Reverend Seafraid... or...

Spring 2009 Semester Update II

SalemST@gmail.com — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 22:11:13 GMT

Well, I got the results of my History of Ancient Rome class. I got a B+, which is good. However that means I am indeed .04 grade points shy of Dean's List. Withies. Oh well. Final results are:

Introduction to Anthropology... B
American Consumer Culture... B
Historical Imagination: Crime and Society... A
History of Medieval Europe... A
History of Ancient Rome... B+

Spring 2009 Semester Update

SalemST@gmail.com — Thu, 28 May 2009 09:19:48 GMT

So I've gotten grades for four out of the five classes I took this semester and it's looking pretty darn good right now.

Introduction to Anthropology... B
American Consumer Culture... B
Historical Imagination: Crime and Society... A
History of Medieval Europe... A
History of Ancient Rome... ?

We shall see how that last class turns out, but it's looking pretty golden for making Phi Alpha Theta (History Honor Society).

In other news, I just finished watching Repo! for the first time. I wanted to wait a good long while for the fade to die down so that I could think about it objectively without either thinking it sucked because so many fan-boy/girl douche bags were going to ruin it or thinking I had to some how like it because it was some "artistic masterpiece". The verdict? I dunno... I have to sleep on it. I'm intrigued but I don't know if it was good... it remains to be seen.

Anyhoo... it's almost 5:30, so that means it's bedtime. Gotta get up and clean the room tomorrow.

Peace.

I'm afraid of 2 out of 72 common fears... I guess...

SalemST@gmail.com — Mon, 25 May 2009 07:47:17 GMT

If you get more than 30, I strongly recommend some counseling
If you get more than 20, you’re paranoid.
If you get 11-20, you are normal.
If you get 10 or less, you’re fearless.
People who don’t have any are full of crap.

Tag 10 of your friends and find out whether or not they suffer paranoia.

I fear ...

[ ] black people
[ ] the dark
[ ] staying single forever
[ ] being a parent
[ ] being myself in front of others
[ ] open spaces
[ ] closed spaces
[ ] heights
[ ] dogs
[ ] birds
[ ] fish
[ ] spiders
[ ] flowers or other plants

Total so far: 0

[ ] fire
[ ] deep water
[ ] snakes
[ ] silk
[ ] the ocean
[ ] failure
[ ] success
[ ] thunder/lightning
[ ] frogs/toads
[ ] my boyfriends/girlfriends dad
[ ] my boyfriends/girlfriends mom
[ ] rats
[X] jumping from high places (I guess? it depends, am I just jumping off of something high? Then fuck yeah, cuz that's a quick way to die. But parachuting or what not... no)
[ ] snow

Total so far: 1

[ ] rain
[ ] wind
[ ] crossing hanging bridges
[ ] death (I don't want to die, but I'm not afraid of it)
[ ] heaven
[x] being robbed/mugged (when I'm in a place I might get robbed or mugged... sorta)
[ ] falling
[ ] clowns
[ ] dolls
[ ] large crowds of people
[ ] men
[ ] women
[ ] having great responsibilities
[ ] doctors
[ ] tornadoes

Total so far: 2

[ ] hurricanes
[ ] incurable diseases (nothing I can do about 'em, why be afraid?)
[ ] sharks
[ ] Friday the 13th
[ ] ghosts
[ ] poverty
[ ] Halloween
[ ] school
[ ] trains
[ ] odd numbers
[ ] even numbers
[ ] being alone
[ ] becoming blind
[ ] becoming deaf
[ ] growing up, becoming old

Total so far: 2

[ ] creepy noises in the night
[ ] not accomplishing my dreams/goals
[ ] needles
[ ] gushing blood

Total: 2

Now re-post with:

“I'm afraid of __ out of 72 common fears"

Woot!

SalemST@gmail.com — Thu, 07 May 2009 21:19:28 GMT

I can deal with his result.

Which Dollhouse Character Are You?

More on Dollhouse. Created by BuddyTV

Death Race...

SalemST@gmail.com — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 07:49:58 GMT

Take a nuclear warhead, douse it in gasoline and pure testosterone cram that into the space shuttle with napalm filled gas tanks, light the whole thing on fire; have it piloted by a psychotic meth-head, junkie, convicted murderer who’s been doing nothing but mainlining heroine for the past three days and have him crash it into the local IHOP while banging a Brazilian stripper… and it will be one tenth as awesome as Death Race.

Truth.

Jason... Statham... is... the man.

The Twitter...

SalemST@gmail.com — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 05:58:07 GMT

For some reason, I have been lured obnoxiously to the Twitter. Within a single day I have already downloaded a third party program to view and manage my Twittering and added the ability to Twitter from my phone. What can I say, I'm easily amused and lured by fancy gadgets... that's why I try so hard to avoid internet fads.

But you can now find my inane Twittering (is that a word?) as JesperiAelius.

That is all.

From Dave N.

SalemST@gmail.com — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 00:38:45 GMT

You all have to see this before it gets changed...

I'm saving a copy of the website right now before it's gone forever.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devil%27s_Hopyard_State_Park#Ninjas_Facing_the_Supernatural

Hehe...

SalemST@gmail.com — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 23:45:48 GMT

I would have posted this at midnight when it was more appropriate, but I left my phone in my car with the pictures on it.

APRIL FOOLS!

Ugh...

SalemST@gmail.com — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 19:31:23 GMT

I woke up coughing and feeling like shit. I think it's finally time. I'm done with this.

I quit smoking. Blah.

ZOMG!

SalemST@gmail.com — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 09:14:25 GMT

ZOMG!

Dollhouse...

... that is all.

Novel in Progress

SalemST@gmail.com — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 06:38:19 GMT

So I'm sure all of you ave heard (to death) about the Novel I'm working on. I'm getting really close to done. When last I talked with you guys about it I was still trying to figure out all the details. Well, all the details are figured out. I have an official address for where my business is going to be located (I just have to get down there and actually file the paper work). I've got my artist started on the cover art. I am still waiting for my editor. In that light I decided to post this. This is actually an exact repost from a writing LJ that I frequent. Basically I'm trying to generate last minute critique, feedback and (frankly) free advertising. If you feel like giving this a view more power to you. If you don't, just pass it on by.

Thanks in advance.

Title: Vae Damnati - Libris Luxuria
Author: jesperi - Geoff Barnes
Genre: Gothic/Horror/Mystery
Rating: Excerpt: R, Novel: NC-17
Warnings: I gave this excerpt an R rating based upon the MPAA's guidelines, as the MPAA requires that if even one "harsher sexually-derived words is used in a sexual context". I don't think this excerpt is particularly explicit but I gave the rating just to cover my ass - so to speak. The rest of the novel, not present here, however is distinctly explicit in some of it’s content.
Critique: Please do, but realize this is still a draft and not a finished product.
Summary: This is essentially the prologue of a larger novel I've been working on for some time. This comes from the second draft of the piece so it's been very roughly edited. Currently the entire novel is being edited for a final print. It should be out in the not too distant future, but I figure that it's never too late for thoughts/opinions and critiques. I will also confess, however, that part of posting it here is to not only get a little feedback, but generate some free advertising as well. I hope you enjoy. I don't really have a summary per se due to the fact that this is just the prologue of a larger work and a summary of this part would be kind of pointless and a summary of the whole work wouldn't help you at all.

