The Phantom of the Juxta: Seduction of the Innocent Goldfish [F]

•August 1, 2014 • Leave a Comment

Disclaimer: Another rant. Feel free to read but know this is how I unload the clutter of thoughts in my head, so don’t expect too much sympathy on my part to make sense.

Missed my first Philosophy of Law tutorial this morning no thanks to traffic. I used the word missed but what I really did was alter my initial plan to attend. I mean, I could have walked in 27 minutes late, but instead I chose to cut my losses and make up for it in neglected readings. Plus, I have a real problem with people/the involuntary silent judgments of others/attention, and I’ve noticed/experienced that the old adage, “better late than never,” is actually a crock of shit. People expect excuses worthy of their own expectations when you’re late, but if you just don’t show up, it’s a given that those same expectations will dissipate over time, revealing them for what they always were — invalid judgments made in a moment of unreason. Never up for debate, either you or they are wrong; and personally I don’t believe or certainly pertain my thoughts to the viewpoint that things in life are simply that black or white and either A or B. So I avoid. Perhaps a C option presents itself the most worthy of actions. And what about all those incremental fragments of moments and thoughts a person has to deal with that gets them from and to either A or B. Our small, personal moments are what make and drive us but are overlooked and under valued in the eyes of others. Why do we allow actions to speak for us (A, B, C) and not the reasons (D) behind our actions? Are people by nature irrational creatures? It’s like the world we’ve created for ourselves is an illusion so we don’t betray modesty and reveal our true individualistic disposition. We are all indifferent towards and critical of Difference in some way or another, but why do so few fight it? Designated empiricism. Not always correct.

The carnal truth is, better never than late. Trust me. People like myself have to adopt a persona merely to fit in, or become phantoms among you, in a world where socialization is the veil of narcissism. …Or maybe I just really don’t like attention that much more than the average introvert, so much more that I don’t even know how to explain myself proper. I think I might Google search me a quote to explain myself for me. In any case, there is a reason why I prefer my own company. I don’t have to interact on anyone’s level, and I am tired of being misinterpreted.

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A friend made me aware of a paper I probably would have loved to do myself — comics & film. After my last tutorial for the day, I had time to sit in during the second half of her lecture. Worked well enough on paper. Making my way from engineering and then looking for the room was another matter, and I ended up in the same situation as this morning — late. I wasn’t going to start looking for my friend while the lecturer was lecturing only to squeeze past other students just to sit by her, that’s rude. It wasn’t related to any of my other papers, plus the attention thing. So, again, I altered my planned exertion of effort for something of similar value to me, ending up familiarizing myself with the area instead.

backroom 2014-08-01 12.26.30

Discovered a secret window in this disused projection room at the back of the theatre.

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I watched two interesting short films and read my comics in-between. It was strangely cathartic, like my own private area, right where I wanted to be yet not quite exposed. Totally my new favourite refuge on campus. I wonder how hard it is to jimmy the lock?

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Low. Deep Gravity. Armor Hunters: Harbinger. The Wicked + The Divine. Black Science. The Wake.

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The first short is an anti-comicbook propaganda film from the 50’s that aired October 9, 1955. Sections of this appear in the documentary “Comic Book Confidential” which I don’t own but remember borrowing from Chris “Guerrilla Monkey” Tan a while ago. Seeing comics demonized will always be funny:

The second is this neat, live-action adaptation of the comic book character, Superman in Adventures of Superman,” an American television series (1952–1958) based on comic book characters and concepts created in 1938 by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster:

As for me, well, until someone invents vanishing cream, I will walk the earth a nomad enduring the frustrations of others to no avail in the hopes that someday, somewhere, sometime, someone special will see through me. Dark in the boy. [cue theme song]

BE KIND

•August 1, 2014 • Leave a Comment

Plato - Be Kind

Street Fighter II: Crazy Drunk Russians Edition

•July 30, 2014 • Leave a Comment

Music Videos Without Music: “Turn Down for What”

•July 29, 2014 • Leave a Comment

For lolz. ‘Turn down’ the music, and the video for “Turn Down for What” becomes… High art? Someone’s nightmare? A PSA of the importance of locking the doors at night?

Jiggle porn. Without the simple bass and catchphrase, this club banger is nothing more than, flopping. Lots and lots of flopping.

Cyril Hahn & Javeon “Breaking” [♬]

•July 29, 2014 • Leave a Comment

New Zealand-born Israeli Soldier Killed in a Gaza Firefight, Mistaken for Ryan Dunn in Newspaper

•July 28, 2014 • Leave a Comment

How unfortunate. The NZ Herald mistakenly used a picture of the late Ryan Dunn of Jackass fame on its front cover today. The image was sourced from 21 year-old, Sergeant Guy Boyland’s Facebook page, who was a fan of the show. Unfortunately no one at the Herald bothered to actually look at the photo, which is ironic considering they’re in the print business and they didn’t even review their own work! However, it is also worth mentioning that it’s because of this misprint blunder that I am aware of Boyland’s story.

nz_herald_ryan_dunn_cover_E1 - NZ Herald apologises to fallen soldier's family over Jackass photo blunder

Guy BoylandIn the statement, Editor Shayne Currie says: “The New Zealand Herald apologises unreservedly to the family and friends of Guy Boyland following the incorrect use of two images in today’s paper and on the New Zealand Herald website”.

