Abhorrent, Despicable, Deplorable, and Monstrous!

Who are you people?

All I see through-out the blogosphere is the most detestable and despicable attacks I have ever read. All this wicked gossip about Palin and the slander that is being spread needs to stop immediately. It has gone way too far and is absolutely monstrous! I don’t care if you don’t agree with the GOP, McCain, Palin, Bush, or whoever! You at least have the dignity and respect to treat them like human beings. Here we have both the DNC and the RNC talking about how America comes first, how being an American is more important than party lines, and yet the American people can’t even get passed it! We can’t follow suit to what our leaders try to tell us to do. We are the most rebellious and deplorable generation, spitting on the people who lead us. Who do you think you are?

I am seriously disgusted. Spreading these attacks against Palin is just as awful as all the terrible rumors spread against Obama. I don’t care what side you are on, I don’t care if you just can’t stand either platform, you respect who they are and you treat them with dignity. Both sides just need to stop immediately, before politics leads down an even more terrible road than it already is on.

Rant Posted by Alcamadus

The 39 Clues to Make Money

Scholastic, greedy and hungry for more after the Harry Potter series officially ended, started a new campaign for a dynamic, multimedia book series called “The 39 Clues”. If you haven’t heard about this then let me explain. In an effort to keep making as much money as they did with Harry Potter, they have pulled out all the stops to create one insane piece of candy for all the kiddies around the world. Not only will this be a book series, but it will have a card game, 10,000 dollar prize, and a website with full on social media features. There will also be films (of course) and the rights have already been purchased by the man himself, Steven Spielberg. Every book will be written by a different author.

I have no doubt that this will probably be successful, but I think Scholastic (being blinded by greed) has missed the point to Harry Potter’s success. First, it is written by one author. Readers appreciate a story that is written by one author because they know it will have the same writing style and fresh approach. When you change authors in a series with books the readers won’t know what to expect and may hate the different writing style changes. Also, Harry Potter didn’t just appeal to kids but to readers of all ages. This story you are representing seems aimed toward children, which while a large demographic of readers, will still not compare to the vast majority of people that Harry Potter appealed to. Sometimes it is better to just stick with a good old fashion book to tell a story. By making your story dynamic you risk the nostalgia value of picking up a book and reading it for fun. Instead, you are making the kids almost play a game rather than read a book. While kids love games, and it is an inovative way to get kids interested, it could also backfire as cheesy, boring, and pointless.

In the end, this is just another way for a publisher to make tons of money without appreciating the value of a good writer and book. I understand that a publisher is a buisness, but there is a big difference between a book publishing buisness and McDonaldizing creative material. I suppose I am just a purist when it comes to fiction and books. I am sure a good chunk of kids will have a blast with it, but I am skeptical that so many will buy into it. Only time will tell.

Posted by Alcamadus

Selling Out Your Beliefs Due to Culture Pressure

One of the main social lessons they tell you as a child is not to give in to peer pressure. If your friends tell you to do something you know is wrong (i.e. Drink, take drugs, lie, cheat, steal) then you don’t give in to the peer pressure. Recently, there was an article I read on CNN.com about how Gay Republicans are telling the GOP they are on the wrong side of history. That if the GOP doesn’t get on board with legislation for gay marriage, they will basically be considered the bad and evil party that oppressed and pushed against civil rights.

We are facing an entirely new and dangerous problem in our country today. It is the conflict of morality. Morally, many Republicans feel that marriage is for a man and a woman, to say otherwise would mean destroying the institution of marriage. Culturally this view is under attack and it is growingly becoming a majority. In our increasing post-modern, morally relativist culture the idea of absolute morals is diminishing and the pressure to follow the culturally moral wave is ever present. In other words, whatever culture says is morally right is right at that time. To say otherwise is being considered “out-dated” and “naive”, and thus we are back to the pressure against the Republican party.

These conservatives have moral convictions against these practices. What happens when immorality becomes the majority and thus culturally pressures those to follow suit? We have our current dilema. One group is firmly against it. One group is firmly for it. Now, however, the group that is for it is culturally pressuring the other group to give up their beliefs, convictions, and values because they are “wrong” and will be on the “wrong side of history”. What if the wrong side of history is the right side? In other words, they are saying it is the wrong side of history because currently it is becoming a less and less popular view, but what if it is right morally? I remember when I was in school they had a banner that said, “What is popular is not always right, and what is right is not always popular”. A great and relevant school proverb. We could argue our faces blue on the moral philosophy. I suppose I am just making an observation about our cultural change in philosophy, our current dilema, and also expressing extreme empathy and support to conservatives who are standing firm for what they believe in under tremendous pressure to do otherwise.

Posted by Alcamadus

Blackberry Storm

Can the Blackberry bounce back?

For all of you Blackberry fans out there (especially those who are jealous of the iPhone but unwilling to switch over), a new Blackberry touch screen model is on its way, and no there isn’t a physical keyboard. For some this may be an upsetting moment in history as the Blackberry is known for its qwerty keyboard, but lets face reality, the iPhone is dominating the market and other phone developers are starting to follow suit in touch screen technology. The iPhone has opened a wave of competition and if the Blackberry didn’t follow it would be left in the dust. So, if you don’t like the switch, sorry…but it was inevitable.

The design looks exactly like the iPhone. It has four buttons instead of one, however. I am also sure that it will be limited in its touch screen capability (obviously, it won’t be able to match the multi-touch that the iPhone provides). For those who are die hard Blackberry fans and wanted this switch to  happen, then your day has come. Personally, I am more partial to Apple and the iPhone, but I have no doubt that this will an amazing phone. The Blackberry’s have always provided an exceptional product and I’m sure this will be no exception.

There is a catch, especially for those who are on certain networks as this phone is exclusively on Verizon. As far as I know, there hasn’t been a release date scheduled, but it seems to be soon.

Posted by Alcamadus