Grade I desrve in this class

Looking back over this class, all the work I've put into learning how to write editorials and the subjects and information we've covered, in my opinion, obviously, I believe I deserve a "high B" for the final grade of this class.

First, the number of blogs was not staggering nor was it mediocre. I believe the amount of blogging was just right. Yet, to be my own devil's advocate, some of the topics were just not topics I held much yearning to explore [political parties, marijuana legalization and the Winter Olympics just to name a few]. I understand the reasoning behind the madness of pre-selected topics: it is meant for us, as students, to explore topics and venues we would not normally and to broaden our horizons - make us well rounded individuals.

But that's not to say that I didn't care what I was writing about - just because I wasn't all giddy about the topic didn't mean I wasn't going to put forth as much effort writing about it as I did writing about something I felt passionate about. And I think that's what I learned most from this class: to appreciate topics I don't necessarily care for or am involved in.

Moreover, I wrote a total of 45 blog entries - yes, I missed one. Not as many as some, but more than others - the "some" mainly included individuals using the blog as a posting ground for two different classes, so I think I did pretty decent for using the space for one class. And my writing was well constructed, coherent and informational. I employed links, pictures and video, after the first few weeks of learning the ropes, in informative and aesthetic ways, but, also, ways that made sense and allowed the reader to gain more knowledge about the subject on which I was writing.

My yolks, my broken toes that caused me to hobble, at times, through this course were the weekly presentations. For some strange and hidden reason, I have always been nervous about presenting before a group, a class or any body of individuals - it doesn't matter if I know them or not, am comfortable around them or have done it many, many times. But I think this biggest problem I faced during this class in regards to the presentations was that I never felt confident about the subject I was presenting on. With all my other classes [copy editing, media law, news/reporting, and film, plus all the two blog entries a week], I felt that I did not have enough time to seriously devote to becoming knowledgeable about any particular subject.

And I know that's not exactly the point of this class, but the perfectionist in me wanted to be prepared, informed and coherent about the different bodies of information.

So, in short, I probably didn't do so well on the presentation [ a rubric could have aided us in knowing what to improve on], but life goes on and a "high B" is nothing to cry about.

But as far as an "A" is concerned, I would love it. I would be overjoyed at the prospect a obtaining an "A" in a class needed for my minor. To do that, though, my presentation scores should've been higher - I should have approached the professor, taken initiative and asked what the criteria for a great presentation was. And because of my apprehension of presentations and my innate inability to confront them and tackle them with confidence, vigor and knowledge, I would give myself a "high B" in this class - great writing, thoughtful delivery of written information, diligence in completing assignments, mostly well-stated opinions, but weak presentation skills.

I shot for an "A," but if a "B" is my grade based on my body of work, then a "B" is what I'll get.

CD review

I am a fairly big fan of 70s music - Zeppelin, The Who, ZZ Top, Foreigner, Van Halen, Nazareth to name a few. And I was excited to be given the assignment of reviewing a compilation of 70s artists. Yet, somewhat to my dismay, none of the artists I am familiar with [minus the Buzzcocks, Cure and Ramones] were not on the compilation.

Instead of a compilation of music from the 70s, I received a compilation of 70s-punk, or what would later become known as quintessential punk rock.Almost every, but not every, track sounded as if the same four guys got together, tracked and released the songs under differing names.

Having said that, the compilation was not utterly irredeemable. My favorite track was "Jumping Someone Else's Train," by The Cure.It's a song about conformity, following the crowd and finding oneself swept up into the fad-lifestyle that, ultimately shrouds one's identity. And Robert Smith's vocal patterns, face paced and somewhat hidden behind the instrumentals, reinforces the idea of identity loss - at times, the music holds the attention of listener so much that he seems to almost fade away.


Moreover, the song is truly and quintessentially 80s - recorded in 1979 - and lends itself to piquing my ears more than the other tracks on the record.

I would have to venture to say that the most irritating, grating and morbidly mediocre track on the compilation was "Gary Gilmore's Eyes," by The Adverts. On the surface, the song is conveying the horror in the realization the the narrator has received Gary Gilmore's eyes in a transplant procedure. Deeper, it seems to be exploring a feeling of anxiety and, maybe, depression at being shunned, cast out and seeing the world for what it truly is...