“The family members have been remarkably forgiving, particularly in the circumstances. I have apologised for adding to their grief and I will keep them fully updated on how this happened as obviously it is unacceptable,” Mr Currie says. He said they are looking into what checks were made regarding the two images to ensure the error is not repeated in the future. …Ensure huh? how about, not using/relying on Facebook? Just a thought.

The Simpsons/Family Guy Crossover — Comic Con 2014

•July 27, 2014 • Leave a Comment

“The Simpsons Guy” — Sept. 28 season premiere:

In the special hour-long episode, The Griffins become sidetracked and find themselves in Springfield, where they make fast friends with The Simpsons based on their obvious similarities. But said similarities threaten to tear Peter and Homer apart when an argument over accusations that Peter’s beloved Pawtuckett Patriot beer is nothing but a lesser knock-off of Homer’s equally-beloved Duff — PETER: “It may have been ‘inspired by’ Duff, but I’d like to think it goes in a different direction.”

For 25 seasons, The Simpsons have only ever participated in one official crossover episode (with The Critic.) But come September, they’ll meet up for the first (canonical) time with Family Guy’s Griffins for their season premiere. The first sizzle-reel trailer for the episode debuted at San Diego Comic-Con, and now Entertainment Weekly has debuted the footage as an online exclusive.

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Can’t wait for November when an episode titled “Simpsorama” will see them encounter the time-traveling cast of Futurama. For realz.

41 Tattoos of Homer — Lee Weir, Ay Caramba!

•July 26, 2014 • Leave a Comment

This story came to my attention after comedian Dai Henwood mentioned his familiar name on 7Days. Ay caramba indeed. I’m not reacting to the fact that he has a silly world record for having the most iconic character from the most famous and funny animated sitcom known to man adorning his left arm, but because I went to college with this guy, and he was a bit of a dick. To me anyway. How diddly doodly ironic I find this. But let’s (try) not make this about me. To be fair, he was well-known throughout the school as being a funny guy. Assertive too. Who knew we could have bonded over something? I didn’t know Lee well in college but he definitely left me with more of a Nelson Muntz impression. *Grinds teeth* Con-grad-u-la-tions Lee, on your temporary sobriety, and your tattoo-artist, Ben Jenkins did a neat job too.

Lee Weir, 27, went alcohol-free last year, using the money he would have spent on beer to pay for his tattoos.

The Homer sleeve took more than 25 hours to complete, cost more than $2,000 and Weir had to show a dermatologist report to Guinness World Records officials before the record could be confirmed, according to the Daily Mail.

The Simpsons is a record-holder in its own right, with world records for both the longest-running sitcom on US TV (546 episodes), and the most Emmy Awards won by an animated TV series (28 awards). [see guinnessworldrecords.com]

Doh! A girl I know said something nice about this through Facebook; “looks awesome Lee! 🙂 haters hate, mangers manage, players play and alligators alligate 😉 “ I’m sure I fall into one of those categories. Sigh…OK. Sincere congrats dude. I suppose happiness is an elusive and rare enough thing without all the haters.*

…Flying Snakes?

•July 25, 2014 • Leave a Comment

Sounds like a Batman & Robin catchphrase — “Holy Flying Snakes!”

flyingsnakemystry_of_flying_snake_revealed_quikrpostThe Malaysian flying tree snake (Chrysopelea) flying_snake

Fuck off.

And here I thought mothafuckin snakes took mothafuckin planes like the rest of us.

Chrysopelea, falling with style, gliding, snaking through the air, undulating, gravity swimming, whatever!!! These crazy snakes can sail up to distances of 300 feet, which is why I’d like to take this opportunity to thank customs wildlife controllers everywhere. Keep up the good work.

snakes!

In case you think this shit is funny 👇 This is what snake venom does to human blood:

how blood reacts to snake venom

 Move over Sharknado, you’ve been trumped by evolution. Oh I can see it now…
…Snakeapocalypse.

Ninja Schoolgirls POV

•July 23, 2014 • Leave a Comment

Me and my friends made a chase video over pizza once, but this is a pursuit of epic proportions, complete with ninja evasion tactics, through the streets of Atami, Japan:

C.C. Lemon Japanese Advert 3 C.C. Lemon Japanese Advert 4C.C. Lemon Japanese Advert 2C.C. Lemon Japanese Advert

I’m not thirsty at all, I just want me some C.C. Lemon! Goodbye public transport.

Crowdsourced Animation Project: Sailor Moon — Re-animated by 250 Different Artists from Around The World

•July 22, 2014 • Leave a Comment

SailorMoonUncut

Moon Animate Make-Up is a crowdsourced group animation project to re-animate an episode of Sailor Moon shot-by-shot in each artist’s personal style. From October 2013 to July 2014, over two hundred and fifty animators contributed at least one shot each to assemble a full length parody episode of Sailor Moon.

Epic Sailor Moon Fan Tribute — Volunteers Re-Animate an Entire Episode

Moon Animate Make UpFractious Friends

Dominic Pink’s NZIFF 2014 Highlights

•July 22, 2014 • Leave a Comment

My friend, film guru and reviewer Dominic Pink from AFistFullofCulture.com, featured on Four Live recently to share how lucky we kiwis are when it comes to film releases and also mention a few great ones we have to look forward to at this year’s NZIFF — “namely, Bong Joon-ho’s Snowpiercer starring Chris Evans, Steven Knight’s Locke starring Tom Hardy, and Richard Linklater’s Boyhood.”

The man is passionate, and I agree with his every word. Also, it’s a small thing, but I’m kind of awestruck by those handshakes. I bet they practiced before the cameras rolled.

good handshake