The smell of stale coffee and old cigarettes hung in the air. Sounds of shuffling papers and the occasional ringing phone soaked into the wooden desks muting the noise into a quiet rumble. It was late and the police station was nearly empty. Down stairs was the duty officer at the front desk but at such an hour he was rarely bothered from his book. Upstairs only a handful of detectives and uniformed officers busied themselves. Scattered desks served the detectives in their endeavors but only a handful of them were currently filled. They were littered with papers and half complete work. Faint shouts of prisoners in the holding cells could barely be heard down the hall. It was–for all intents and purposes–an ordinary, quiet night in the precinct. But tonight was not an ordinary or quiet night.

Detective Beck sighed as he thumbed through the file. He had been working on this case now for just over a month. Beck had taken over for another detective. The string of murders began just shy of eight months ago. Detective Reinhold had been working the case since its inception. Beck didn’t know Reinhold very well but he did notice something very curious from afar. He seemed to have a long, slow mental break down as he worked the case. Internal Affairs Bureau had suggested that a detective like Reinhold had simply had too many years working one gruesome case after another. After seven months of working a nightmarish assignment like this one it was simply too much. He was suspended with pay and the department went so far as to foot the bill for his psychiatric treatment. Detective Reinhold was now residing at Rosewood Mental Hospital, just outside of town. He was sent there for an indefinite period of time after he wounded two rookie beat cops with his sidearm in the middle of the station house. After Reinhold had been subdued and was being questioned later at Rosewood he said calmly and simply, “But they were with them.” He was immediately committed.

As it turned out, Reinhold’s life had been slowly falling apart over the past year. It only made sense that he would completely break down with the pressure of this disturbing case. But now Beck’s life seemed to be slipping away. It was like something out of a nightmare. Every time he dug a little further something strange or bizarre interfered. Every time he uncovered a new piece of evidence it didn’t seem to complete the puzzle as much as make it even more complex. Finally, things might be coming to a conclusion. Perhaps this nightmare could finally be over.

The sudden ring of his phone shocked Beck out of his studious inspection of the case file. He closed the brown, one inch thick folder filled with papers, notes, photos and reports and thumped it down on his desk. It carelessly battered the wooden block that had his name inscribed on it nearly off his desk. He let the phone ring several more times. There was no doubt who was on the other end. It was a call he dreaded. Finally he picked up the receiver, cleared his throat and pressed the practically antique piece of plastic to his ear.

“Detective Beck,” he said. His voice was filled with a false sort of professionalism that one only fakes when they work in an office but know an incoming call is going to be personal.

“Alex,” the muffled, but distinctly female voice came through the other end, “It’s me…”

“Hi Beth. How are things?”

“Alex,” she paused, “We’re worried about you. You haven’t been yourself.”

“It’s just this case, Beth. It’s rough. That’s all.”

“What is it? Tell me about it.”

Detective Beck sighed softly and fidgeted, cracking his knuckles as he did. “Beth. You know I don’t like to talk about the cases. I… don’t want to put that on you.” There was a soft crackle from the other end that betrayed a sound that was about to become a word when Beck spoke again, “Look. When this is all over I’ll give you a call. Then you and the kids can come back from your mothers and everything will be back to normal.”

“I don’t know that I’m coming back from my mother’s, Alex…”

For a moment his jaw hung open. He always knew that might be her response but actually hearing it was another story. He was about to respond when the sound of a throat clearing caused him to look up from his desk. There was a uniformed officer standing over his desk looking down at him.

“Beck…”

“Yes… just a minute,” he uttered trying to cover the phone with his free hand.

“Alex… Alex…” he heard on the other line.

Sighing softly, Beck pulled his hand away and spoke into the phone, “Beth… hang on just one minute. Work stuff.”

“Alex… I have to go. I’ll call you in a few weeks.”

“No… Beth,” but Detective Beck was cut off by the sound of the phone hanging up and then the dull sound of a dial tone.

He pulled the phone away from his ear and rested it back on its cradle. For a moment he fidgeted. He stared absently at his desk. It was a conversation he knew was coming ever since she came into his life. Ever since this case. Everything seemed to be falling apart.

“Beck… Beck!”

“What?” He glanced up to the uniform that was still looming over his desk.

He was a young man in his mid twenties at best. He couldn’t have been on the job for more than a few years. His short blonde hair was visible due to his officer’s cap tucked firmly under his arm. He was a fairly non-descript man otherwise. Moderately attractive with a strong jaw but nothing out of the ordinary. He looked like every other young beat cop. Strutting, intimidating and posturing to look tough. A few years on the job and he’d be a haggard wreck just like Beck was. All his false pretenses and posturing would be tossed straight out the window.

“Were you listening?”

The creek of Beck’s chair signaled him leaning back and eyeing his file once more. After only a moment he returned his attention back to the uniformed officer and sighed, “No… sorry Baker.”

Baker simply rolled his eyes and folded his arms over his chest in an obvious sign of irritation. After a moment he fixed his cap over his head and scowled, “I’ve gotta go back out on patrol; I don’t have time for this bullshit. I said that guy that we brought in for questioning is in room 12. But seriously man…”

Beck raised a brow, studying the fearful look on Baker’s face. He suddenly had the appearance of someone who had just seen a ghost. Beck scowled and rolled his eyes at the kid, “Spit it out Baker.”

“Look… I’m just saying. If I were you I wouldn’t go in there. There’s something wrong with that one. He creeps the shit out of me.”

“Right…”

Baker shrugged. He held his arms out as he shrugged, “Look… I’m just saying.” With that said he took a few steps back away from Beck’s desk and turned to head out of the station.

Beck mumbled and rose slowly from his desk, gathering the file folder with him. No time like the present to head into the belly of the beast. He doubted this guy was as creepy as Baker thought he was but it was very likely that he was a psychopath. As if that wasn’t bad enough, the reports from the arresting officers said that he had the appearance of a ‘stone cold killer’. Rumor has it he said nothing when he was arrested. On the way to the interrogation room Beck just kept telling himself that it was all over now. Just get the confession out of the freak and all would be well.

Beck leaned on the metal door knob. He pushed open the entrance to Interrogation Room Twelve. The room was innocuous enough. White walls and white floors. A handful of water stains tainted the punctuated ceiling board. Only a single table, three chairs and a coat rack occupied the room. The table was bare metal save for the faux wood surface that was stained with coffee and cigarette burns. The chairs matched the table but rather than covered in faux wood they were upholstered in tacky brown vinyl. The stuffing of the cushions was so old that it barely softened the metal surface of the chairs. Hanging from the coat rack was a simple, if well worn, knee length leather jacket.

At the table were all the ordinary things one might find in the interrogation room of a police station. A pack of Lucky Strike Filters, a simple black Zippo and an empty ashtray. The only thing out of place on the table was the black Italian Stiletto switchblade. However sitting at the table was something all together more unusual.

If standing he would perhaps be just over six feet tall. Well built and lithe with powerful, streamlined muscles. He appeared to be in his early twenties with strong, attractive and chiseled features. His hair was black and cropped short. It was kept stylized to be short around the sides and back while the top was longer and chopped in such a manner as to spike slightly. He had the earliest signs of a five o’clock shadow down his cheeks and neck. His eyes were hidden behind small, oval shaped, mirrored lenses held in place by a skeletal, wire frame. A small smirk was spread across his face and–despite his eyes being hidden–there was a certain lean, predatory expression upon his face.

