Day Dreamin' At Night

There's usually a good 2 hour window between when I lay my head to rest and when the Z's finally catch up. I gotta confess that this is the time when some of my best thoughts, theories and Hypothesii are concocted. Here's a re-occurring thought of mine that was somewhere off near the Crab Nebula, until recent events brought it closer to Mars:

All my generation knows is prosperity. There's been no war that's put us on a cliff overlooking destruction. There's been no plague to remind us that human life is precious. There's been no cataclysmic event to humble and remind us that there are bigger forces at work throughout the cosmos. And because of this, many lack what I consider a necessary perspective. One that informs us of a truth that our ancestors knew, but that we've forgotten: Tomorrow isn't promised.

The planet earth as we know it is approximately 4.5 Billion years old. Humans have been around for maybe a few hundred-thousand years. And of those few hundred-thousand, we've only had our act together (read: Industrialized) for maybe the past 200 years (rounding up). I say that to say this: "Civilization" is not the norm. Huge urbanized centers of human coagulation are not par for the course. Nation states are not a given entity. For most of human history we've been a tribal species warring over the limited resources this planet has to offer. A species just hoping to survive the defining events of every previous time: War, Pestilence and Destruction.

But now we've had a taste of success. Many of us no longer have to worry about basic survival. Food is abundant. The natural predators of humans have been pushed to the brink of extinction. Life is now about something else. Progress maybe. I can't call it. And although I'd love to see us establish a world peace, invent the perpetual motion machine and terraform other worlds, I don't see it happening.

Our time will face the same defining moments as all others. We're just choosing to ignore the warning signs that they're on the horizon. And the craziest thing is-- our defining moments, if not addressed properly, could end us all. And while that last sentence may appear a bit hyperbolic, consider the challenges we face. Global Warming, AIDS, SARS, Bird Flu, Nuclear Proliferation, all of which have the potential to end life as we know it on planet Earth. Not to mention the economic disparity that exists in this world. Eventually those with the least will have only one place to turn in order to to acquire their basic necessities: To those with most (read: THE UNITED STATES). And with how much congeniality do you think they'll approach? My bet is somewhere around None.

My point is this: How long do you think our age of prosperity will last? I'm not willing to bet it'll last through my lifetime.

So with that in mind, maybe instead of basing your life decisions on their immediate impacts, or even how they'll effect your future in this current "civilized" context, you should be keeping one eye looking at how you'll survive in a world that you've never even thought about, much less been to.

Or maybe I should just go to sleep.

It dropped by how many points?!?

Hey, I have an idea, let's all sell, sell, sell. Maybe that will make it go back up. or I could start distributing heroin...

Naught But Disdain

For O'Bama and McCain.

Get your Internet Chromed Out!

Yes your Internet can get chromed out. Google has developed a new web browser called Google Chrome. How is this different than the normal web browser you use? That is a good question. One difference is that there is no longer two separate bars for addresses and searches. They have combined the two. You want to go somewhere - type it. You want to find something - type it in the same box. The browser will also warn you of dangerous sites with malware. Most virus software already does this but Google Chrome has no subscription fee. There are a lot of differences that stand out and a lot that are subtle differences. To find out if it is any better than your current browser - download it. It doesn't cost anything, so give it a try.

Bats in the Nethers

This past week Midway sold 40 million dollars worth in account receivables to cover manufacturing costs of some of their upcoming titles. Midway is best known for their Mortal Kombat series. Other classic hits include NBA Jam and NFL Blitz. Midway reported a $34.8 million net loss in its second fiscal quarter -hence the 40 million it needed. Hopefully they won't go anywhere because they have developed some great games; as of recent... not so much. Although things are looking up with their new game entitled Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe. It looks awesome!

Pre-Posthumous Presidential Ponderings

A collaborative post is going down.


Right now I'm feeling like that's who I would expect to see runnin' with these clowns. I mean, at least he admits he's evil. We have one candidate who thinks being at war is fun (no, seriously he told me so) and another who's voters think that he can make cars run on rainbow power, and that he will defecate solid gold.

