9/11/2001: Never Forgive, Never Forget.

Almost midnight of the 12th. I wanted to make this a separate post from the other one.

The World Trade Center.

The Pentagon.

The Heroes of United Flight 93.

We will never forget the victims and the heroes.

And to the Jihadists who planned and executed this horror, we will never forgive. Even hell is too good for the likes of you motherfuckers. But we'll send you there, anyway. Along with those we've sent ahead of you in Afghanistan and Iraq. Let the devil decide if he wants your filthy asses or not.

Have a good night, folks.

Cool T-Shirts That Send A Message.

Anybody that reads this, despite my infrequent posting, who cares about the shitty direction this country is taking, should check out this site:

http://matternow.org/index.php

Now, I'm not much for advertising on my blog. But this gal has her shit together and her shirts make a simple, but very powerful, statement.

Her name is Ashleigh Kenny. And because of this young lady exercising her First Amendment Rights, she's generated some degree of ire from leftist fucktards and Obama knob-slobbering pricks on the internet. No surprise there, of course.

So, give her site a look-see, and maybe buy a shirt. It's for a good cause (if you're not a "progressive", that is).

A little word of advisement. The site tends to be down from time to time (possibly due to traffic, thanks to her fifteen minutes of fame on the net and Fox News). So, be patient and don't give up if the site is down when visiting it.

A little public service announcement from the Maskirovka's favorite SSB asshole.

Is The Ammo Run Almost Over?

Almost, it seems. Or at least, I hear from interwebs land that it's getting a little easier to find.

I went to the local dealer I do business with recently, and what he says seems to contradict some of the good news. He put together an order that ranged into the several thousand dollar mark. And guess what? All the wholesaler had that he needed was one measly box of ammo.

He did manage to come into a couple of boxes of Fiocchi .223 and two boxes of FN 5.7mm earlier on. Talk about luck.

My luck wasn't any better. I went to the shop, looking for some .45 ACP for my HK USP45. The last box of defensive ammo he had was Federal PD 165gr. Expanding FMJ. Don't care much for that load, but I took what I could get. The only other option was among the few boxes of FMJ he had left. But I wanted proper ammo for defensive use, not "hard times" ammo. That will come later on.

However, I'm not pissed off about the situation. Just frustrated. The reason being is that I don't blame people for taking the "better safe than sorry" route. The run on mags, firearms, ammo, and reloading supplies is just part of the natural order of things, when the political tide turns. Many of us remember the years between 1989 and 1994 all too well. And if given half the chance, where it wouldn't hurt them too bad politically, The One and his disciples would be more than happy to make similar moves. Fucking "progressive" douchebags.

In any case, I'm going to be watching closely. When my upcoming job prospect pans out (hopefully), then Citizen Oldfart is going to start stocking up again. If the stuff is available, that is.

From the capital of the Greater Humanity, glorious Sian, signing off.

A Little Update For Your Amusement...

Remember my little entry about work and backstabbers? Well, for the last two and a half weeks, I've been among the glorious ranks of the unemployed. Well, somewhat, anyway. I'm still on the payroll, just not on the schedule. Which is bullshit.

I guess it's because of the manager looking for an excuse to ditch me. Well, she got it when the State called regarding my work history. It seems that the "gub'mint" job I've been shooting for will soon be mine (in the final stages of the employment process as of now). They're probably stringing me along, until the day I give final notice. That way, I get screwed out of unemployment benefits.

I'm simply biding my time. When the State job is a given, I plan on fucking my former employer up big time, using legal means. My home State is a "right to work" State, and they have violated several provisions of that law in my case. The right people and agencies will hear of it, as will the labor board.

Considering that the "big boss man" is a State politician in the State legislature, some managerial heads will roll in the company.

Moral of this story: Don't fuck with someone with "common learnings" AND education. I'm not one of the usual "mouth breathers" they employ.

Killzone 2

Been playing Killzone 2 here of late, and I have to say it's pretty impressive. Superb graphics and gameplay, along with better AI.