But the message is convoluted and hampered by the grating quality of the music and vocal pattern around it. By 1:28 [track time], I know that the narrator is looking through Gary Gilmore's eyes and, frankly, I don't care anymore. The refrain of the same, one lyric over and over and over and over and is simply unnecessary, boring and, most emphatically, maddening [unless the overall purpose of it all is to invoke the narrator's madness into the listener and, then, and only then, did The Adverts accomplish their mission].

And, from an instrumental stand point, the progression and chord selection is cliche' and, simply put, bland. There are no twists and turns, no change-ups, no crescendos, no troughs, no build-ups - the song has absolutely no musical dynamic. It is predictable.

Overall, the compilation was not bad, but not great either. Being a fan of Nirvana, I could take most of the songs without biting my nails. I appreciate what these artists created and can appreciate the insight the venture into not-so-popular 70s tuneville provided me [I remember why I like the Cure and the Buzzcocks now], but it doesn't mean I have to like it...

It's just not my personal cup of tea.

Vigilantes at Sea

"Established in 1977, Sea Shepherd Conservation Society (SSCS) is an international non-profit, marine wildlife conservation organization. Our mission is to end the destruction of habitat and slaughter of wildlife in the world's oceans in order to conserve and protect ecosystems and species," (seashepherd.org)

Vigilantism is not often something smiled upon by law enforcement, the government or the populace in general - at least not thought to be smiled upon. But there is a group of individuals out there roaming the seas that has garnered support from the aforementioned populace in particular (at least in some part) and they are known as the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society.
 
Due to their unorthodox tactics and firm ideology, the SSCS has, most often, not been embraced wholeheartedly by law enforcement and the government, although SSCS has, in the past, organized with several governmental organizations. Those, though, have fallen through due to the overzealous nature and hotheadedness of many of SSCS's members.

And their tactics don't aide in the their cause - they have been subject to registration restrictions as well as protests and attacks on their own vessels by frustrated fishermen and ideological dissenters alike. As indicated through the Society's mission statement:"Sea Shepherd uses innovative direct-action tactics to investigate, document, and take action when necessary to expose and confront illegal activities on the high seas. By safeguarding the biodiversity of our delicately-balanced ocean ecosystems, Sea Shepherd works to ensure their survival for future generations."

These innovative and direct-action tactics are nothing more than ancient and widely used pirating techniques - SSCS ships have a notorious reputation for ramming, boarding, scuttling and disabling moored ships, and throwing bottles of butyric acid on ship decks. 


All of these tactics are viewed, in most circles, as unnecessary and overtly dangerous not only for those on the receiving end, but for the SSCS crews themselves. Yet international waters are not regulated to an extent that would allow for regulation of the SSCS's tactics.

The only truly agreeable tactic the SSCS employs is that of destroying drift-nets, nets that catch anything and everything in their paths regardless of the intended catch.

But do two wrongs make a right? Is the SSCS justified in taking (or making) law into their own hands, essentially becoming a good-man's pirate? I think it's a touchy subject. I believe in preserving the ocean for not only future generations, but our own and in sustaining vital ecosystems. Yet I also believe in a man's right to provide for himself, make a living, provide for his family and defend his possessions.

OK. So, many of the fishermen gone after by the SSCS are interacting in suspicious or down-right criminal activity. I support that. But I support it in close proximity to some kind of governmental enforcement agency. Vigilantism is a last resort - if everyone took the law into their own hands or acted violently for a cause they believed in deeply, chaos would reign supreme.

My concern is unregulated vigilantism. Just like unregulated fishing and everything these watchdogs fight for, unregulated sea-vigilantism could, and I stress could, burgeon into an international bane if left to continue its current course.

Free Post: - The Bucking Broncos Catch Superman

"Do Jim Furyk and Tiger Woods swing the club the same way, hit irons the same way? No. But they both win tournaments. There're different ways to throw, different mechanics, and you can still get the job done," (Josh McDaniels, Denver Broncos' Head Coach, via SI.com and Peter King [Monday Morning Quarterback]).


Josh McDaniels hasn't been the head coach of the Denver Broncos long, but he's already made three monumental decisions. The first came in 2009 when he traded quarterback Jay Cutler - a move lauded by most and, overall, a smart decision - for Bears' quarterback Kyle Orton. The second came in April when he traded wide receiver Brandon Marshall to the Miami Dolphins for a two second round draft picks in the 2010 and 2011 NFL Drafts. The third came on draft night and it was a move no one, again, saw coming - he drafted Tim Tebow, the former Florida Gator, as the 25th overall pick.