[Begin tangent on McCain] Richard the Lionhearted didn't succeed, what makes him think he can/will? The beautiful Maid Marian is lacking in gubernatorial qualifications. She will not be able to watch his country while he's away. Although, if I were to see a picture of him in a banana hammock, while holding a gun, then I may vote for him. [end]



[Begin tangent on Obama]
Obama supports pulling out... of Iraq. He wants change yet really contradicted himself with his VP selection - eh? He wants to raise our taxes! His reverend and close personal friend said... something... a few years back. or something[end]

MY (zoopsia) close personal friend Benjamin Franklin says this on the matter:
"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both."
-and-
"Geese are but Geese tho' we may think 'em Swans; and Truth will be Truth tho' it sometimes prove mortifying and distasteful"


Vexed Interjects: The Zoopsiatic One is on point. But let's air this one all the way out.

A.) McCain supporters- Your man cannot "shake up Washington". He's been there for 26 years and hasn't done a damn thing.(Except be investigated for corruption.) Be real.

NO ONE IS OUT TO TAKE YOUR GUNS, ABORT YOUR BABIES, OR RAISE YOUR TAXES. If you truly think other candidate is gonna' do any of these things, and therefore you support McCain, you're not worth your weight in elephant manure.

B.) Obama supporters- You will be disappointed. The office of the president is no where near as powerful as people think. He cannot recite a haiku that will end poverty, the 2nd Gulf War, or Global Warming.

What does "Change" mean? The man has never defined it, and is comfortable leaving you to arrive at your own conclusion. When your idea of "change" doesn't come to fruition with an Obama presidency, you will curse him just like you curse every other politician.

BOTTOM LINE: CTHULHU-VOLTRON '08


If you are thinking to yourself, "Who is Cthulhu? and how do I pronounce his name? and why does Zoopsia want to see McCain in a banana hammock?" Then the Cthulhu page might help. Also you could read more in depth at Wiki: Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn.
Cthulhu fhtagn!

Mind Control... Literally.

Oh sweet, here comes a new acronym. This is the worlds first BCI for video games. To answer your question BCI stands for Brain Computer Interface. This BCI detects brain activity in real time. In brain science this means it can sense the small voltage changes in the brain caused by the firing of neurons. Its creator Emotiv says that the EPOC can sense about 30 emotions, actions, and expressions. Simulated force powers. . . that would be the next best thing. Now all we need is a chair to lie down in and an outlet in the back of our head to plug it in to.
(source CNN)

Oh Kanye...

First I feel compelled to say, I am not trying to post that newness as soon as it comes out. I am providing commentary on that newness, after I have had time to process it.

That being said; I think the cover art looks like a deflated, heart shaped baloon, or perhaps a red scrotum?

Next item on the ticket: the song. It has a darker feel than anything else he's done. It, of course, has a solid beat and good lyrics. La Dispute is that he's singing. well I say that he is not doing anything exceptionally new, in fact he is simply taking it a step further. T-pain is notorious for his use of the vocoder, and I'm positive that if I asked you to name another artist who has used one, you could do so with ease. All he's doing is making a whole song instead of just the hook or a single verse. I applaud him in his efforts and as of now I like the song. We all know how abruptly that could change.

Donations Accepted

Dave's Quality Meat teams up with Nike yet again. These beauties are dropping on the 20th and only in these three colors, and only with 15 pairs, and of course only in Paris.
Release in US coming shortly thereafter.









I might note, that the shoe features the DQM logo on the tongue which is a first for Nike.

Since 1995 the game studio Ensemble has been making memorable games, but this week it was announced that it is being shut down. Ensemble is best known for games such as Age of Empires, Age of Mythology, and their current project Halo Wars. This week Microsoft Game Studios announced that Ensemble will be disassembled after it finishes it's current project Halo Wars. Ensemble has a huge fan base and will surely be missed. Microsoft has stated that it will find jobs either with in the company or on other MGS projects. Their latest game Age of Empires III has sold over 1.5 million copies since it's release. With such success it makes one wonder, why Ensemble? Microsoft has stated that it makes sense fiscally. Well at least those great minds won't go to waste. Hopefully we will see some of their fine work later on, just not under the Ensemble name.
Sorry Colb.