Beck entered the room carrying two cups of coffee, a note pad and a pen. He set the items down on the table and pulled out one of the chairs. Before he sat he pulled off his brown sports coat and hung it next to the leather jacket on the coat rack. His fingers dug at the knot at his neck and he loosened his tie before rolling up the sleeves of his light blue dress shirt. The moment he turned his attention to the other man in the room the suspect shifted his head like a cat looking at a mouse. It was unnerving even though Beck knew that the suspect was securely handcuffed. He still carried an air of confidence. The smirk never left his pale lips.

With the harsh sound of metal on tile Beck seated himself and slid into the table. He clicked the pen once and then began scribbling on his note pad. For a few minutes he did so in silence. Only after he was finished did he look up and find the exact same expression on his suspects face.

“Can I get your name for the record?”

He was rewarded with only silence.

“Listen. We know what you’ve been doing. Things will go a lot easier on you if you cooperate. Maybe you’ll only get life for the shit you’ve done and not the death penalty. But you are going to have to start talking for that.”

The superior smirk was gone from his face but he appeared no less confident then he did before. He remained silent. Beck sighed and took down a few more notes. The way he slumped in his chair–hands behind his back–infuriated him. Here he was caught and now practically with the needle in his arm and still he couldn’t give a shit. He was as calm as could be. He had murdered countless people, slaughtered them in horrific ways that could only have been described as diabolical. He had done worse…

“Alright fucko…” Beck was beginning to lose his cool, “What do you know about Detective Roark?”

The first cracks in this cool monster’s exterior broke. He shifted slightly and twisted his head the other way. For the first time since before his arrest at the [Club Name] he spoke. His voice was unusual. His accent was undecipherable. His English was flawless but it was clearly not his first language. “Ally…”

The single word out of his mouth enraged Beck. He jumped up from his seat, the chair clattering to the floor behind him. Even his cool suspect had to admit that Beck was quick for an aging cop. Beck ripped him from the chair he was in by the neckline of his hooded sweatshirt and slammed unceremoniously against the wall. The black garment had its sleeves cut off to expose a series of esoteric and strange symbols tattooed across his upper arms. A chuckle passed the suspects lips, distorted by Beck’s forearm pressing against his throat.

“What the fuck did you do to her?”

The slight smirk returned to his suspects face and he leaned into Beck’s ear the best he could, whispering, “I fucked her.”

“You fucking raped her you piece of shit!” it was not a question and it was punctuate by Beck’s fist slamming into the man’s face. The suspect sprawled out across the tile floor chuckling to himself. Beck loomed over him with his fist clenched. He probably would have continued pummeling the suspect if the door hadn’t flung open.

“Beck!”

Alex Beck turned around and saw the stern face of his captain standing in the door way. Scratching his nose like a kid caught red handed he stepped over the suspect.

“Don’t make me pull you out of this room, Beck,” the Captain said in a hushed tone, “This scum hasn’t opened his mouth for a lawyer yet but that doesn’t mean you can beat the shit out of him.”

“You heard what he said, Captain. This fuck had his way with Roark.”

The Captain nodded a few times and sighed, “I know Beck… I know. Keep it cool and maybe we can get her back from this. We’ve got nothing to suggest that she’s dead so she may still be alive. If anyone knows it’s this creep.”

“Sorry, Captain…” Beck muttered.

“It’s alright Beck… just take it easy.”

The door slammed shut and Beck turned back around to watch the suspect slump himself back into one of the open chairs. Beck picked up his own chair and slid into it. Clearing his throat, he jotted some more notes down on the pad in front of him and glanced back to Beck.

“Where is she?”

The man shifted his head again in that predatory manner and scowled. It seemed a genuine scowl. An expression born of frustration or perhaps even an authentic sense of being upset. Beck had already given up on this guy as a died-in-the-wool sociopath and didn’t believe anything that came out of him. Still it was worth a shot to try and get Roark back.

“I don’t know,” he finally replied.

“Don’t bullshit me,” Beck fumbled through the folder he’d brought in the room and scattered a series of pictures across the table. All of them were gruesome scenes of murder. Various strange marks surrounded the bodies on the floors and walls. Similar symbols were carved in all the victims’ naked bodies. Various bizarre talismans and occult trappings filled the photos. They all looked like the set of a horror movie but they were sickeningly real. “You see what you did here? If you did something to her you’d better believe you’re going to wind up with a needle in your arm you piece of shit.”

The suspect leaned forward slowly and inspected each of the photos with a detached interest. He showed no sign of revulsion or horror at the images. No human sign of compassion. There was nothing that would betray any shred of humanity.

“I didn’t do this,” he finally said calmly, leaning back in his chair.

“Don’t fuck with me you piece of shit. You just admitted that you fucking raped, Roark. Now tell me what you-” Beck was cut off by the soft, but commanding tone of his suspect.

“I didn’t rape her.”

“What?”

“You said I raped her. I didn’t rape her.”

“Fuck you.”

“No. I fucked her. She wanted it.”

“You’re a sick piece of shit. You think your victims wanted it.”

“No…” there was the slightest sign of frustration in his tone, “I fucked her. She wanted it. She asked for it. I wanted it. We had a good time. I never took anything by force with her.”

“Then where the fuck is she?”

“I don’t know,” he uttered, his voice getting low as he continued. It was almost a soft growl, “But I’m the only person in the world who can find her and I’m quite certain that if you don’t let me out of here she will end up like that,” he nodded towards the photos, “or worse.”

Beck paused. There was something about the way he spoke that sounded genuine. He still didn’t believe the punk as far as he could throw him but there was the faintest hint of sincerity in his tone. It at least deserved exploration, Beck told himself. After all, what if he knew something or let something slip while he talked. If he didn’t let this guy keep going he might never find Roark.

“Start from the beginning, don’t leave a fucking thing out…”

The suspect shifted his head to the side and gave a cool little grin, “The beginning is a long time ago…”

Beck noticed for the first time his suspect’s eyes. His glasses were still on the floor and now Beck could make direct eye contact with him. There was a depth to them he did not expect. They were a strange color that he couldn’t quite place. They seemed to reflect light in strange ways. At times they were blue and others they seemed to reflect a slight purple shade. They were unnatural and carried a weight that suggested far more than two short decades on this earth. It unnerved Beck.

Beck pursed his lips, glanced down at the photos and then back up to his suspect, “Go ahead.”

............

SalemST@gmail.com — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 13:38:44 GMT

I just beat Assassin's Creed.

I'm going to go lay down a cry now. Anyone who has also beaten Assassin's Creed should understand; anyone who hasn't... go do it.

Thingy...

SalemST@gmail.com — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 10:47:50 GMT

Total comments: 1064

1	jesperi	311
2	poizen37	87
3	nekochan369	56
4	robwett	50
5	parhelli0n	44
6	wrath_of_bun	38
7	aden_nak	25
8	acadecian	25
9	la_loba	24
10	xxasagi_rosesxx	23
11	lucifelnet	22
12	noplate	21
13	elle_wolf	21
14	searingpaine	19
15	daveh974	19
16	endlessautumn	19
17	sinrider	19
18	jaborwhalky	17
19	Anonymous	15
20	yuijedi	15
21	devringalbrath	14
22	agentaldrich	14
23	mythicpoison	13
24	helheim	13
25	lokwanderer	12
26	angels_rage	12
27	noraaboy	11
28	morpheus_17	11
29	pentameterpunk	10
30	jawachick	9
31	rebelcommander	8
32	maidensong	6
33	angellicvanilla	6
34	cyann54	5
35	kativy	5
36	unfetteredone	4
37	justonejawa	4
38	khemicalx	3
39	ninkakitty	3
40	american_girl82	3
41	ancillajenn	3
42	scybermonk	3
43	shadowandheart	3
44	ex_darqflame357	2
45	adrenaline2268	2
46	celticangel424	2
47	chaddockgirl07	2
48	helljack	2
49	come_alive2	1
50	rev_lucifer	1
51	xxjerzeydevilxx	1
52	amethyst_dawn	1
53	brynne	1
54	ohnotituspullo	1
55	yenta21	1
56	jeriquan	1
57	musicdan	1

Generated by LJ Comment Stats.

