Horror (Fictional and Real), Nasty Conservatives, Gaming Updates

[tcpip]

Recently had the opportunity at Splodge with caseopaya, severina_242, _zombiemonkey, and cvisors to see the classic Hammer film Horror of Dracula (with Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee). A good bit of cheesy horror (the working class Londoner accent complete with Gordon's gin at a Kluj inn would horrify Transylvanians). Later in the week watched the classic Vincent Price flick House on Haunted Hill which was quite clever and finally, wonder of wonders, found the memory card for the Playstation 2 which had been missing for several months and contained four hours of a saved game for Project Zero, certainly one of the best horror games that has ever been produced.

In real world horrors, there has been both the earthquake in Chengdu and a rising death toll (approximately 10,000 mostly in Mianyang) and the effects of Cyclone Nargis in Burma, where the number of dead or missing is over 100,000. The military junta that rules Burma deserves a special award for disgusting behaviour for not only blocking aid workers, but for also holding a particularly rigged constitutional referendum days after the event. An interesting comparison can be drawn between how the contemporary Chinese government is reacting to the disaster compared to their government during the Tangshan earthquake which killed approximately a quarter of a million. Communications technology is a bedrock of an open society.

On topic, there was the kerfuffle over a local Liberal Party 'blog, managed and operated by insiders, criticising leader Ted Baillieu. Although now closed it has been mirrored with history all the way to December. Not only is it amazing to think that it took that long to go through the IP logs, but in the fall-out the conservative's hatred of Jews is once again exposed. An isolated incident? Perhaps not - consider just prior Republican Congress hopefull Tony Zirkle (who, not surprisingly campaigns primarily against pornography and prostitution) decided to attend an Adolph Hitler birthday celebration sponsored by the American Nazi Party. If one was to give a broad summary it would seem that "the left" has a problem with Israel, whereas the "the right" has a problem with Jews.

Apropos there recently has been "some discussion" over an online Harry Potter RPG which called itself "Kristallnacht", which has since changed its name. Personally, I thought it was a great name for the story with enormous potential for thematic references and an oppurtunity to teach people some history via analogy (which is one of fantasy's better uses). In my own gaming worlds, I am pleased to see that a DragonQuest PBeM I am involved in has just restarted, had a good session of Bushido last Sunday and most recently I've started a Powers & Perils PBeM which has developed very quickly. Finally, one of the players in my HeroQuest PBeM has culled the archives into a story representation; it currently runs at 185 pages.

Comments

[greylock.livejournal.com]

To be fair to Tony Zirkle, how has he to know? HOW?

[shorxrore.livejournal.com]

i had such an argument with my grandmother on mother's day about israel...twas crazy! good times hehhhh

[the-shadow298.livejournal.com]

found out recently that they are making a new Fatal Frame/Project Zero game (not sure if it is a sequel, remake or entirely new part of the franchise) for the Wii due out in Japan later this year and Europe/North American/Australisia sometime in 09.

was also talking to my friend who was in Fujin province when the China Earthquakes struck and said that the place he is currently living was badly shaken as well and shock damage reached as far as the northern most tip of China and even to the far North East as well.
He notes while China isn't requesting external aid or support, they are employing many foreign engineers and earthquake specialists as they need.
He makes note in a recent e-mail that it's more a point of pride than politics to ask for help from outsiders.

He also said that he's waiting for the rants that the recent disasters in Burma and China are both "punishments from God for not obeying the laws of democracy and being more like everyone else" -one such rant we found on youtube but has since been removed and the poster's account banned as well.
Frankly, only a matter of time before the really arch-conservative nutballs start bringing out the act of God speeches.

[i-beloved.livejournal.com]

What wonderful films you watched! Christopher Lee is one of my fave actors - especially for horror. His face is just so....cold.

The disastrous events of the last week or so really bring back to light how lucky we are in a country that doesn't really get hit with much of anything. I can't even fathom how those people feel, and when I start whinging about things I stop and remember those poor people :/

[evil-genius.livejournal.com]

Tony Zirkle is a joke even amongst the republicans. Better to point toward insane republicans that have actually held office....like George Bush.


"but in the fall-out the conservative's hatred of Jews is once again exposed."

Conservatives the world over seem to vehemently hate anything that isn't exactly like that. Jew, Muslim, Christian, Atheist, etc.

[the-shadow298.livejournal.com]

just listening to the news this morning and they said that China has requested help from Australia but people are unable to do anything because the area is so damaged they cannot land the equipment and so the everyone is fretting about hot to proceed and do the best for the people.

than in the same news bulletin, they said how Burma is shutting out more and more countries offering assistance -including their regional neighbour Thailand- and restricting the people who are already there.
Now everyone is fearing water born diseases spread by the new rains infecting the majority of the country and also more devistation & death being caused by further cyclones that seem to be developing.

[bdsmbarbie.livejournal.com]

If one was to give a broad summary it would seem that "the left" has a problem with Israel, whereas the "the right" has a problem with Jews.

I'm glad to see that I haven't been the only person to make this comment/joke. Though when I brought up Zirkle, most people here just looked at me like some alien. Heaven forbid I try to discuss news with the people I work with...but bring up American Idol and everyone wants to chat.

And yet, I'm the youngest in my department, *sigh*.