This could be, according to analysts, the best of or worst of decisions. But whatever the outcome, McDaniels is sticking by his decision. In an interview with Peter King, a Sports Illustrated columnist, McDaniels was thrilled with the concept of having Tebow on the team.

"I love this game so much,'' McDaniels said. "I would die to have 53 guys here who love it as much as I do. I'm looking to find the right group of guys to accept our one singular goal -- to win. I think Tim fits in with that. There're going to be doubts about him. Great doubts -- and I understand that. Some people don't think he has the natural traits of a great quarterback," (Josh McDaniels via SI.com and Peter King [Monday Morning Quarterback]).

Bottom line - Tim Tebow was an outstanding college phenom. He is a quarterback that will go down in the annals of college football history as one of, if not the, greatest. And it isn't just because of his numbers, it is because of his drive, his versatility and x-factor, his charisma and character. Tim Tebow will do whatever it takes to lead his team (and any team he's on is his team) across that goal line.

But will all of that translate into his pro-game? Many critics say his throwing motion is all wrong, it takes too long to develop - he exposes the ball far too much to survive at the pro-level. And yes, Tebow did not, by far, have the best pro-day or combine performance around. In fact, he flopped: his form just didn't fit the pro framework.

Yet it's all the studying, the work ethic, fast learning and quick-on-his-feet mentality, not necessarily the form, that has caught the eyes of coaches. And, I think, that Tebow will learn faster than his critics have stated, but he doesn't need to play, as Peter King suggests he may, his rookie season in the pros - at least not be the go to guy. A few snaps here and there won't hurt, but Tebow still needs to study reels and reels of film and train and train and train...

I know that Tim Tebow can make it, but just not right out of the gate. And it's good he has two experienced quarterbacks ahead of him in the depth chart to teach him a little something here and there: how to throw a tighter spiral, how to make a quicker delivery, how to take snaps from under center. I know that, although at first disappointed, Denver is somehow a perfect fit. I know that come fall, I'll be watching a lot of Bronco football...

I just still can't believe he was drafted in the first round...

The Old Republic: Dev. Diary 4

Art and concept design are always integral to games, no matter if it is the low-res, iPhone application, the downloadable arcade side-scroller, or the grandiose, metropolis of a famed, beloved and relatively unknown world in a galaxy far, far away.

Here, the developers at BioWare are focusing, in this video, on only one planet, Coruscant, in the Star Wars universe. They show all the fanboys, Star Wars enthusiasts and everyday gamer that they are sparing not expense on giving players an hugely immersive experience - we will finally see what Coruscant, the most politically charged and important city in the galaxy, really is, see how it functions, see its corruption, its beauty. And we know, through the detail they embed into the gameplay, how an experience can be made memorable or forgettable through design.

Oh, and sorry for the German subtitles...this was the only video I could embed. Aber das ist nicht schlecht, das ist ein gutes Ding. Duestch ist ein wunderbare Sprache, zu lernen...

The Old Republic: Dev. Diary 3

BioWare is ambitious. Evidenced in the following video-diary, Bioware has taken dialogue to the next level and, in many ways, seemingly surpassed their own previous efforts. With great writers and with great actors, BioWare creates a believable and completely immersive Old Republic diegesis that fits perfectly with the overall Star Wars cannon - at least as of second impression and footage of this early build.

Unlike previous BioWare romps through the Star Wars universe (ie. KOTOR I and KOTOR II), it appears as if all encounterable NPCs will be ones with whom the player can converse. And each of these NPCs will, seemingly, learn from actions the player takes and from predetermined dialogue based on a player's class selection.

I'm a little skeptical still, but if BioWare can truly pull it off, which they can, it will change the way narrative impacts gameplay and the way in which videogames are viewed. It could be a step to truly making videogames interactive movies and novels.

But here's more....

The Old Republic: Dev. Diary 2

Here, the developers delve into the overall narrative arc and setting of the Old Republic. Now, the writers and programmers at Bioware have, supposedly, created an experience in which the player actually controls his destiny and that of the overall universe.

Although this has been said before, it seems Bioware has come closer than any prior studio due to the massive amount of narrative programming embedded within the game - each class has a unique story and, due to the engaging A.I., and its inability to continually respawn, as well as the fact that random, human controlled players will encounter each other, it really does seem that the story is shaped by a player's actions.

Have a listen...

