i really liek when people speak 1337 on teh intarweb
There is a subculture on the internet (mainly gamers and other geeks) who uses a strange, almost alien-like style of conversing. Some call it l33t. Others call it dumb. I kinda like it. It is characterized by either spelling words with numbers replacing some of the letters, or more commonly - spelling words wrong on purpose (because they are so often mistakenly typed). Leet speak has become so cliched that most people use these words and phrases in a very tongue-in-cheek fashion. Here are some examples:
l33t, 1337 - leet as in elite, comes from early, experienced hackers who considered themselves to be an elite group.
pwned, pwn3d, pwnd - owned, when you win an argument against someone or insult them or beat them badly at something, you have "owned" them
suxor, sux0r, sux0rz - sucks
rox, r0xor, r0xorz - rocks
box, box0r - computer
hax0r, haxor - hacker
sex0rz - sex
joo, j00- you
fap, fapped - masturbation
woot, w00t, - a celebratory remark as in Woohoo!
teh - misspelling of the
evar - misspelling of ever
intarweb - internet
leik - like
d00d - dude
n00b, noob - newbie, a relatively new person to technology, or a particular game, program, etc.
phreak - freak, refers to old-style hackers who would try to hack phones and phone lines
lurk - to read message boards without posting in them
troll - someone who posts annoying and unpopular messages to message boards, as if to try to disrupt its normal functioning.
farked - when a website doesn't work due to heavy amounts of traffic from it being posted on the major link-news website www.fark.com
frag - a to kill someone in an online game such as Halo or Counterstrike
wang - wang
/(blank) - the blank can be filled in with anything, the / refers to the ending of something html code. It can read as end of (blank) - /rant means end of rant or end rant.
enuf - enough
I will probably add some more as I think of them.
Real life examples:
"Yes we know the site is fuxored. We have a crack team of of Hax0rz R0x0ring the B0x0r as we speak. Or whatever."
(using it as comedic device)
- Gabe from www.Penny-Arcade.com
-Posted on a message board:
/lecture
Ramble Ramble
I was just looking at my schedule and I have a test on Friday, Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Wow. Oh well. I saw Scary Movie 3 today, and despite some extremely funny parts, most of the jokes just weren't funny.
Favorite scene:
Charlie Sheen: Hey get that railroad tie and put it up against the door!
Some Guy: ::pins Sheen against the door with the tie, hitting him in the crotch::
Charlie Sheen: No, my balls!
Some Guy: ::runs and gives two bowling balls to Sheen, hitting him in the stomach::
Charlie Sheen: No, JESUS!
Some Guy: ::runs and hands him a statue of Jesus::
Anna Faris is in this movie, and she is really hot.
Unsung Zeros play tomorrow at Eddie C's. Be there.
GO GO
I was discussing the movie Kill Bill yesterday with some of my friends, and I was shocked by what they had to say. Apparently they found Lucy Liu to be hotter than the naughty school girl Go Go Yubari (played by Chiaki Kuriyama). I was flabbergasted. Personally I think that Lucy Liu looks like a freckled freak. Go Go Yubari is the proverbial hot, young, asian school girl of every red-blooded man's dreams. Lets compare:
I think the choice is clear. What do you think? Leave a comment with your vote.
/vote
Movie CGI
I think that the overuse of CGI (Computer Generated Imagery) is killing the modern movie.
Directors without any real vision think that computers can replace talent, skill, and creativity. It is my option that the more computer generated scenes a film contains, the less an audience is able to connect or relate to the story.
The two Star Wars prequels are perfect examples of this. These were filmed nearly entirely on green screens - and it shows. They lack the heart and the grittiness that the originals possessed. They seem empty and lifeless, and boil down to being one spectacular effect after another.
Jurassic Park, which is over ten years old now - and the first movie to extensively use CGI, is one of the few films that got it right. The story took center stage, and the dinosaurs were simply part of the cast of characters.