Movies! (again)

SalemST@gmail.com — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 18:43:46 GMT

SUPPOSEDLY if you've seen over 94 films, you have no life. Mark the ones you've seen. There are 239 films on this list. Copy this list, go to your own facebook account, paste this as a note. Then, put x's next to the films you've seen, add them up, change the header adding your number, and click post at the bottom. Have fun.

180ish. Yeah… I kinda figured this would be the result. I pretty much watch every movie ever. The worst part, this isn’t even the smallest fraction of movies I’ve ever seen…

(x) Rocky Horror Picture Show
( ) Grease
(x) Pirates of the Caribbean
(x) Pirates of the Caribbean 2: Dead Man's Chest
(x) Boondock Saints
(x) Fight Club
(x) Starsky and Hutch
(x) Neverending Story
(x) Blazing Saddles
(x) Airplane
Total: 9

(x) The Princess Bride
(x) Anchorman
(x) Napoleon Dynamite
(x) Labyrinth
(x) Saw
(x) Saw II
(x) White Noise - White Noise 2 was better...
( ) White Oleander
(x) Anger Management
(x) 50 First Dates
( ) The Princess Diaries
( ) The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement
Total so far: 18

(x) Scream
(x) Scream 2
(x) Scream 3
(x) Scary Movie
(x) Scary Movie 2
(x) Scary Movie 3
(x) Scary Movie 4
(x) American Pie
(x) American Pie 2
(x) American Wedding
( ) American Pie Band Camp
Total so far: 28

(x) Harry Potter 1 – I dunno… I know I’ve seen the first and last but I don’t like them, they were just on late at night and I might have seen the others too… for now I’ll say no just to be safe.
( ) Harry Potter 2
( ) Harry Potter 3
(x) Harry Potter 4
(x) Resident Evil 1
(x) Resident Evil 2
(x) The Wedding Singer
( ) Little Black Book
(x) The Village
( ) Lilo & Stitch
Total so far: 34

(x) Finding Nemo
( ) Finding Neverland
(x) Signs
( ) The Grinch
(x) Texas Chainsaw Massacre
(x) Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning
( ) White Chicks
(x) Butterfly Effect
(x) 13 Going on 30
(x) I, Robot
( ) Robots
Total so far: 41

(x) Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story
(x) Universal Soldier
(x) Lemony Snicket: A Series Of Unfortunate Events
(x) Along Came Polly
(x) Deep Impact
(x) KingPin
(x) Never Been Kissed
(x) Meet The Parents
( ) Meet the Fockers
(x) Eight Crazy Nights
(x) Joe Dirt
(x) KING KONG – Which one? Doesn’t matter, I seen ‘em all.
Total so far: 52

( ) A Cinderella Story
( ) The Terminal
( ) The Lizzie McGuire Movie
( ) Passport to Paris
(x) Dumb & Dumber
( ) Dumber & Dumberer
(x) Final Destination
(x) Final Destination 2
(x) Final Destination 3
(x) Halloween
(x) The Ring
(o) The Ring 2
( ) Surviving X-MAS
(x) Flubber
Total so far: 59 (60)

(x) Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle
(x) Practical Magic
(x) Chicago
(x) Ghost Ship
(x) From Hell
(x) Hellboy
(x) Secret Window
( ) I Am Sam
(x) The Whole Nine Yards
(o) The Whole Ten Yards
Total so far: 67 (69)

(x) The Day After Tomorrow
(x) Child's Play
(0) Seed of Chucky
(x) Bride of Chucky
(x) Ten Things I Hate About You
( ) Just Married
(x) Gothika
(x) Nightmare on Elm Street
(x) Sixteen Candles
(x) Remember the Titans
( ) Coach Carter
(x) The Grudge
(x) The Grudge 2
(x) The Mask
( ) Son Of The Mask
Total so far: 78 (81)

(x) Bad Boys
(x) Bad Boys 2
( ) Joy Ride
( ) Lucky Number Slevin
(x) Ocean's Eleven
(x) Ocean's Twelve
(x) Bourne Identity
(x) Bourne Supremecy
( ) Lone Star
(x) Bedazzled
(x) Predator I
(x) Predator II
(x) The Fog
(x) Ice Age
(x) Ice Age 2: The Meltdown
( ) Curious George
Total so far: 90 (93)

(x) Independence Day
(x) Cujo
( ) A Bronx Tale
(x) Darkness Falls
(x) Christine
(x) ET
(x) Children of the Corn
( ) My Boss's Daughter
( ) Maid in Manhattan
(x) War of the Worlds
(x) Rush Hour
(o) Rush Hour 2
Total so far: 98 (102)

( ) Best Bet
(x) How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
(x) She's All That
( ) Calendar Girls
(x) Sideways
(x) Mars Attacks
(x) Event Horizon
( ) Ever After
(x) Wizard of Oz
(x) Forrest Gump
(x) Big Trouble in Little China
(x) The Terminator
(x) The Terminator 2
(x) The Terminator 3
Total so far: 109 (113)

(x) X-Men
(x) X-2
(x) X-3
(x) Spider-Man
(x) Spider-Man 2
(x) Sky High
(x) Jeepers Creepers
(x) Jeepers Creepers 2
( ) Catch Me If You Can
( ) The Little Mermaid
(x) Freaky Friday
(x) Reign of Fire
(x) The Skulls
(x) Cruel Intentions
(x) Cruel Intentions 2
( ) The Hot Chick
(x) Shrek
(x) Shrek 2
Total so far: 124 (128)

( ) Swimfan
(x) Miracle on 34th street
(x) Old School
( ) The Notebook
(x) K-Pax
(x) Krippendorf's Tribe
( ) A Walk to Remember
( ) Ice Castles
( ) Boogeyman
(x) The 40-year-old Virgin
Total so far: 129 (133)

(x) Lord of the Rings Fellowship of the Ring
(x) Lord of the Rings The Two Towers
(x) Lord of the Rings Return Of the King
(x) Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark
(x) Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
(x) Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Total so far: 135 (139)

(x) Basketball
(x) Hostel
( ) Waiting for Guffman
(x) House of 1000 Corpses
(x) Devils Rejects
(x) Elf
(x) Highlander
(x) Mothman Prophecies
(x) American History X
( ) Three
Total so Far: 143 (147)

(x) The Jacket
( ) Kung Fu Hustle
( ) Shaolin Soccer
(x) Night Watch
(x) Monsters Inc.
(x) Titanic
(x) Monty Python and the Holy Grail
(x) Shaun Of the Dead
( ) Willard
Total so far: 149 (153)

(x) High Tension
(x) Club Dread
(x) Hulk
(x) Dawn Of the Dead
(x) Hook
(x) Chronicles Of Narnia: The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe
(x) 28 days later
(x) Orgazmo
( ) Phantasm
(x) Waterworld
Total so far: 158 (162)