But nothing is perfect. Not being able to truly blind fire from cover, as the AI does, is something of a let down. The lack of secondary fire modes on the weapons is also a black mark in my book. The single player campaign is too damned short, even if the story was actually pretty well done. However, I was expecting that long before I read the first reviews before actual release. Everything revolves around cooking up a first rate online play experience these days. Single player, story driven campaigns take a distant third, if even that.

But overall, it's a GREAT game. And well deserving of the high score it gets in the reviews. Shit, just the part of storming Vasari palace in a nuclear hell alone is enough to justify a high score.

One thing does bug me in relation to the storyline: The watered down capabilities of ISA and Helghast military forces. In the first Killzone (PS2), "secondary fire" weapon modes and high tech, "high horsepower" gear was the name of the game. The Helghast hover vehicles and Rico's nasty chaingun/anti-tank rocket system are two such examples. If you are going to assault, or defend, a high stakes target like Helghan, you would expect the best gear available, right? I suppose that they just wanted to pay homage to Killzone: Liberation (it was part of the Vekta story arc, after all), and make room for cool new toys (like that flamethrower, which is fucking awesome). I really have no real gripe with Guerilla's choices. It just seems a bit weird.

In any case, Killzone 2 will keep yours truly amused for a long time.

Double Standards And Going Too Far.

"Double standards". A term many like to throw around. And it has a nasty ring to it.

When a big time media hotshot or public figure makes a dumb move (or stupid comments), the fervor that arises depends on what area of "offensiveness" the dumbass treads in. That's where the double standards come into play.

When that jackass Imus made his infamous "nappy headed hoes" comment to that girls athletic team, all hell broke loose. While it was tasteless and impolite (putting it mildly; it was more like a kick in the balls), it wasn't what it was made out to be.

His comment, while reinforcing the fact that he was/is a big fucking assclown, was far from racist, since he was referring to the team AS A WHOLE. And there were whites on the team. But even if there wasn't any Caucasians present, it still can't be mistaken as such by thinking people. It's basically a slang-y way of calling somebody a filthy whore. Which is still inexcusable by any standards. Imus went too damned far in my opinion. However, pop on a label that fits, not some bullshit race-baiting PC garbage.

But the "honorable" "Reverend" Al Sharpton saw the chance to get some more air time for his sorry, attention whoring ass by playing the race card. And the media, both tabloid and "mainstream", ate it up as usual.

Then there was that little scandal involving everybody's favorite royal party-hardy, Prince Harry. And that rather stupid choice of costumes. Now, I could give two-shits less if somebody wants to dress up as a NSDAP goon or WWII Waffen SS trooper, for whatever reason. But let's get real here folks. If you are a high profile public figure, who's being watched by Britain's shitstain tabloid "media", you don't dress up like a French maid, a cheap hooker, a gay leather daddy, or a fucking Nazi. It's not a good thing to have on your resume, even if you're a blue blood.

Harry, being a young shithead at the time, exercised bad taste and made a stupid bad call. Punishment by the Queen and a personal public apology should have sufficed.

But, no. It didn't. The media played it for all it was worth to sell papers and get the ratings. Charles made a big move to cover his ass by ordering his sons to visit Auschwitz , to "learn" the horrible realities of the history of the Holocaust (as if two of the best educated young men in the world, products of the finest schools, didn't know about it already). Then, some politico by the name of Lord Janner, called what Harry did "stupid and evil".

Stupid and evil? Stupid, yes. But referring to typical youth asshattery as evil is a bit extreme. There was no evidence that the Prince intended to slight the memory of the Holocaust and other National Socialist attrocities. I chalk it up to typical emotional appeal political rhetoric on this Janner guy's part.

Imus went too far. Harry went too far. Recently, David Letterman went too far.

And here, the double standard come into play. This is the main focus of this little rant.