The Lord of the Rings Trilogy also has managed to dodge the bullet (sorry about the Matrix pun) of overdone effects. The key with these movies is their use of CGI, it was employed as an aid to tell the story and was not the dominating aspect of the films. The outstanding aspect in these movies are not the computer generated battles, but the real detail that was employed on the sets. Each set was painstakingly recreated from the books and contains so much detail that much of it can't even be seen on camera. By creating a believable and immersive universe, the CGI can be used as part of the story and does not stand out like a sore thumb.
The Matrix movies hold a special place in my heart. While they use probably as much CGI as the Star Wars movies, it fits within the atmosphere that has been created. The story is set inside a computer, so to use computer generated effects seems fitting. The technology in this sense takes center stage, and I am all for it - the movie is about technology.
Computers should not be used as the main vehicle for storytelling - they should be used as a supplement. It is the only way to keep movies real, believable, and most importantly - enjoyable.
Things and such
Hey this is a quick post..just to show that I'm still here. I am working on a paper right now, and when I am finished there will be grand postings. But until then...heres a picture of Bill Murray:
Trucker Hats = Satan's Crown
I went to a party last weekend at Random Apartment X in the Courtyards (I love how in Gainesville you can just walk into most parties and everyone is cool about it). Looking around through the sea of red cups, a group of girls caught my attention, and not in a good way. Two out of the four girls in the group were wearing foam trucker hats at a ridiculous angle, covering nearly half of their faces. Later that night I saw another girl wearing the same thing. WHY DO YOU THINK THIS IS HOT? It looks as if you visited your grandpa earlier that afternoon and stole his hat while he nodded off in front of the Price is Right. And apparently your grandpa has a big head, cause his hat is covering your fucking eyes! Guys that wear them should have to write moron on the front so that it is even MORE obvious. Its hot to wear it on the lean isn't it? It makes you look cool right? No. You just look like you lost the instructions on how to wear a hat. You look like every other "trendy" "hipster" who has picked up on tail end of this fad. Trucker hats are meant for old men to wear ridiculously high on their head while waiting on the bench for their wives to finish shopping at Wal-Mart. They should say Budweiser or Skoal on them and be yellowed from age. Nothing else is allowed!
Thank you
/rant
KILL BILL
After being fashionably late to the Quentin Tarantino appreciation party, I decided to see Kill Bill: Part 1 when it was actually in theatres. Much to my delight, and I can almost say relief - it did not disappoint.
Kill Bill is a totally different flick than any of Tarantino's past films. While his previous movies focused on the points of time before and after crimes/action/violence occurred, Kill Bill focused and lingered on the action. The motive of the main character, referred to only as "The Bride" was established barely seconds into the movie, and the ultimate outcome of the plot is contained in the film's title. With these formalities out of the way, Tarantino was able to simply let the action take center stage.
Tarantino, sick of all of the CGI-dominated action flicks of late, employed computers sparingly, to hide the wires used during the high-flying action scenes.
In Tarantino's own words: "If I'd wanted all that computer-game bullshit, I'd have gone home and stuck my dick in my Nintendo."
The film's style can be described as a mix of kung-fu b-movies, spaghetti westerns, and a dash of 70's cheesiness. Keeping true to these ideals, Tarantino used a miniature replica of Tokyo during the scene when the Bride's plane arrived in the city.
To call the film violent would be an understatement. Limbs drop at an alarming rate, and each kill is heralded by a copious fountain of blood. This over-the-top style of violence can almost be alikened to a cartoon. Not surprisingly - the ten minute anime-inspired animated sequence seems to flow seamlessly with the rest of the story. This movie lets the audience know that it is indeed a movie, the action sequences are a vehicle to entertain...a means to the end.
As with all of Tarantino's movies, the soundtrack is excellent. Each piece of music ultimately drives the scene that accompanies it. Particularly memorable pieces include the song at the beginning of the movie - directly after the Bride's apparent murder (the lyrics/mood fit perfectly), and the tune that Darryl Hannah's character whistles in the hospital (can't get it out of your head).