(x) Kill Bill vol 1
(x) Kill Bill vol 2
(x) Mortal Kombat
( ) Wolf Creek
(x) Kingdom of Heaven
(x) the Hills Have Eyes
( ) I Spit on Your Grave aka the Day of the Woman
( ) The Last House on the Left
( ) Re-Animator
(x) Army of Darkness
Total so far: 164 (168)

(x) Star Wars Ep. I The Phantom Menace
(x) Star Wars Ep. II Attack of the Clones
(x) Star Wars Ep. III Revenge of the Sith
(x) Star Wars Ep. IV A New Hope
(x) Star Wars Ep. V The Empire Strikes Back
(x) Star Wars Ep. VI Return of the Jedi
(x) Ewoks Caravan Of Courage
(x) Ewoks The Battle For Endor
Total so far: 172 (176)

(x) The Matrix
(x) The Matrix Reloaded
(x) The Matrix Revolutions
( ) Animatrix
(x) Evil Dead
(x) Evil Dead 2
(x) Team America: World Police
(x) Red Dragon
(x) Silence of the Lambs
( ) Hannibal
Total so far: 180 (184)

Update: I went over the list again... I actually found a bunch of movies I've seen that I forgot to count. So I redid it. (I also think I counted wrong the first time).

I had to add:

*Scary Movie 4
*13 Going on 30
*Never Been Kissed
*Chicago
*Secret Window
*Sixteen Candles
*Remember the Titans
*The Grudge 2
*Bedazzled
*High Tension

To the list.

Also... I put o's under:

*The Ring 2
*The Whole Ten Yards
*Rush Hour 2
*Seed of Chucky

Cuz I'm pretty sure I've seen them, but I can't remember. So my score is somewhere between 180 and 184.

Grades

SalemST@gmail.com — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 18:00:30 GMT

So I finished my first semester at a 'real university'. There were some ups and downs around the whole experience, but the grades were NOT a disappointment.

History of Christianity I - B+
Ancient Mediterranean World - A
Modern Middle East - A
Life-Span Development - A

Wewt.

Movies!

SalemST@gmail.com — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 03:40:46 GMT

Rules:
- Pick 10 of your favorite movies.
- Go to IMDb and find a quote from each movie.
- Post them here for everyone to guess and I'll post when people get the answer right.
- I'll strike it out when someone guesses correctly, and put who guessed it and the movie.
- NO CHEATING!! NO GOOGLING/ IMDb search or other search functions.
- No looking at my favorite movies on my Facebook page...

1. "See... I can get you what you want, I can. I can get you anything, you just have to talk to me, you have to trust me. You can trust me, 'cause I'm your priest, I'm your shrink... I am you main connection to the switchboard of he soul. I'm the magic man... Santa Claus of the subconscious. You say it, you think it, you can have it."

2. ~~"If someone stands in the way of true justice, you simply walk up behind them and stab them in the heart."~~

3. "I cannot fiddle but I can make a great state of a small city."

4. ~~"I know about art and love, if only because I long for it with every fiber of my being."~~

5. ~~"When the chips are down, these... these civilized people, they'll eat each other."~~

6. ~~"You threw me far from grace, and now I fall onto it."~~

7. "All these years, all these memories, there was you. You pull me through time."

8. "Oh, Marcus. What are you trying to do, scare me? You sound like my mother. We've known each other for a long time. I don't believe in magic, a lot of superstitious hocus pocus. I'm going after a find of incredible historical significance, you're talking about the boogie man. Besides, you know what a cautious fellow I am."

9. "I don't know why he saved my life. Maybe in those last moments he loved life more than he ever had before. Not just his life - anybody's life, my life. All he'd wanted were the same answers the rest of us want. Where did I come from? Where am I going? How long have I got? All I could do was sit there and watch him die."

10. ~~"I pay it gladly."~~

This was a pain. Some of these are kinda hard, some are pretty easy. I'll also say these aren't my "10 Favorite Movies", I have a hell of a time picking 10 movies that are my "favorite" I invariably leave something out or forget about something. These are just "10 movies I really enjoy".

Dear Amazon.com and iTunes

SalemST@gmail.com — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 15:59:40 GMT

Dear Amazon.com and iTunes,

Please get your act together. Seriously. You are multimillion (if not billion) dollar corporations. If you are incapable of labeling your songs properly you really should hire someone who can, like me.

I recently received a $25 iTunes gift card. Realizing that I could use that gift card to legally purchase the song "Ordinary Fight" by I Against I, I immediately created an iTunes account. I have been searching for that song for ages every since I had it on my infamous Epitaph Records "Punk-O-Rama, Volume 3". Unfortunately, the internet seemed rather unwilling to relinquish any of the music by the Holland Punk band (yes I said Holland, no I'm not kidding).

Sure enough you guys had available "Punk-O-Rama, Volume 3" by the album or the individual song. At $0.99 for the song that had been plaguing me for so long, it was a no brainer. I merrily downloaded the song and began to play it. I was greeted by the fantastic sounds of I Against I's wonderful song... "Maybe Tomorrow". What? Now, I have nothing against "Maybe Tomorrow" but that wasn't the song I was looking for.

So I went out to Amazon.com just to make sure I hadn't lost my mind. So I looked up “Punk-O-Rama, Volume 3” to make sure “Ordinary Fight” was present on that album. It sure was. So I played the little Demo MP3 they have to ensure that it was the song I remembered. I was once again flooded with the sounds of “Maybe Tomorrow”. What? Had I gone insane?

I looked up the lyrics to “Ordinary Fight” and was vindicated in my knowledge that I had the right song. So instead of getting the song via the “Punk-O-Rama” compilation, I decided to go straight for the source and purchase it off the “Headcleaner” album by I Against I. I decided just to be safe to check the song on Amazon. Sure enough their Demo MP3 also said, “Ordinary Fight” but was actually “Maybe Tomorrow”. Deciding not to risk anything I just dropped the $10 bucks on the entire “Headcleaner” album. I finally did find “Ordinary Fight”. Was it labeled “Maybe Tomorrow”? No. I found it under “Top of the World”. What was “Maybe Tomorrow”? Well that was actually the song “Passed Me By”.

Okay. I know that “Headcleaner” was a little known album from a more than a decade ago from a little known Deutch Punk band but seriously Amazon.com and iTunes, can’t you at least get their songs straight? Anyone of the faithful who have spent long nights in dingy clubs would know the difference and anyone who even has a passing interest in Epitaph’s lineup would have at least recognized that “Maybe Tomorrow” was NOT “Ordinary Fight”.

Just because you don’t think nobody cares about these bands doesn’t mean they don’t still have fans out there, after all they only just broke up two years ago. Please try harder in the future.

Sincerely,
Geoff B

Stolen from wrath_of_bun

SalemST@gmail.com — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 23:51:33 GMT

In 2009, jesperi resolves to...

Get back in contact with some old tattoos.
Apply for a new kink.
Cut down on my writing.
Cut down to ten vampires a day.
Lose ten cars by March.
Overcome my secret fear of dogs.

I didn't know you have to apply for Kink's... shit... I've got some back paper work to do.

On the twelfth day of Christmas, jesperi sent to me...

Twelve scybermonks drumming

Eleven acadecians piping

Ten dogs a-leaping

Nine piercings dancing

Eight tattoos a-milking

Seven corsets a-swimming

Six swords a-writing

Five ca-a-a-ars

Four vampires

Three ball gags

Two dropkick murphys

...and a dominance in a chivalry.