Last Tuesday night, that gopher toothed prick made some comments about Sara Palin and her daughter that irked even a jaded motherfucker like me. And he exercised a lack of civility toward Mr. Alex Rodriguez.

However, that is par for course for Late Night twits who host these shows. And while the "slutty flight attendent" comment was crude, rude, and out of line, public figures like Palin can expect that sort of crap from media shitheads and talentless twats like Letterman (who is probably still bitter that ol' Skunk Head beat him out as Carson's replacement). However, Letterman could have cracked some more tasteful, but still suitably obnoxious jokes, rather than sinking to Larry Flint's level of political satire ( the "Nailin' Palin" porn flick starring Lisa Ann).

But the real kicker was the comments about Palin's daughter. Attacking a politico or other public figure is one thing. Nasty commentary about their family crosses the line. Big time. Especially if they ARE NOT public figures.

It is irrelevant that Letterman may not have known that it was 14 year old Willow, instead of 18 year old Bristol, attending the Yankees game with her mother. The dumb bastard should have done his homework before opening his mouth (as if insinuating that Bristol is a cheap whore is any better). The fact is, he made an inappropriate joke that involved an underaged girl. And the seventh inning knock-up comment did a big disservice to Mr. Rodriguez as well, implying that he would engage in such illegal activities with a minor.

Now, what I want to know is why there isn't a big outcry? Where is the media shitstorm? Where are the massive demands for public apologies and atonement? Why aren't the feminists and child victim advocates slamming Letterman six ways from Sunday already?

There is no big controversy. Hell, I didn't find out about it until tonight, lurking ar15.com. I read the linked news story from those Neocon hacks on FoxNews.

And I'm willing to bet that there will be no major feeding frenzy over this. Not like it was with Harry and Imus. Oh, the Fox Neocons will play it up. But the leftist mega media outlets? They'll barely touch on it.

The double standard? Palin is a conservative politican from a State of hardy conservative types. Something that the leftist elitists hate with a passion. The Harry and Imus fuck ups involved issues that are holy writ to the political and social left. But a big shot liberal "entertainer" making vile jokes, in poor taste, about a "conservative biscuit making bimbo" (old movie quote here) and her family? Oh, I'm quiet sure that's fine in the eyes of Marxists and their sheeple supporters. Even if it involves child victimization and slurring off on an ahtlete that isn't involved in Mrs. Palin's politics. At most, you'll get "He shouldn't have done that, but it was kinda funny" comments from these fuck heads.

Letterman crossed the line further than Imus. Where is the Sharpton-esque figure to stand up and raise hell over bad taste and stupidity going too far, hmm? Why isn't this being turned into a sexist issue, eh? Where are the stalwarts of social engineering to make an example out Letterman? Why isn't CBS out kissing the public's ass with CYA (Cover Your Ass) statements?

Yeah, right. Odds of all that happening are pretty fucking low. If it does, I'll be shocked.

I'm all for free speech. But people should have some courtesy about them. Even an asshole like me can be critical without sinking to the lowest level possible. Exercise a little self-control and not take it too friggin' far. And no, I wouldn't want to see this turned into a PC circle jerk. But I felt the need to point out the very real double standard in today's socio-political landscape, particulary amongst the left. Thus the Prince Harry and Imus examples for comparison (to start off with).

If you step on the left's dogma, for any reason, expect a media circus. Go too far in regards to someone who is politically conservative, cross the line all you want.

Fucking hypocrites.

Rant mode off.

Mirror's Edge

On Friday, I picked up a copy of Mirror's Edge from Wally World for twenty five bucks. It was reduced in price. They must not have been selling many copies. Which is a shame, really. It turned out to be a fine game.

I consider this game to be a "sleeper". In other words, an excellent game that the masses won't catch onto until later down the road (despite the good reviews). The main reason is that it doesn't fit into a popular genre of electronic gaming. Much like the Valkyria Chronicles, it appeals to a niche crowd in the market for now.