Wake up Neo, The Matrix has you...

Follow the white rabbit...

It knows how you move...

Euphoria is a feeling of happiness, confidence, or well-being sometimes exaggerated in pathological states as mania. Well NaturalMotion has created that feeling for all to see with their new game engine entitled just that, Euphoria.

With euphoria they have managed to create an artificial computer generated body. This body has a skeleton system, nervous system, muscular system, and a sense of self preservation. All of the computer animations using this engine are generated on the fly. This means none of the bodies reactions and movements were planned out before hand or made using a motion capture system. This is a monumental step forward in computer animation. This engine has already been implemented in two games(Grand Theft Auto IV and The Force Unleashed). NaturalMotion is using their own technology to make their own game, Backbreaker, using the football realm as it's setting. Check out the video below that uses in-game footage only.

To Anyone Who's Ever Paid Taxes

Mmmm.... Comin' to a neighborhood near you. That's your crew. Oh, you thought those bills beefin' up anti-terror statutes were only gonna be used for purposes abroad? You got caught slippin'. Now your (Insert street synonym for currency here ____) is paying these zealots' salary.

And they can't wait for you to cross the street despite this.

Oh, and I believe the initial caption for this picture was "I PLAY FOR KEEPS!". That could be false.

Story behind the picture here.

Zoopsiatic addition:
Also watch this.

Beatsmithery

Yeah, that word was just spoken into existence. Remember where you heard it first*.

DJ Premier + Pharrell + Recording Device = Necessary 24/7

The best part tho? Premier producing the Roscoe P. Colchain album? What? It's at classic status. AND IT DOESN'T EVEN EXIST YET.

*And probably last.

3 for Vexed, 1 for Abe.

Back in July. I have never really believed it since it is so inconclusive, but Abe was mentioning hearing something about it, and Banksy has obviously caught your attention, Vexed. So I figured I would supply the two of you with the link, for your own consideration.

'Shrooms

The mushroom is just one of a very large, diverse group of organisms called fungi. It is similar to a plant but lacks chlorophyll, so it cannot produce its own food through photosynthesis. The mushroom is a decomposer that absorbs nutrients from materials such as compost, leaves, decaying wood, and soil. There are many types of mushrooms, varying in size, shape and color, with surfaces that range from smooth and silky to pitted and honeycombed. The most common and readily available is the cultivated white mushrooms, which have a mild flavor and can be used in many types of dishes. Wild mushrooms, such as chanterelle, morel, shiitake, portobello and oyster, will provide a more intense and exotic flavor. Generally mushrooms contain 90 percent water and have few calories. The fat and carbohydrate content is minimal and they do not contain any cholesterol. They are rich in protein and contain vitamins such as B, C and D, and a few contain vitamin A. Be aware that some of the vita min values are destroyed during the cooking process. When selecting, choose mushrooms that are firm, fresh and free of blemishes. Check underneath their caps for tightly closed brown gills and be sure the surface of the cap is not dried and woody on the edges. Also look for slimy or sticky surfaces and for any coloring that is not normal. When cleaning mushrooms, avoid using water, which reduces the flavor of the mushroom and is absorbed into the mushroom only to be released into foods combined with them. Therefore, use a brush to clean sand, grit and other debris from the pits and ridges. If you must use water, use as little as possible and dry quickly with a paper towel. Cut lengthwise and check interior for insects and other debris.


I bet you thought I would mention Psilocybin Mushrooms, eh?

Two For Zoop

This time down in 'Bama.

That's a good look. Straight up.

Nah Right with the link.

Damn Old People

*Shaking Fist Violently*

Kinda crazy.

Children Of Men anyone?

[Sidebar]: Children Of Men = Extra Dope.