I'm not sure I even understand this one... lol

Another lost interesting thread topic...

SalemST@gmail.com — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 06:24:50 GMT

I'm involved in yet another religious discussion on a message board. It had real potential but was unfortunately wasted. The topic was neutral to begin with: Discuss the pros and cons if Christianity had never existed. Given the nature of the site it immediately (and unfortunately) devolved into a Christan-bash-fest. I always find it amusing that the people who are often claim to be the most oppressed are the first to turn around and heap intolerance on others. You can see this most often in the Pagan vs. Christian argument. Now I have a number of lovely Pagan friends and I don't intend to direct any of this at them, but I have met a number of Pagans who can do nothing but spew venom at Christians for 'oppressing' them.

Everyone has done wrong at some point or another. If you want to have an open and honest conversation about the pros and cons of a major alteration to history, lets do it. Let us not, however, allow it to devolve into airing your personal gripes against the subject.

So as this progressed and the slander mounted, I felt I had to intercede. Given that I JUST finished an entire course entitled "The History of Christianity I" which covered it's origins in Jewish tradition up until about the 15th Century, I felt particularly well equipped to engage in this debate. I, unfortunately, grossly under estimated my own knowledge of the subject in comparison to many of the others talking about it. Very few people even gave any specific examples of their issues but instead just heaped vitriol onto Christianity as a whole. About the only concrete "example" was when the topic took a drastic shift to Hitler and how Germany was a predominantly Christian nation. First of all, Hitler himself could hardly be called Christian as he was actively attempting to create a new religion with Christian elements combined with Norse mythology and his own personal deification. Second of all, even if he was a Christian you can hardly chalk up the actions of a single insane individual. If Christianity had never come about there would still be Jews, they still would have been persecuted (as they were before Christians) and Hitler (all other things being equal) still would have likely persecuted them.

But I digress. The actual intention of this post was to recount my actual involvement in the subject. I decided to get involved on the largely pro-Christian side (since it was woefully underrepresented), though I do repeatedly make some concessions when Christianity was at fault. So, without further ado (and behind a cut for the scroll bar impaired :P) here is my post, the subsequent responses and my response to them. Enjoy.

People love to say that Christianity set back education and are quick to look at so called 'examples' in history such as the Inquisition, the stories of those free thinkers who were put down by evil medieval priests and generally look to pop culture as examples. What they don’t do is actually read any of the historical accounts of these events.

1. Early Christians were actually the ones who started the Anti-Slavery movement in the Late Roman Republic. The premise that all mankind was created by the one God in his image made slavery unthinkable to them. They were also notorious for entering the houses of the sick and diseased to tend to them while good upstanding Roman’s abandoned them to die for fear of getting diseased themselves.

2. Read Thomas Cahill’s “How the Irish saved Civilization”. By reading that book you’ll learn that it was Irish monks who preserved most of the written knowledge of the western world after the collapse of the Western Empire. It was these monks who largely preserved the ability to read and write—and later spread that ability back to the continent—and also laboriously copied texts from Western society to preserve them. The odds are very good that if you’ve enjoyed a copy of Homer’s Epic ‘The Iliad’, you did so because of an Irish Christian Monk.

3. Those same Irish monks were then later transported to the continent by Charlemagne for the purpose of educating his empire. Why? Because those ignorant Christians who set back the course of knowledge and science were the only ones who could read and write—especially in Latin—and were the only ones who possessed any literature what so ever.

4. Later, as the Medieval Period progressed, the only centers for education at all were religiously based. These Universities were based in Cathedrals. Despite popular belief these schools not only taught religious doctrine but they were available to anyone who could afford them—not just clergy—and are the foundation for the ‘Liberal Arts’. At these schools one was educated in everything from Mathematics, Grammar, Rhetoric, Music and Astronomy.

5. Medieval Theologians believed that there were two Holy sources for understanding God. These two sources were the Bible and the natural world. As such these Theologians actually spent a great deal of time studying the natural world with the understanding that to understand the natural world they could better understand the creation of God. This actually led to a great deal of honest attempts at scientific research. A prime example of this is that, though not widely accepted at the time, the notion of a Heliocentric universe was first presented (in Europe, after Aristarchus of Samos in Greece) by a Medieval Theologian who was not even criticized for his thinking let alone tortured or burned by the Inquisition. Bishop Nicole Oresme even suggested that the Earth rotated upon its axis.

6. The Inquisition did indeed root out heresy in the Church during the Medieval Period. They did indeed sometimes use torture to extract confessions from their victims. So did the secular courts of the time. In fact, in religious courts a confession under torture required that the victim then reassert the confession after the torture and that a witness could not be tortured a second time. In other words it was public knowledge that if you were brought up on heresy charges you could confess as the torture began an then recant your confession after the torture. As long as there were not two other witnesses against you, you were released. Did it always work this way? No of course not. But show me any justice system that works exactly as it is intended, secular or otherwise. In addition, the view of the religious courts (by contemporary secular courts) was that they were soft and far too lenient. Furthermore, punishment for a first offense of heresy was often limited to a fine or confiscation of possessions—not death.

7. The Spanish Inquisition—by far the worst and most violent of all the Inquisitions—was not conducted by the church at all. It was actually under the direct control of Ferdinand II of Aragon, the King of Spain and Isabella I of Castile. Though called an “ecclesiastical tribunal” it was actually controlled by secular institutions. If you intend to blame Christianity as a whole for every action taken by anyone who is Christian then you hold it to an unfair standard.

I'm not suggesting that everything it has ever done was good or that it hasn't made its share of mistakes, such as the extension of Papal Authority and flagrant abuses of power in the Late Medieval Period. But those are the kinds of abuses that many human begins see and do when power rears its head. I just feel that too many people are far too quick to take a few highlights of history and say, "Christianity is bad."

Anyways... my two cents.

-Geoff

First Response:

“Won't argue a single one of your points because they are irrelevant. You speak of post...Nicaea Cousel (325 AD) as I wrote. This counsel (Constantine) summoned the bishops and clergy to tell Europe just what is...christianity. Yes, there is an entire library of modern history about a man called Jesus. However, here is man who can change water into wine...heal the sick, walk on water claims to be the son of god and not just any god but the god of gods. Yet there exists no historical record of the time of any of these feats or this man.

Kinkroids...look at all of Pagan history which dates back 10,000 years much recorded as recently as only 3000 BC. There are in history probably 24 Jesus's all born on Dec 25, all a proselytizing prodigy by the age of 12, all had 12 deciples, friends or 'brothers', all healers of the sick and son of god, son of the king of kings, all betrayed by someone very close in exchange for booty, all executed and all arising days later and ascend to heaven, Jesus' was just the last...if he ever existed at all.

The next 'Jesus' is 2250. (BTW, there were about 6 Moses')

One could actually say that christianity and the christian church and clergy was the communist party of Medieval times. All power political and social in the day-to-day of civil society was christian, so your learning (Rome was documented in latin BCE the grasp of which was not unlike Rome ACE) so in essence...what the pope wanted...the pope got or you were a barbarian. Do you know what the christians did to the barbarians. Yes, they learned from the Gauls...show no mercy.

For all of those centuries...you were either christian or you were barbarian undeserving of life itself, unless of course you repent and join the fold. (party) The rallying cry of the crusades was something close to 'Destroy the infidels.' Sound familiar ?