It's something different, which is what I like. Willingness to try new avenues is what pulls in fans for a new title and keeps things fresh. There's talk of this title being a trilogy. I certainly hope so.

I also highly recommend gamers give Mirror's Edge a try.

It's also convinced me that EA can actually market a decent game, with a chance of lasting appeal, outside of the sports genre. The only other non-sports EA game I cared anything about was Black. However, despite being a decent (and over the top gonzo) shooter, the appeal of the title is not what I would call enduring. I played through Black a couple of times, then lost interest.

But there are trophies and time trials that will keep me playing Mirror's Edge for a while.

The only real gripe I have with Mirror's Edge is the use of animated cutscenes, as opposed to CGI similar to the in-game experience and character interactions. They don't really "fit", and disrupt the "flow" of the game overall. But this is only a minor nit pick on my part.

Well, that is it for my random bullshit for now. As I said before, I highly recommend Mirror's Edge. I suspect that many of you won't be disappointed with it.

As they say in "happy land", have a nice day.

Out Come The Knives...........

Same old shit, different day. That's how the old saying goes.

A new manager was hired a few weeks ago, and I had a bad feeling from the get-go. Experience is a harsh teacher. And my suspicions are slowly being validated.

It's almost eerie how history repeats itself. Or else, Human nature is just that damned predictable.

Here's how it goes......

1. The new manager has (or so I'm told) similar experiences from her past as the last long serving manager we had.

2. She's jealous of her position, to the point of being paranoid and insecure of employees "undermining" her, by going over her head or being friends with past supervisors. Just like the last long serving manager at this place (who's currently pulling time for embezzlement).

3. People whom I have known PERSONALLY for years (and consider friends outside of work) are getting cozy with her, to secure better standings for themselves. My Rule Number Five, on my list of rules of workplace survival, is "Don't Trust Co-workers Who Try To Get In Good With The White Hats". My rules are ironclad, because they work. And they have ALWAYS rang true.

4. She already has a list of family, friends, and associates that she want's to get "in the door", so to speak. The last long serving manager also had a nepotistic streak.

5. The guy over her, who was traditionally anal about having a hand in the hiring and firing, has now done a 360 degree turnaround. He's now telling us that all handling of such matters fall squarely on her. See number four above.

6. She doesn't like me. And I don't like her. And we both know it. While the professional interaction between us is cordial, it still doesn't bode well for me.

Already, the knives are already coming out of the scabbards. And they're very... fucking... sharp. So-called "friends" will eventually turn on each other, because of the "every man for himself" mentality in that place. Looks like I'll have to start watching my back, and return to my old policy (from previous jobs) of trusting no one. I'll simply clock in, do what I have to do, clock out and go home. Period. It's my longstanding policy to stay out of workplace politics. I'm simply going to take that policy to the next level.

Sure, it all sounds paranoid and melodramatic. Hell, it sounds like something out of a friggin' daytime soap opera. But sadly folks, it's all too true. If you worked there, you would see what I'm talking about.

In any case, I'll post updates as time passes for your amusement folks. As much as I hate the drama, even I have to admit that this shit is better than Jerry Springer. And I have to put up with some of the same shit stains he features on his poor excuse for a talk show.

On a side note, I'm seriously considering taking my Associate's Degree to the next level, and shoot for my Bachelor's. If all goes well, then a Master's in Criminal Justice. Then I can teach on the Community College level (I sure as hell don't want to teach High School students, not with how kids are today). I need to get the fuck out of constantly falling into jobs loaded with backstabbers and "mouth breathers".

Xin Sheng and Good Day.

No Big Deal, But Still Proud Anyway.

Well, I finally "completed" Motorstorm: Pacific Rift tonight. I broke Legend (Bronze) on the Online Ranking. Thus giving me the gold "Legend" trophy. My 49th trophy.

Which, in turn, unlocked the platinum trophy "Overachiever". The final one. Now all vehicles are unlocked.