The Old Republic: A Second Thought and Dev. Diary 1

I'm a huge fan of Bioware's 2003 and 2005 epic Star Wars RPGs, Knights of the Old Republic and Knights of the Old Republic II, respectively. I've played both at least four times each and I am continually impressed with the almost hyper-realistic quality of the narrative, characterization and phenomenal gameplay mechanics.

So, when I learned early last year that the good ol' folks at Bioware were cooking up an epic that would rival even KOTOR and KOTORII, I was skeptical. But then I watched the trailer some months later and I was sold...for a while - blown away, but apprehensive.

It was touted to be the greatest RPG experience, a defining chapter within the Star Wars cannon: it was going to be an MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game). That's where I lost interest - I was not going to morph into the raid-minded, orcish coach-potato that were my WOW [World of Warcraft: also and MMO] addicted friends. I refused. Instead, I archived my disappointment and resurrected my hope that KOTOR III was in the shimmering mirage fluttering on the horizon.

But recently, I have found myself, more and more, intrigued by the burgeoning beauty that the developers at Bioware are creating. Through the pressure of several classmates of mine, I have revisited the Old Republic site and, through perusing its content again, as somehow I knew I would, I reversed my opinion.

It looks as if I may be investing in some new computer hardware and setting my feet, once again, back onto the terra firma of a Star Wars planet. It's been a long time since I've played KOTOR and a new adventure is crawling under my skin...It's looking more and more like I'll be, regrettably, yet ecstatically, and after all, a credit-crazed Rodian force-junkie - a not so distant relative to my friends the orcs.

If only the developers at Bioware were less coercive...

*I will post the first of the so far four video diaries here, but each afterwards as its own entry.

Star Fox: A Remnant Hero of my Childhood

My gaming adventures began in earnest with a Super Nintendo, a Lunchable and one perspective changing cartridge: Star Fox. I was five years old when the game was released in 1993; I didn't play it for another two years at least, but it was a seminal experience in my then-burgeoning appreciation for video games.

 The narrative follows a bizarre amalgam of mercenaries conscripted by General Peppers, the leader of the Cornerian Army, to investigate the condition of Andross - the games main antagonist - on the planet Venom. Alongside Slippy Toad, Peppy Hare and Falco Lombardi, Fox McCloud, a Cornerian Air Force dropout, began the series under Peppy's tutelage, but has since, in newer installments, become an expert pilot. 

But let's stick with the younger, less experienced Fox McCloud, the one I first encountered so many years ago during my first trip to Corneria. This Fox wasn't the shy, quirky or almost belligerently unenthusiastic Fox of later incarnations (Star Fox: Assault, Star Fox: Command and Star Fox: Adventures), but the Arwing Ace determined to find his father who was captured by Andross. He was dash, debonair, cocky and charismatic. He led his team without hesitation, but knew well enough to show caution before bravado.

Star Fox, with its story, relatable characters and endearing personality, was a seminal experience in my video game upbringing. Fox McCloud became the first video game character that I looked up to, the first character I connected with, the first character I felt shared some commonality with me, even if it was only skin deep. When I held that controller in my hands, I felt myself at the helm of an Arwing gripping its controls, I felt the thrusters blare and shoot me down that pixelated, blue-wire tunnel and into the battle for Corneria and the solar system with Fox at my side.

I was invincible. I was the wing-man to the best star pilot in the galaxy...

But over the years and with installments just not up to par with the original (Star Fox 64 not included), there has been a chasm growing between me and my first hero - Fox just hasn't seemed the same or held the same resonance he once did. Maybe its time to visit that old hermit, dust off the wings and show ol' Andross whose boss one last time.

Existentialism

Existentialism can trace its roots back to the post World War II Europe of the 1940s and 50s. It is a philosophy that champions "the analysis of existence and... the way humans find themselves existing in the world."

Existentialists, such as Jean-Paul Sartre (progenitor of existentialism's international fame), Simone de Beauvoir and Albert Camus, constructed the framework of the philosophical ideal by championing free will and personal responsibility. Ultimately, existentialists search for the rhyme and reason of what they are and where they're from from within their own life experiences, within their viewpoint on life. They do not feel the need for objectivity or happiness - it is not necessary. Moreover, the existentialist believes that a person should be made to take responsibility for himself, yet, paradoxically, do so inherently and without the structure of law or rule.

Basically, existentialist ideology posits that humans are thrown into the world without predetermined fates or any set rules on any particular psychological natures. We, as individuals, construct our emotions, psyches and fates through the actions that we take in life. We, humans, are thus creatures of existence that move into an essence - we are not essences that grow into existences.