What you write of is escape from the Dark ages or early Middle ages and is correct but only at the behest of the christian church and gospel. These centuries and some say 700 years were wasted when it came to man's incredible intellect and not until the Renaissance when the christians got their head out of their ass that one could even argue we entered from that moment on...modern history.

A modern history BTW that begets our history given what Newton did in math and science.”

Second Response:

And from someone else in response to my statement, “If you intend to blame Christianity as a whole for every action taken by anyone who is Christian then you hold it to an unfair standard”:

“If we accept that standard, wouldn't be equally disingenuous to credit Christianity as a whole for the good that people who happen to be Christians do?

--David”

First Half In Response to David:

To some extent I can agree with this point entirely. Taken to its absolute extreme nothing is good or evil except each action of each individual. If this is your philosophy more power to you. However it does circumvent the point of the discussion in the first place.

The point of the discussion is: What would be the pros and cons of an entire absence of Christianity. The only way to effectively debate that topic is to look at the actions of those who were acting within the structure of the dogma. Now, I’ll admit that this is unfortunately rather subjective. The Bible itself is little help in that it is written in largely a flowery, at least partly metaphorical manner and is often rather contradictory in its own right. Also, the creeds and codes of the religion changed a number of times throughout history depending upon who was at the helm.

I don’t think that the majority of the Christian world approved of—at the time—Hitler’s extermination of people (I’ll admit that I didn’t really want to get involved in the Hitler thing as I think it’s largely irrelevant because Hitler was NOT a traditional Christian in any sense and actually cobbled together an invented religion using Christ-elements, Norse and Germanic mythology and a semi-deification of himself, but whatever gotta go where the discussion goes I suppose). A lot of the other points brought up were single individuals acting in whatever manner they believed they should. Not ALL of them however. There were dark periods and dark elements of Christianity. For example, Pope Boniface VIII was the one to give the Papal Bulls which declared, “God has set popes over kings and kingdoms” and “is absolutely necessary for salvation that every human creature be subject to the Roman pontiff”. He also used the office of Pope to effectively wage war against a rival noble family, the Colonnas. Without Christianity there never would have been an office of Pope to abuse. But even these actions are—largely—in opposition to most of the major theological theories about the proper practices and actions of Christianity. But as I said, I will make the concession that it hasn’t been all good. It’s done its fair share of wrong; I’m just trying to point out the good as well.

In the vein, all of the topics I pointed out were actions by individual Christians, you are right in saying that. However they also went along with the beliefs and practices of Christianity at the time. The theological school of thought at the time was that studying the natural world to the best of one’s abilities led to a better understanding of God. This did produce a lot of scientific advances in what people normally consider a period of total ignorance. The major opposition to Roman slavery was due to Christian tradition of teaching that all men were created in the image of God. The relative tolerance of ecclesiastic courts—in comparison to secular courts of the time—was because of the teaching of Christian tolerance at the time.

I think the point that I’m trying to make is something along the lines of many of (but I’ll again admit NOT ALL) of the pros of a world without Christianity are statements such as, “ did this horrible thing.” In opposition most (but not ALL) of the points I’ve made were general trends of Christianity throughout certain periods of time.

Second Half In Response To The Other Guy:

I’m not really sure of the relevance of all of this post since I wasn’t trying to refer to any particular time period. I was simply answering the original poster and just suggesting some cons to a world where Christianity had never existed. I was just phrasing them in the form of the pros of Christianity. But I’ll do my best to continue the discussion here regardless.

I never said there weren’t other Jesus-figures throughout history. There were. They’ve popped up in just about every mythology. There was also a great deal of Moses-figures as well as flood myths. In my opinion this is irrelevant. I was never debating the truth of Christianity or even God. That wasn’t the question posed. The question posed was the benefits and drawbacks to a world that had never seen Christianity. I have no desire to debate the truth or lack of truth of Christianity. Frankly I am not a Christian by any definition of the word so I don’t believe in the truth of the Biblical Jesus-figure (though I will agree with those here who have quite plainly stated that regardless what people want to tell you Jesus WAS a historical figure). I don’t even believe in any of the stories of the Bible in a literal sense. I think they are parables and stories designed to impart moral wisdom. Do I believe in God? Yes. Then what I am? That is a far more complicated question and deviates from the original posters intended topic quite a bit. That clarified I think I can move on to some of the other things you covered in your post.

You mentioned what “the Christians did to barbarians”. Again I think this is an issue of context. People love to look at an individual people they wish to vilify and then review them in the context of the 21st Century. My fellow history-minded friends and I have coined a term for this. I don’t know if we are the originators of it but we call it ‘Chronocentric’: viewing a previous time period in context of your own. It is easy to look at the behavior of Medieval Christians and say, “See their barbarous behavior against X group!” But by and large it was par for the course for most people of the time period. Look at what the “innocent” barbarians of the north did. Pagan, Norse raiders frequently attacked the unarmed (and wealthy) monasteries of the islands of Britain and Ireland. They slaughtered the monks and plundered their belongings.

You can apply the same logic to the Crusades. The modern perspective is to view the Crusader Knights as intolerant savages who stormed into a foreign land and conquered and destroyed another culture because of a difference of religion. It is almost in some ways politically incorrect to even go down this road but the Crusades were also the direct result of aggressive Muslim expansion from the early 7th Century. For nearly 400 years Islam expanded from its beginnings across the entire Middle East until it pressed through modern Spain and into modern France. In the east it pushed its way up through modern Turkey and through the Eastern Empire. By the 11th Century it was at the doors of Constantinople. I have no intolerance of Muslims. In fact, I find Middle Eastern culture and history to be fascinating and fantastic and I have just as much of an issue of those who attack the various Middle Eastern cultures and Muslims. However the aggressive Islamic expansion is a historical fact. As an aside the rallying cry of the Crusades was actually “Deus vult” which is Latin for “God wills it”.

I’m not quite sure I understand the latter half of your post. At one point it sounds like you are agreeing with me and the other half sounds like you are making a counter argument. Yes, the Christian church did help mankind to move out of the so called ‘Dark Ages’ (which is a historic fallacy in itself, but that’s another argument for another time) and move into the middle Medieval Period. That was my entire point. But then it sounds like you were saying nobody did move past those so called ‘Dark Ages’ until the Renaissance when “Christians got their head out of their ass”. As I just said, the body of scientific advancement during the Medieval period (mostly spurred on by Christian theologians and Church members—primarily monastic orders) was considerably more extensive than people give it credit for.

I also never said that these periods could even remotely be considered ‘modern history’, however in truth neither can the Renaissance. The true definition of what ‘modern history’ is, is largely subjective. Some define it as all things from the Medieval Period forward. More traditionally ‘modern history’ is classified as the Age of Enlightenment and the Age of Reason. More specifically ‘modern history’ dawned with the Industrial Revolution and is generally considered from somewhere in the 17th and 18th centuries through to now. Also, if you want to get really technical the Renaissance is a period which begins in the 13th and 14th century. It has its roots in writings from the 13th Century but doesn’t get into full swing until the 14th century. The 14th century is ALSO considered part of the High Medieval Period.

I was going to write up a tidy conclusion to all of this but as I’ve already spent a great deal of time (and bored the life out of everyone unfortunate enough to come across this) writing what I’ve gotten so far. And I don’t actually want to stir up any animosity or ill feels, I just think it’s an interesting topic to discuss and debate. Instead I’ll just leave it at that.

-Geoff

I just thought some of you might enjoy those reads. I know some of you care about my inane ramblings (and I don’t for a second blame those who don’t. lol)

For those that do: enjoy.