It's been one hell of a thrill ride. I'm just a bit miffed that the online leaderboards are not updating like they should.

Aw, screw it. I'm pretty much done with online Ranked play, anyway. If I race anymore online, it'll be casual games. Which won't be much, since hardly anybody plays casual races online. So, I should not give a rat's ass what the boards show.

All that matters is that I finished the game, as I did with the first Motorstorm. The "complete freak" in me is satisfied. I'm feeling pretty damned proud of myself, even though it's really no biggie.

Now, I'm just waiting for Motorstorm: Arctic Edge. And the accompanying frustration that'll come with it.

But I'm a sucker for punishment.

The Fox And The Capellan.

Over the last few days, I've been seeing a small number of "baby" foxes in my backyard. Apparently, they have a den in what we call the "Old House", which has long since collapsed. It's the perfect hiding place for these critters.

I'm kinda glad that foxes are doing well around here, despite the presence of coyotes. Coyotes, an invader species in Southeastern North Carolina, has been (supposedly) putting a dent in the fox population.

In any case, I saw the female today bringing the little foxes something to eat (probably a rabbit).

Normally, when I'm out and about, I keep a rifle on the back porch (either my Winchester M1894AE or WASR 10/63 AK clone) in case I see a coyote (there are numerous coyotes in my area, and our policy is "shoot on sight"). But I have no intention of popping the foxes unless they attack my outside cat (who has her kittens well hidden).

These little symbols of Davion imperialism has been providing this Capellan fan lots of sightseeing amusement. I'll enjoy it while I can, since they are about big enough to leave the den here soon.

The joys of country living.

More Of "Barry's" Antics.................

Our old buddy Barry O is at it again. Of course, anything he does is no surprise to me anymore.

There was the Air Force One photo op incident here recently, which Obama bin Biden feigned ignorance of. I find it hard to believe that our Community Activist in Chief had no idea that his personal ride was being used to buzz the Statue of Liberty for a PR shoot (and no one in the NYC government being informed about it). But that is old news, and another story for another day.

What concerns me is the recently planned release of 17 Chinese Uighur terrorists from Guantanamo Bay. These "bomb throwers" were part of the East Turkestan Islamic Movement, who were captured at an al-Queda training camp. Not shocking they were there really, considering that group's ties with Bin Laden and al Queda.

Okay. Now we all know that Komrade Obama made it clear that Gitmo was going to be done away with at some point. Stupid, to be sure. But to be expected of a Marxist of his ilk.

Now, here is where it gets better..........

They are planning on releasing them right here, in the United States. That's right, ON AMERICAN SOIL.

What...the...mother....fuck?!?

There was strong opposition to this by the interagency panel created to deal with the issue of terrorism. The loudest griping came from the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security. And guess what? The White House overrode their recommendations. Congress will be "briefed" on the planned release (if they hadn't already). I only hope that our Congressional critters will raise enough stink to get Dear Leader to change his tune. But I highly doubt that will happen, with the number of Obama's ideological soulmates in the legislature. The War on Terror is a legacy policy from the previous administration. And most hard leftists believe that current "evils" affecting America are somehow all Bush's fault, even those that arise in this post-Bush era (I'm only half joking here).

I also wouldn't be surprised that the DHS's opposition was a political smoke screen. After all, it's headed by Obama appointee, and radical feminist ball buster, Janet Napolitano. I can't see the minons of His Royal Higness offering (or daring to offer) opposition to his policies. It's not a good idea in the political arena to bite the hand that appoints you.

This is stupidity of the highest fucking order. These guys are part of the international Islamic terrorist network, a collection of terror groups with differing levels of ties with one another. al Queda is one of the "big boys" in this society of cutthroats. And the East Turkestan movement is associated with them. Hell, al-Queda is TRAINING (and possibly equipping/funding) the motherfuckers.

The friend of my enemy is my enemy, in this case.