*Existentialism – What It Is and Isn’t

Existentialism takes into consideration the underlying concepts:

• Human free will
• Human nature is chosen through life choices
• A person is best when struggling against their individual nature, fighting for life
• Decisions are not without stress and consequences
• There are things that are not rational
• Personal responsibility and discipline is crucial
• Society is unnatural and its traditional religious and secular rules are arbitrary
• Worldly desire is futile 

*Existentialism is broadly defined in a variety of concepts and there can be no one answer as to what it is, yet it does not support any of the following:

• wealth, pleasure, or honor make the good life
• social values and structure control the individual
• accept what is and that is enough in life
• science can and will make everything better
• people are basically good but ruined by society or external forces
• “I want my way, now!” or “It is not my fault!” mentality

 Existentialism basically fights the accepted social constructs of the modern world - the power of control, hierarchical structures of power and organized ideology whether it be religion or politics. It is an individual philosophy, it pertains to only the self and self-interested actions. Yet the paradox of it all is that all existentialists subscribe to this overall idea and thus, ultimately, become actors in a controlled, pre-determined ideology.
*Taken from allaboutphilosophy.org

Cultural Representative: King of the Hill

"[King of the Hill is] the most acutely observed, realistic sitcom about regional American life bar none... this animated series is a lot like its protagonist, Texas propane salesman Hank Hill: it isn't flashy, never gets a lot of attention, but it does its job year in and year out," (Time.com).

It hasn't been until relatively recently, within the past year or so, that I've come to see King of the Hill as one of the most seminal and relevant cartoon-coms on television (although canceled in 2009 after 12 years and now syndicated).

King of the Hill, like the opening quote puts so eloquently, doesn't don any aloof airs, shove its ideals or ideas of right and wrong down your throat, or showcase slapstick, quirky or hyperbolic comedy for the sake of shock value and entertainment - yeah, Family Guy, I'm talking to you...

With their quintessential middle-class American mindset, the Hills invite you, the viewer, into their everyday lives, lives that are not much unlike any of ours. And the fictitious town of Arlen, Texas is not much unlike any suburb in America nor is the neighborhood on Rainey Street in which the Hills reside. Every aspect of the world created to fit the King of the Hill universe has an analagous within our every day lives.

Hank Hill is the average every-man - he works his fingers to the bone to sell propane, he tries his best to please his boss, yet maintain a healthy relationship with his co-workers,  he provides for his family as best he can and he is obsessed with lawn maintenance.Through him we see all of our apprehensions of sexual identity, intimacy and emotional connection or disconnection from those around us, those most important to us. He is emphatic about sports - a huge Texas Longhorns fan.

Peggy Hill, Hank's wife, is definitely the quintessential melodramatic suburbanite. With an inflated sense of intelligence and verbose naievity, Peggy more than often shoves he foot directly into her mouth, yet rarely realizes until the situation directly affects her. She views herself as overly-knowledgable, clever, cunning, and supremely attractive - she is a poor real-estate agent, mediocre newspaper columnist, and horrificly sub-par Spanish teacher. More often than not, Peggy's ego will champion her inability to see the long term effects of her actions until themoment has arrived through which the agonizing realization of her actions is manifested.

The Hill's son, Bobby Hill, is the typical prepubescent 13-year-old boy - his character, being written to be around this age, allows Bobby to encompass both the teenager and the child, thus making his mindset an amalgam of both. Bobby is ot a huge fan of sports, is not self conscious about his image or pudgy belly neither is he on-beat with his sense of humor. Bobby is often found participating in activities traditionally seen as feminine - cooking, fashion, and playing with dolls at times. He is a reflection of Hank's discomfort and Peggy's confidence and thus, a representation of not only teenagers and children, but of us all completely.

I could press on and delve into the characters of Dale, John Redcorn, Bill, Boomhauer and Luane, but I believe the nucleus of King of the Hill resides in the nuclear family of the Hills. Surrounded by all the quirky neighbors, the stereotype of "redneck" - of which the Hills are constantly branded - and rough times, the Hills remain true to themselves, an ideal we can all relate to.

Behavioral Finance

"It [behavioral finance] focuses on the psychology and behavior of individual economic agents, and explores the implications for asset pricing, regulation and management," (The International Center for Finance at the Yale School of Management).


Behavioral finance is the study of how individuals determine and rationalize their market decisions. In other words, it is the study of the actions, cognitive processes, emotions, and social triggers and catalysts that guide people through any economic endeavor.