For those that don’t: just scroll on by.

P.S. I've noticed a trend. Originally I just thought it was because people are lack on the internet, but I've noticed it is more than that. Notice how most people don't capitalize "Christianity" or "Christian"? The second guy does, but the first guy didn't. A lot don't. As I said, originally I though it was just lazy internet shit. But it isn't. He uses (mostly) proper capitalization and he capitalizes most proper nouns. Not "Christianity". To me its a sign of the disrespect and lack of concern for it. Sorry folks. If you are going to capitalize Renaissance, Christianity is also a proper noun and deserves at least the same respect.

Le Fin!

SalemST@gmail.com — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 04:10:29 GMT

With the completion of: "Wealth and Power of the Medieval Church", "Achievements of Hellenism" and "Influence of Christanity on Slavery, Economics and Education" I am now FINISHED with the work I have to do for the semester. I have two finals to take (one on Tuesday night and the other on Wednesday afternoon/evening) and then I'm done done. For the time being I can actually just sit back, relax and know I've got nothing to do. I've got to turn my papers in tomorrow sometime before noon-ish. I'm gonna do a bit of studying Tuesday afternoon before my Psychology final and a bit of studying Tuesday night/Wednesday morning before my Modern Middle East final.

Then I have to clean my room and pack up my shit. Ugh. lol

Merlin

SalemST@gmail.com — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 19:34:20 GMT

I just finished watching the 1998 made for TV movie Merlin with Sam Neil. I've always enjoyed that series and I thought it was one of the best made for TV fantasy series. But this time around it posed and interesting question that I don't know if I have the answer to, so I thought I'd open it up here. So for everyone who's seen the series I pose this question:

Was Merlin a noble man who tried to help those around him for a better future OR was Merlin a good, but flawed man, who despite the best intentions was actually a schemer and manipulator playing a game of chess against Queen Mab with the lives of those around him?

Interesting Tidbits

SalemST@gmail.com — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 21:29:57 GMT

The funny things you learn in class. Did you know that in early Medevial tradition and before hand marriage was official at the consumation? I'm sure you were at least partly aware of that. However, in reality there was very little formalization of ceramony in the early Medeival and prior periods. Which meant that the act of sex was the marriage. As such marriage by rape was actually not all that uncommon. Apparently you could sometimes just find the girl you like, take her by force and bang legally she is yours. Huh...

Hmmm...

SalemST@gmail.com — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 02:25:59 GMT

Alright. Might have hit a snag. Might be a pretty big snag.

The step by step plan from this point forward includes the following:

1. Finish writing - Check
2. Ship my manuscript off to the editor - Check
3. Wait for novel to return.
4. Get in contact with Nej about potentially doing the artwork.
5. Beg, borrow, steal and somehow collect the finances needed - Sorta check. I've got just over 100 bucks. It should actually be enough to purchase the ISBN for at least the Hardcover Edition (which is a start) and enough to purchase a copy of the HC for review (as is required).
6. Set up a mailbox so that I have an address for my Fictitious Name.
7. Set up the Fictitious Name application so that I can publish the book under the company name.

Okay, so where's the snag? Things seem to be moving along nicely, right? WRONG. I did some research. The proposed plan for having a functioning business address was to get one of the boxes from the UPS Store, since they don't use PO Boxes (they have an actual address) it means that it is legally viable to have as a business address. I found information for the Washington DC Mailboxes etc/UPS Store in relation to their renting of Mailboxes. Well... the going rate for a Mailbox there is 15 dollars a month. Not great, but manageable. But you have to pay for the full year up front. That's 180 bucks. Pretty crappy, but I could PROBABLY manage that given a bit of time. Oh wait... that's for Personal Use Only. AND no packages from UPS/FEDEX/DHL or other private carriers. USPS ONLY. Well, that won’t suffice due to either fact: personal use and delivery allowances. Next step up the latter is 87 dollars for just three months (and I know if I get a three month box, three months will go by I won’t be able to renew my contract and then I'll be out of an address and that will royally fuck me). It's $288 for a year contract (+3 free months, yay! ....). Oh but wait... that's a Personal Use Only box too... seriously? So I finally find the Business Use boxes...$117 for a three month box, $210 dollars for 6 months (+1 free month!) and a staggering $408 for a 12 month box (+3 free months!). Well... that pretty much fucks me.

So now you can take out number six out of the equation. I dunno what I'm going to do. Things are going REALLY well with this project except for this snag. Hmmm...

P.S. I just noticed there are totally some people watching me... like my Livejournal. I have no idea why. lol I'm flattered that there are people who give a shit but... yeah. So, if you are subscribed to this Journal (in other words you can see THIS) and I'm not reading yours (you can see if I am by going to the place that manages your friends) it's because I have NO idea who you are (or are unaware of why you are watching). That said, say Hi here. I'm curious.

A Lame Turducken...

SalemST@gmail.com — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 04:15:47 GMT

John Hodgman called Bush a "Lame Turducken" on the Daily Show. It's hilarious. He said he was, "a normal lame duck stuffed inside a crippled chicken and wrapped in a mutilated turkey." Yeah... that's amazing.

Edit: And then he called John Stewart a lame duck. Why? "When Bush goes, that's the end of comedy." lol Oh... it's true. There is ONE reason we will miss him.

Theoretical Physics: Now Everyone Can Participate!

SalemST@gmail.com — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 18:20:32 GMT

If you want to experience actual torture. Go out to the IMDB forums. They are notorious for stupidity in general but I found one that even trumps their normal psychosis. This goes into the realm of actual torture and I think the UN should investigate these forums and potentially shut these threads down for human rights violations.

Go to the Terminator Salvation page. Then find any thread relating to discussing the chronology of the Terminator series. My personal favorite is "T800 and T900 prototypes already in 2003 - CRS (T3) WHY?!". Originally this is a discussion of the technology present in Terminator Salvation as you might guess from the title. But it rapidly devolves with this gem: "No, in the timeline, Terminator Salvation comes before all the other movies."

Don't get me wrong. I understand where this poor soul is coming from. They are trying to suggest that because the war between the machines is the root of sending the original terminator back in time to kill John Conner that this movie is the movie where the events occur that spawns the whole series. I get that. But in now way can you say, 'this comes before all the other movies'. I'm sorry. In the literate regions of the world, we have this convention where when events occur in 1984 (the original release of The Terminator) those events come before the events that happen in 1991 (the original release date of Terminator 2: Judgment Day). Now stay with me here, the events in 1991 occur before the events that take place in 2004 (the time frame of the movie: Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines). Now... following that line of logic, we in the enlightened literate world, would then assume that the events of 2004 would occur before the events of 2018 (the time frame that Terminator Salvation takes place). In no way could you use the term "timeline" and suggest that 2004 happens after 2018 no matter what semantic argument you try to make without having some kind of major psychosis.

Now, i do understand that if you get into some of the more complex Theoretical Physics theories about time you come to realize that one major convention is that time is not a fixed construct happening in a linear progression but rather happens simultaneously and it is merely human inability to perceive time as a spatial dimension that prevents us from existing at all points simultaneously... but I don't think that's particularly relevant here. I also highly doubt these people were trying to get at that point.

From there you simply have to read the rest of the thread. It actually DEVOLVES from that idiotic comment into people of grossly sub par intellectual capabilities attempting to discuss the nature of time travel and going into the past to change the future, alternate time lines, etc. It's actually hilarious and... horrible.