Add in the fact that we've had these asshats detained, I'm sure they don't like us too awful much (as if they did before they were busted). All it would take is for al Queda to "ask nicely". Over time, we may see these boys on the news again, after they've blown the fuck out of something here in the States.

They shouldn't be released. Period. Here or anywhere else.

I would hope that this would be a wake up call for the morons who fell under the sway of Hopenosis and Changeology. There have been examples previously of why Obama was a Bad Idea(tm). But it just keeps getting worse.

Is the next election here yet?

Would You Like Some Cheese With That Whine?

Let's get straight to the point here. We ALL complain about something. Hell, some of us like it.

For me, the little bitch sessions I carry on sometimes are a way to vent off steam. It's the same with many folks. When you talk about about your "bad day" with someone close to you, that's complaining, but in a positive way. There is nothing wrong, at the very core of it, with complaining.

But there is a such thing as negative complaining. Whining (aka: Pissing and Moaning) is one such example of bad (read: fucking annoying) complaining.

I post over on the Ubisoft forums. The HAWX boards, to be exact. And talk about whiners! Jesus H. Christ, some of them are worse than five year olds with a tooth ache. Over a Goddamned game.

I generally ignore them and post in a civilized manner. And I only pay attention to the posters that air their complaints concerning the game's problems in a mature manner. But it gets worse when the trolls come out to feed. The whiners at Ubi.com are as bad as the dumbasses, over on 4chan, who just can't resist the urge to feed the trolls. Some threads that start out decent, degenerate into pointless bickering between childish members and those that troll them.

As they say on 4chan: "Successful Troll Is Successful". But on some sites, the trolls don't have to work awful hard.

Anyway......

People have to realize that Ubisoft has a rather mixed history concerning game quality. I've known this since I first played Ghost Recon on my then-brand new (and rather bulky), first Playstation 2. Some of their games have been problem free for me, others glitchy/buggy as all hell. HAWX falls somewhere in between in my experience.

Yes, I get pissed when I get booted (or have hosted players get kicked) from a Team Death Match. I've had minor issues with online co-op. And offline, I've had occasional "game freeze" and frame rate glitches.

But that's par for course for Ubisoft. And Ubi vets, like yours truly, have learned that's part of the deal when buying their products. You may get get Sterling Silver. Or you may get Pure Shit. Which means patches and updates out the ass (which only concerned me recently. I've only been gaming/downloading PS3 stuff online for roughly a couple of months).

Now I understand some feeling like they're not getting their money's worth, especially with the price of third generation console games. But air your grievences like an adult, and not like a spoiled, rich teenaged socialite whose parents didn't buy them the Beemer they wanted.

The patches will come whenever. The remaining bugs may, or may not, get fixed. DLC? Yes, we're getting some cool planes (Viggens and Floggers for the fucking win). Be happy we are getting SOMETHING from Ubi this soon after release. Hell, the Motorstorm fans are still wondering when the shit we're getting ANY downloadable content from Evolution Studios, for Pacific Rift. I'm sure we will get some new maps for HAWX. It's just a matter of being PATIENT.

But some assholes want it all NOW. And whine like spoiled brats when they don't get it.

If one wants instant gratification, that's what jerking off/ fingering yourself is for. It doesn't necessarily apply to everything else in life.

And maybe if people could be more mature, then some Ubi developer would be happy to address the issues on the Ubisoft forum. But until then, all we'll hear is the crickets chirping.

End of rant. From glorious Sian, Citizen Oldfart signing off for now.

Rosario + Vampire: Something Good After All.

A while back, I ran across this fansubbed anime on Youtube titled "Rosario +Vampire". While it was amusing, I wrote it off as typical harem/romantic comedy anime. You know, the ones where there is no resolution and the guy never picks one girl over the rest?

Of course, the only real blight on that series was the bat. He got on my fucking nerves by episode two.

After seeing it, it soon passed from my mind as I moved on to other bullshit to kill time.