"According to conventional financial theory, the world and its participants are, for the most part, rational 'wealth maximizers'. However, there are many instances where emotion and psychology influence our decisions, causing us to behave in unpredictable or irrational ways," (Investopedia.com). 


With the aid of other sciences such as economics and psychology, behavioral finance seeks to explain the unexplainable anomalies that arise in the accepted, conventional financial theories of  the capital asset pricing model and the efficient market hypothesis. 

Essentially these theories posit that consumers continually and will always act rationally and with their best interests in mind - maximization of money and time. Yet, in the real world, these theories run into serious roadblocks.

For example:  "In most cases, however, this assumption doesn't reflect how people behave in the real world. The fact is people frequently behave irrationally. Consider how many people purchase lottery tickets in the hope of hitting the big jackpot. From a purely logical standpoint, it does not make sense to buy a lottery ticket when the odds of winning are overwhelming against the ticket holder (roughly 1 in 146 million, or 0.0000006849%, for the famous Powerball jackpot). Despite this, millions of people spend countless dollars on this activity," (Investopedia.com).


So, consequently, and due to anomalies such as the above, a new branch of financial theory was created out of necessity. But what are the accepted anomalies exactly? What are the key concepts that truly set behavioral finance theory apart from CAPM theory and EMH theory? 

Here are some of those concepts and anomalies in summation:

Key Anomalies:

January Effect - This phenomenon is essentially an explanation for increased monthly returns in the month of January. Conventional financial theory persists that returns and stocks should appear uniform throughout the year - never truly spike or trough. It is thought that the spike in January is attributed to increased December stock selling in order for businesses to receive greater tax-losses...the stocks spike in January. 

The Winner's Curse - In a nut shell, the Winner's Curse is the theory that the winning bid over a stock often exceeds the overall, intrinsic value of the stock [ or item or what have you]. It posits that, unlike traditional financial theory, often times the individual is not privy to all information concerning the item being bid upon and that, more emphatically, that the individual most likely does not know the true, overall value of the asset. 

Example: "The more bidders involved in the process means that you have to bid more aggressively in order to dissuade others from bidding. Unfortunately, increasing your aggressiveness will also increase the likelihood in that your winning bid will exceed the value of the asset," (Investopedia.com).

Key Concepts:

Anchoring - The concept of attaching our thoughts to a relevant reference point no matter the relevancy to the situation at hand. This can cause irrational thoughts and ideals to cloud judgment and allow for bad or illogical decisions. Critical thinking is imperative in fighting anchoring and correlating all events to on reference point. 

Example: "Some investors invest in the stocks of companies that have fallen considerably in a very short amount of time. In this case, the investor is anchoring on a recent "high" that the stock has achieved and consequently believes that the drop in price provides an opportunity to buy the stock at a discount," (Investopedia.com).

Herd Behavior - Humans have the inherent ability to form large, cohesive groups, groups in which a majority of individuals mimicked the actions and, likely, thoughts of a minority. This happens through the innate need of humans to be accepted into a group and once accepted, their need to conform to the group standards. 

For example: "If a herd investor hears that internet stocks are the best investments right now, he will free up hisinvestment capital and then dump it on internet stocks. If biotech stocks are all the rage six months later, he'll probably move his money again, perhaps before he has even experienced significant appreciation in his internet investments," (Investopedia.com).

These are just a few concepts and anomalies looked at in more depth at Invesotpedia.com. Although this post uses the website for much of its information, there are many other sites and sources such as Wikipedia, The Journal of Behavioral Finance and the School of Economics and Management, in which information is provided on this topic in a more in depth analysis. 

 

Letter to the Editor: Gamepro

Dear Editor:

I'm writing in regards to a piece in last month's issue that discussed the relevancy of Metacritic and it's scoring system. Being, what I consider, an avid gamer, I find it somewhat disturbing that score, it seems, has become everything: the life and death of games hinge on it. I also find it disturbing that so many gamers place so much faith in the decision of one site, even if it supposedly pools scores from multiple sources.

How, ultimately, does Marc Doyle and crew decide what gaming sites and reviewers to include in their secret, algorithmic potion? Oh sure, it's great that Metacritic divulges a list of full reviews from sites ranging from IGN to Playstation: The Official Magazine to Eurogamer to Playstation Universe, but, as is noted in the article, what's the use for reviews when there are scores plastered at the top of every review link?