Kill Bill is an excellent film that takes the Tarantino style in a totally new but familiar direction. All I can say is that I can't wait for Part II.
Movie Time
I saw the Jack Black movie "School of Rock" this Thursday. Although I have been hearing nothing but praise for it, I feel that it could have been much better. The first half of the movie was very slow, and many of the jokes simply did not work. I have always hated the "little kid who is gay" character in movies, television, etc. and School of Rock kept on coming back to it. "Hey look at me, I'm a little kid who is blatantly feminine and speaks with a lisp....man I'm sooo funny." The only problem was that it wasn't funny at all.
I can just imagine the writers:
Writer 1: "Hmm, we need some more weird, yet overdone characters for the class Jack teaches."
Writer 2: "Hey I have an idea, how about a gay kid who likes fashion, a nerdy Asian who is stiff and speaks broken English, and a rich overachiever who is the teacher's pet."
Writer 1: "Its brilliant, the audience will have already seen countless movies with these exact characters, so they will feel immediately drawn in."
Writer 2: "Yup, there's nothing that the American public eats up more than stereotypes and unoriginality."
Granted, the movie did pick up during the second half, and certain gags were simply great. I especially liked the overzealous fan rooting for the unpopular band during the battle of the bands. Overall I give the movie a B, Jack Black was able to carry the movie despite the script's shortcomings.
Grumble Grumble
Although I have caught a lot of flak for my recent endorsement of Arnold, I stand by my congratulatory comments. While I might not agree with the recall process or Arnold's credibility as a political figure, I think who we should really be mad with is Gray Davis. I do not view California's current situation as Davis' fault, but for the people of California to be so mad at him that they would elect Arnold as their leader, really shows that Davis had lost the faith of his constituents. Arnold may not be the best man for the job, but he is a different man, and that's apparently what the people of California were looking for. Most (70%) agreed that Arnold had not really addressed the issues, but that anything was better than the current administration. Do not fret, fellow Democrats - Arnold is only fiscally conservative - most consider him to be left-leaning when it comes to social issues. All is not lost.
I posted 2 things today, talk about being prolific
I have kinda gone overboard on the pictures lately so in order to conserve some of your bandwidth I'm giving it a rest.
Yesterday I went to see the My Hotel Year show at Alligator Rocks (I refuse to call it the Rocks Music Room). One of the bands that opened, called SNMNMNM (pronounced s-enem-enem-enem) really caught my attention. When I heard that there was going to be a band with a tuba or something, I originally had wrote it off as a gimmick punk band. After seeing them perform, there is noting that could be farther from the truth. I would describe the band's sound and style as being quirky, indie music in the vein of The Presidents of the United Sates of America. The lead singer has a almost whiny but melodic beach-boys type of high voice. He plays the accordion (and the trumpet in selected songs). In the place of the usual bass guitar is a Tuba which is miked and put through distortion just like a normal bass. Then there is the usual guitar player (who plays trumpet in some songs) and drummer. Their songs range from a disco-themed feel good jam, to a song about a long lost spanish cucumber. I was highly entertained and I recommend that you stop by their website and download some songs: www.SNMNMNM.com
Don't forget to pick up these CDs Tuesday:
- Coheed and Cambria - "In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3"
- The Early November - "The Room's Too Cold" (first printing has limited-edition DVD)
Having already listened to the new Co&Ca, I can vouch for its excellence. If you buy it and don't like it, you can punch me in the stomach. NOW THATS A GUARANTEE!
Lots of Things
Tonight I saw a documentary put on by the Civic Media Center here in Gainesville. It was entitled:
Unprecedented: The 2000 Presidential Election.
It basically summed up entire goings on in Florida during and after the ill-fated election of 2000. I can say that I left the movie quite perturbed. Aside from the counting mishap, what really got me was the way that Kathleen Harris (then the State Attorney General) had enforced Florida's law banning felons from voting.