About a year or so ago, I took up reading scanlations online. To be honest, despite being a little rough around the edges in quality, I came to prefer fan work over licensed stuff. The sad fact of the matter is, other than some of Dark Horse's imports, many publishers (TokyoPop being the most notorious) heavily censor and edit what they bring in for content. Which is a crock of shit, in my view. If you want to market to a younger audience, then market the right manga for the fourteen year olds. In other words, material aimed specifically for that age group. Don't butcher up the stuff for the older crowd, who like manga/anime as much as the young kids.

Ahem....anyway.....to get back on topic here......

While reading some Full Metal Panic online, I ran across the Rosario + Vampire manga. At first, I wasn't really interested. But something made me check it out. I'm glad I did.

The first few chapters were drawn in a cartoon-y style, with a storyline that started out having a similar tone as the anime. But I stayed the course, and noticed that it was all building up to some awesome shit. The artwork matured over time, almost symbolizing the maturing of the characters.

The were conspiracies galore here. And while I don't like everything I read being "dark and gritty", with this supernatural themed manga, I didn't much mind. Mostly because there is many positive themes and lessons mixed in with the bad.

I won't go into much detail about the plotlines, since I recommend that anybody reading this (who likes manga) go find it through Google and check it out. But I will discuss some of the characters.

The characters are both somewhat the same, and a lot different, than the anime. Some of the basic traits are still there, but the cast tends to be a lot deeper and richer than in the anime. Kurumu is a perfect example of this. She's still a flirt. But she is also a tender hearted girl, who is hurting inside. Kokoa is a lot more developed as a character than the bratty little bitch seen in the Capu 2 anime (she actually cares about other people). Mizore is, at heart, a very vulnerable girl. Ruby is a lot more serious and mature than in the anime. Which is no surprise, considering the trama she suffered in her younger days. And Yukari is truly a genuis, and a hell of a lot tougher than she looks (and her magic isn't as silly as in the anime).

I like the portrayal of Gin in the manga. He's still a pervert. But he considers the Newspaper Club members as close friends (perhaps as a family of a sorts). He's also a lot more serious in the manga and has put his life on the line for his friends.

The two Dark Lords seen so far, the Head Master and Bus Driver, play a larger, more active role in the manga. They have an agenda, and seem to truly believe in the mission of the Youkai Academy. Tsukune and Moka, it seems, figure into their plans. And I don't believe that Tsukune's father found that application to the school by accident.

"Outer" Moka is a lot more aggressive when it's called for (it appears that she develops a spine over time). The "Inner" Moka is capable of showing compassion, and even tender emotions, at times. And as always, she's wise beyond her years.

Tsukune Aono is the big talk among fans of the manga. His growth as a character is all about learning life's hard lessons, while trying to be true to what he stands for. He's put into a position of having to learn a delicate balance between the kind, gentle nature he developed from his sheltered, middle class Japanese background and the need for occasional violence in the real world (and in the supernatural world). Sometimes you have to fight to protect someone, or to right a wrong.

But the buzz is all about his accquired "bad ass" side. Throwing himself in danger constantly has had the unfortunate side effect of his eventual "degeneration" into a ghoul. He was pulled back from the abyss, so to speak. But now he has to deal with the growth of his supernatural abilities, and still maintain the essense of what makes him Human.

Great stuff. Of course, not everyone will get what I got out of it. But it's still worth a look-see if one hasn't already.

It turned out to be something good, after all.

I can't wait for the Season II, Chapter 18 translation.

Government Motors

Well, ain't it something? It seems that Dear Leader can call the shots now for companies who take greenbacks from Uncle Sugar. The recent socialist bail-out package, to be exact.

Since when does a "President" tell a company, or a top employee, who to hire or fire? The Federal Leviathan has showered corporations with mula in the past, but still didn't meddle too awful much (with the exception of government regulations, which is a different matter). And the companies generally paid the government back. This kind of help is a LOAN, not a freebie.