Take, for example, Gamepro's review of Just Cause 2. Gamepro's review firmly left the game with three stars and cited more cons than pros within the game. Metacritic firmly scores the game an overall 83 just above the summary at the top of the page. Thus, the first thing seen is the score glaring right back at you. Why continue down the page if the score is right there, if the score is all that matters?

And, I'm sure, as I've seen on Gamepro.com forums and replies, many that gave the game a low score have been touted as being overly harsh of a game that has made significant improvements over the previous installment - but these criticisms seem to be a Metacritic ailment. Again, don't disagree with the review-gurus or stand to face the consequences.

But the point here is this: I like Just Cause 2 and yes, reviews and scores are helpful to gamers, but ultimately just because a critic/reviewer proclaims a game sub-par or horrendous even, doesn't mean that game is sub-par or horrendous - it all depends on the player. One player's horrible experience is another's wonderland.

And that's why, I think, a combination of review and score are necessary on a site like Metacritic or, for that matter, any gaming publication, online or print. It is necessary that the score, at least, be below the review so that the score is not taken at face value, but is corroborated by, at least some, evidence.

I think a lot of great games get thrown to the wayside because reviewers are seen as absolute and scores deified. One site, review, or score should wield the power of life or death over any game.

The Visit: Review

To say the least, I was not overjoyed with the prospect of being assigned play-review duty. It's not that I am allergic to theater, it's that I've seen, over my tenure at Georgia Southern University, a plethora of nail-grinding, yawn-able, a just down right repellent performances. But, suffice it to say, and to my excitement, The Visit was by far, the best exhibit of theater I have been privileged to attend in quite some time.

The Visit revolves around the morally ambiguous characters of Clara Zachanassian and Anton Schill as well as the poverty stricken town folk of Güllen. Without giving away the entire plot, I'll say this: Zachanassian gives the citizens of Güllen the option of obtaining 1 billion Deutsche Marks in turn for a favor they must give her. The favor, the catch, is that one of their own must give up his/her life. An intriguing, yet unoriginal premise that through the overall story and intricacies of character becomes more a tale of internal struggle and a commentary on the implications and ambiguities of real life scenarios than a theatrical melodrama or run of the mill Lottery rip-off.


Overall, the acting was, by far, the best element of this particular rendition. Every scene exuded a realness that was only achieved through the actors - their voices, their movements and their gestures almost perfectly mimicked the complex emotions of fear, hope, judgment and self-redemption that are interwoven into the overall narrative. The only complaint I have in regards to the acting is that several of the actors [Pedro in particular, Zachanassian's current fiance'] did not project their voices as much as is needed to reach all ears of the theater. Moreover, the station master was out of place: instead of fluid dialogue recitation, his lines were delivered mechanically, as if he were having to think of each sentence before it was said. But it wasn't a deal breaker.

The only other pet peeve I had with the play was the pronunciation of the town: Güllen. The play is set somewhere in Germany [ the playwright kept the location anonymous as he wanted to keep the air of "this could happen anywhere" (Wikipedia)]. Now, other German words were pronounced correctly [Frau, Herr, etc.], yet the name of the town was constantly pronounced Gul-len...it is correctly pronounced Goo-len. If certain words are pronounced correctly, this should have been too - mispronunciation took me out of the verisimilitude of the play. But, on the other side of the argument, most theater-goers would not know, especially locally, that the name of the town was mispronounced.

It just took me out of the story, distracted me from the superb acting, and made me grind my teeth in frustration ever time it was uttered.

But those little peeves and complaints aside, I would love to see The Visit performed again and by these individuals. The experience was a much welcomed change from the typical melodrama and the blockbuster mentality that is Hollywood. To say the least, it was a Saturday night well spent and a play I would recommend.

Production and Price Control in WWII America

By 1941, the United States was pledged to entering the Second World War. Japan had attacked Pearl Harbor in an unprovoked display of aggression intended to cripple the United States navy preemptively and the fascist Third Reich is knocking at the door of Great Britain and turning its sights on the U.S.S.R.

In the U.S. citizens still reeling from the Great Depression found the war, ironically, to be an agent through which the economy and industrial sector could  bounce back, get back on its feet and charge into the future. Automobile manufacturers began building tanks, aircraft and other military vehicles while other public sector factories created ammunition, rations and other military gear such as fatigues and rifles.

So, to allocate materials and regulate production of these products, as well as items such as fuel, Franklin D. Roosevelt commissioned, through executive order, the War Production Board in January 1942.