Florida has a law on the books (actually it was added to the state Constitution) that prohibits convicted felons from being able to vote. It was conceived in the period following the Civil War as a way to keep blacks from being able to vote. Over the years, it has been half-heartedly enforced, but this all changed as the millennium drew nearer. In the period before the 2000 presidential election, the Florida Legislature passed a resolution calling for updating the voting records as to comply with the law. An outside company was hired to complete this and used a database of felons to crosscheck with the voting rosters. The company was specifically ordered to not worry about exact matches and as long as the first four letters in the first name, and the last name matched to expunge the names from the roster. The company warned that this method would create a large number of "false positives" and the state answered that is was of no concern and their goals was to cast as wide a net as possible. One supervisor of elections in a county actually went through their list of expunged names one by one and out of nearly 300, only 35 were confirmed to be felons. The others were near matches or strangely had been convicted of felonies at some time in the future (some going as far as the year 2007!).
In my opinion, the state was intentionally trying to disenfranchise black voters (who vote 97% Democratic) and not truly trying to enforce the spirit of the law. When one of the aides to Harris was confronted on the issue, he stopped the interview and promptly left. I definitely smell something fishy.
+==END OF RANT==+
On a sort-of-related note, the much renowned/maligned linguist/political activist Professor Noam Chomsky is coming to the University of Florida.
He will be speaking at the O'Conell Center - October 21 @ 8:00pm. You definitely should try to make it out, he will be doing a talk entitled "Dilemmas of Dominance" in which he will provide a historical look at U.S. foreign policy.
==TRIVIA==
Also the answer to my little trivia question that I posted in my away message yesterday provided many technically correct answers in the fact that they were true but not what I was looking for. The original question was: Where does the quote "KHANNNNNNNNNNN!" come from? I got The Jungle Book, GI Joe, and King of the Hill.
The real answer:
Of course! Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.
This is one of William Shatner's most famous quotes, and it is also the movie in which Spock dies:
Yes, I am a nerd.
Dreamcast
Today I bought a used Dreamcast from EB. For $25 bucks it was a great deal, and I can download all the games I want off of the internet and not feel guilty cause its a dead system (though it pains me to say that). I brought it home and upon close inspection found it to be so dirty that it defies explanation. I spent at least 45 minutes cleaning the thing. I dont know how the slob before me managed it...but there was dirt and gunk inside the machine -- where the disk goes. WHY? HOW? I dont know. The controller took the prize - there was some sort of black sludge in the seam the goes along the outside of it, and I had to take a paper clip and scrape it out. ::Shiver:: This better be worth it haha.
+ 
= 
I am currently downloading seven games, including the NES collection that has a total of 768 old-school Nintendo games. If this works, all my cleaning will be worth it.
Muzak
After poking around on the internet for a bit, I came across something interesting. Apparently all of Coheed and Cambria's songs refer to this science fiction backstory that the lead singer has created. Its really epic in scope - so much so that there are plans to make a graphic novel about the story. The current plan is to release a total of four CDs that deal with the story:
The story will be a quadrilogy, which take place in this order:
1. The Bag Online Adventures of Coheed and Cambria*
2. The Second Stage Turbine Blade
3. The Inner Secret of Silent Earth: 3
4. My Dearest Apollo, Goodbye, I'm Burning Star: 4*
*=tentatively titled
(taken from the Co&Ca message boards)
I think that this is a really cool concept. Here's to a band trying something different. Not only are their songs great, but there is a cool story to tie them all together. There are theories all over the internet trying to interpret the lyrics and put together the story, and I find it truly intriguing. Be sure to pick up their new CD The Inner Secret of Silent Earth: 3 on October 7th.
Oh and BTW, if there is any reason to like this band - the fact that the lead singer looks like a beast but his voice sounds like he has been sucking on helium (very Rush-esque) is it.