Obama the Infallible's recent actions with GM (and to a certain extent, Chrysler) is akin to a bank dictating how a company should run it affairs just because it gave them a loan. If a corporation defaults on a government "loan", then the Feds should take action to get their money back. Just like a bank.

However, banks don't set conditions on how a company should structure itself, or restructure to the bank's liking, as a prerequisite to get a loan. The Feds have long been in the business of playing banker. Thus, they should ACT like a banker. Not this smoke and mirrors populist bullshit just to keep up the approval ratings and potential future votes. Which Mr. Empty Suit is doing.

If you are afraid of voter backlash because of how your debtors are using borrowed money, then get out of the lending business. Let the private banks loan out the cash, or let the natural forces of the Free Market take over.

If I were Wagoner, I would have told Obamessiah to go fuck himself. If I had my say, I wouldn't have recommending taking the money with such bullshit "Leviathan State" conditions. I would've have recommended exploring other avenues. And if all else fails, then GM would have just gone under, which is what should happen to failed corporations in a true Free Enterprise system. General Motors has had a damn good run. But nothing lasts forever.

It would have been amusing to see all those UAW assholes, who always demand more than they're worth, in the unemployment line.

Nationalized industries, here we come!

I'm Going Friggin' Nuts.

I've been playing Motorstorm: Pacific Rift here of late. It's a neat game, but it's driving me up the freakin' wall.

I'm a Motorstorm vet, having spent much time playing the first one (got it free with my 60 gig PS3). In the past, I avoided racing games, generally favoring other genres. But Motorstorm got me hooked on the franchise. Damn you, Evolution Studios!

Naturally, I picked up Pacific Rift. In some ways, it's better than the first. It's been challenging and fun. But now I've hit a speed bump on my path to off-road glory.

For a while, I've been doing the online thing with the game. It was mostly due to getting the top trophy, which requires you to win online trophies in addition to the single player awards. This is something I don't approve of and what many game developers are doing now. It puts those who don't care to game online, or can't for whatever reason, in a position where they are not getting their money's worth out of the game.

Anyway, after a few days of that, I decided to backtrack and pick up the remaining single player trophies. I'm working on the last two: Champion (all gold medals) and Hire Me (beat developer's ghosts in Time Attack, with every vehicle on every track).

This is where the problems have popped up.

The last Rank 8 race in the Earth Zone involves using a bike on a track called The Razorback. And no matter what route I take, or what kind of tactics I use, I can't manage any better than the occasional second place. I don't know what the hell I'm doing wrong. But it's driving me bonkers, which is why I haven't played in a couple of days.

The second major problem has been in Time Attack. More specifically, the Monster Truck run on the Wildfire track.

As I've mentioned before, I've been a Motorstorm player for a while. And I've played Pacific Rift enough to notice things that are out of the ordinary. And there is definitely something fishy here.

The developers "ghost" is moving a hell of a lot faster than I'm capable of, even if I follow the same path exactly. And jumping a hell of a lot farther on the ramps. To confirm my healthy sense of suspicion, I did a little test.

And sure enough, the only way I could run with the dev's ghost was to constantly use "boost". And the "ghost" vehicle had far greater boost endurance than the player vehicle. Far more than I've seen even with the AI in the game proper. Despite trying every route and using proper boost tactics, I can't beat the dev's ghost. I've come close once, but only by running in the red on the boost gauge half the damned time.

If I had to take a guess, the dev who did so during development ran the course earlier on in the process. The boost function was probably toned down later, but the course wasn't replayed for Time Attack.

What was strange was some of the times posted on the Time Attack rankings, which looked pretty fucking impossible, considering my experiences with this particular race. I later learned of a "boost exploit" used by players early on to get some pretty spectacular times. However, I didn't start running Time Attack courses until AFTER I downloaded the update/patch (which I had to do before playing online). Which causes all these 1:20 runs listed to make me scratch my head in wonder.

I dunno. Maybe I'm just missing something here. All I can do is just keep playing and find out.

And continue to be driven bonkers.