beginning but builds up momentum the moment after Lestat gets turned into a Vampire though it slows down enough for Lestat to mourn his mother Gabrielle, another vital character to the story. But Rice still doesn't shy away from showing and breathing so much life into the world with getting us into Paris and the French Countryside, Cairo, and the Mediterranean.
Characters: Lestat and Armand are the two main focuses from Interview to return but also we have newcomers to be introduced to. (Spoilers for two characters.)
Gabrielle de Lioncourt: Lestat's Mother and the main person he cares for most in the family who has primarily ostracized him. He loves her dearly and she inspired him to live his life to it's fullest.
Nicholas de Lenfent: Lestat's friend and first love interest. An expert violinist.
Magnus: The vampire who turned Lestat into a Vampire.
Marius: A vampire who created Armand and is a keeper of Knowledge and Wisdom.
Pluses: The Backstory is so much more fascinating to hear. Lestat is truly made and fleshed into a character. He strives for greatness and potential yet we see even with great supernatural and fantasy stories how species different from us make us all more too human. Also, the attention to details with expensive luxury and excess is still there. I'd say the characterization is a major improvement, especially in Lestat's life in focus.
Minuses: I have very little to say excluding I guess I wish to know more about The Theatre d' Vampires but I know the story focuses on Lestat and why he decided to never return again. And also how the parts where Lestat describes his love life with Louis and daughter Claudia is rushed but then again it's important as Lestat stresses to the reader how we heard most of the story from one side and how it'd be difficult and a bit tedious to mention the whole plot again. Similar to how certain authors (I'm looking at you E.L. James and Stephanie Meyer) write the story from the other main love interests' perspective. Also, Lestat's infatuation seemed pretty creepily Oedipal to me so it made me uncomfortable at times.
Overview: The Vampire Lestat is a great novel in keeping the tradition of the stories but also the adding of new ideas to the overall Vampire Mythos. (If you're a mythologist, there are some inconsistencies with some myth stories but minor nevertheless) Lestat's backstory focuses on his lust for life. LONG LIVE LESTAT!
4.75/5
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