Sometimes I get uppity

There are probably a few ME3 spoilers in the podcast. I try to keep it to a minimum.




This guy (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4H_A7SeawU4) does a good job explaining some of the common gripes with the ME ending. I don't agree with all of them, and as I mentioned I was relatively satisfied with my ending, though I made up another that made more sense to me.

And this guy: http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2012/03/14/mass-effect-3-the-end-of-an-epic/

I forgot to mention Silent Hill in the podcast. Silent Hill is an excellent example of games that reward exploration. By exploring the town (which is necessary to progress) you get more story, some of it obvious (the cult) some not so (the executioners and pyramid head). And your story is formed by how you play; though most of the story is the same throughout, the ending is dependent on how you've played. No obvious choices are presented (dialogue is not chosen) but if you are aggressive and rush through, you get a negative ending. Take your time and avoid unnecessary fights, and you get a positive ending. This also depends on how you view the character: I saw James (Silent Hill 2) as a man who very badly wanted to do the right thing. Others saw him as a monster, others as a victim, or in-between. My story reflected my character and gameplay, and the same is true for others. In Heavy Rain, I saw Ethan, the main character, as desperate but weak. Because of this, he was not able to save his son. Others saw him as strong and determined. This is the power of games as stories; they are not just "choose your own adventure" books, they are complete, powerful stories that differ from one player to the next.

God burns down bars for the insurance

I had a really awkward moment tonight - the kind that only occurs in your head, but seems no less weird for that - when I realized John McCain has a hot wife. I would nail Cindy McCain. I didn't know anything about his wife prior to this, and didn't expect to find her attractive - I assumed McCain's wife looked like him, but with long hair. She does not.

The rant might be a little weird. I am running low on sleep, and am disturbed by what I read. I want to be supportive to people who face prejudices they shouldn't have to - especially kids. I invited people going through gay-bashing and general hatred to leave comments or email me, and I will try to be supportive, but I know it sounds sketchy as hell. I wouldn't trust random internet guy, either. But find someone who you can commiserate with. The sort of friend who will support you, and help you, no matter what, is something everyone should have.
And keep trying to make the world a better place.




The Links:

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/one-towns-war-on-gay-teens-20120202
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/mar/07/muslim-african-nations-un-gay-rights - Hey. Assholes. This is who you look like - psychos who want to kill people based on arbitrary bullshit - when you pull stuff like in the first article. Knock it off. History, if you're concerned for nothing else, is not kind to the assholes.
You're the asshole, is my point.

Tonight's episode is dedicated to those who go "full retard", for good or ill. At least ya'll are having a good time, as you slowly try to destroy happiness.

Late Facts: Religion does not make you good. Religion is not good. Good people can make a good religion. Religion cannot make good people. 
One of the creepiest thing about The Man in the High Tower is, unlike 1984, the world is recognizable. People are Nazis, racists, and horrible people in general, but they are familiar. Aside from being Nazis, they could be neighbors. What does this say for our world?

We've got to stop Robo-Jesus

I'll Devito Your Schwarzenegger

So when I said, last week, that we are overconcerned with image, this is what I meant: that we won't go into Syria, that we won't try to do anything with Syria, because there's no reason for us to. What we will do is feign concern because that is the image we want to project, the story we want told; we are big daddy democracy and we want what's best for everyone. When someone like Manning or the pissing troops disrupt that, people get upset. And situations like the marine being demoted for killing innocents require very special image manipulation.



If you enjoy this podcast you should do several things. The first is listen to Writing Excuses available on Itunes. It's interesting and funny and talks about fiction in the same sort of way I do, only those podcast-ers are much smarter. The most interesting episode I've listened to is "The Hollywood Formula" (it's fairly recent) and it has a cool discussion of protagonists and antagonists in relation to the Dark Knight. I don't agree with their conclusion, but it's interesting as hell nonetheless.
Also, you should follow this blog, and recommend it to folks you think might like it.

Now Made with more Dark Gods

Titles Forever

Kinda hope you read that as "titties forever".



The James Earl Jones link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_kGtQmvrVI

The sci-fi link: http://dailysciencefiction.com/science-fiction/disaster-apocalypse/colum-paget/inconstant-nature

Late Facts: I forgot to mention the '50s-on movie that doesn't have a "Watch for the mutant" mentality. That movie is The Day the Earth Stood Still (if you're thinking of the Keanu Reeves remake, I am ashamed of you). That movie picked up the "embrace the mutant" idea and displayed the inherent danger of the arrogant (and kinda narcissistic) idea of "watch for the mutant". 

Nerditry Within

Seriously. Dawg. I spend a few minutes making fun of Ron Paul, and then it's all about nerd bullshit. Awesome nerd bullshit, but I would think so.





Sorry I rant in the middle of the podcast. Normally I save that for the end, but I got worked up, and it is hella late as I record, so my brain isn't working right, and I only just thought of moving the track. It's not hard to do. Take me about ten seconds. But I saved and exported the file already. I take that as my point of no return (I don't really have such a point, but it's helpful when I don't want to do something). I hope you enjoy, and can understand, the podcast anyway (I refer to my notes several times, but I eventually gave that up), and that it's not just a bunch of incoherent rambling.

Late Facts: while recording this I had that song that goes "And it feels, And it feeeeels like, Heaven's so far away" ("Gone Away", the Offspring) stuck in my head. Listening to it now is like scratching the best kind of itch.