In a speech dated January 6, 1942 President Roosevelt spoke to the American people, telling them of what must be done to attain the final ends of victory in the recently pledged war. He said: "The superiority of the United States in munitions and ships must be . . . so overwhelming that the Axis nations can never hope to catch up with it . . . to attain this overwhelming superiority, the United States must build planes and tanks and guns and ships to the utmost of our national capacity. We have the ability and capacity to produce arms not only for our own armed forces, but also for the armies, navies and air forces fighting on our side. . . This production of ours . . . must be raised far above its present levels, even though it will mean the dislocation of the lives and occupations of millions of our own people. We must raise our sights all along the production line. Let no man say it cannot be done."

And the War Production Board did just that - it raised production, lowered and, eventually, prohibited nonessential productions and created a priority scheme that dictated the distribution of services and materials. Metals, rubber, plastic, gasoline, oils, and so on and so forth were rationed by the board.

The board was disbanded in 1945 following the defeat of the Japanese Imperial Army. Yet throughout its four year lifespan, the board produced some $185 billion in military supplies, both in ordnance and logistical supplies such as medicine, gasoline and fatigues. 

Yet production and allocation were not the sole inhibitors and allocators in the economy of World War II America. Price control also played a pivotal role.  Almost five months prior, in August 1941, the Office of Price Administration opened its doors in an attempt to control prices following the outbreak of the war. This administration was also brought into being via executive order.

"Besides controlling prices, the OPA was also empowered to ration scarce consumer goods in wartime. Tires, automobiles, sugar, gasoline, fuel oil, coffee, meats, and processed foods were ultimately rationed," (Encyclopedia.com). Moreover, the OPA had the ability to instate price ceilings and at the peak of the war some 90% of food stuffs were frozen under rationing - the Office often authorized subsidies for commodity production.

The OPA and all of its affiliates, such as the transference of its abilities to the Office of Temporary Controls, was abolished in 1947. Sections of its control were transferred to differing agencies such as the Department of Agriculture and Reconstruction Finance Corporation for a limited time.

But ultimately, organizations such as the OPA and WPB brought the United States, through WWII, out from the grip of the Great Depression. Increased wartime production brought many jobs to the exorbitant amount of unemployed, kicked started the economy and brought a huge and, as of then, highly unexploited asset to the forefront - women workers: Rosie the Riveter. And, in hindsight, the rationing aided the troops serving in the European and Pacific theaters much needed supplies and morale. 

Here, another agency, the War Manpower Commission, a commission created to bring workers into the production force, one directly related to how and through what means the OPA and WPB functioned, is explained...

Moreover, organizations such as the OPA and WPB have operated off and on continually in war times following WWII - wars such as the Korean and Vietnam wars. Today, in our modern economy, such drastic measures are not necessarily needed as recent conflicts have not been on scale with the production needs found in WWII and following wars. Yet, if the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were to escalate or go on for extremely long periods of time and our current economic situations were to somehow plunge for the worst, similar sanctions and regulations could, in theory, be implemented...

Expectations of Summer

Summer. Summer is definitely my favorite and, paradoxically, most disdained time of year. Every winter I long for its coming, can feel it pulling itself up and over the horizon, teasing me to come along and romp with it along the beaches and lie with it on floats in a swimming pool. And when it comes every April, summer laughs at me, its hot breath suffocating me, drenching me in sweat...

And, yet again, I feel that this summer will be another of hot, sticky days, kinds of days where underwear sticks to all the crevices and divots you never knew your skin had, days where the heat exhausts you and you pass out in a lawn chair only to wake up with scorched skin.  O.K. Maybe a little dramatic, but it happens...

But this summer will be different in one, glaring way - I will be graduating. Finally, I will be done with higher learning in regards to how it is an institution that promotes learning what everyone else deems is the truth. Finally, with exorbitant anticipation, I will be able to afford the time to study what I want to study, what I want to jam into my cranium, what I want to pursue. 

I guess, maybe, at this point, I have some vendetta against organized education...I don't really have a reason. It's just a feeling I hold right now and a feeling I'll have to discard to pursue my MFA in writing - but there [at Goddard, Iowa, etc.] everything is more focused on the you, what the individual really wants to learn.

That's always been my problem - taking orders. And in the spirit of summer, by hook or by crook, I can't wait to completely and utterly embrace the learning and life that is right for me [music, writing, video games]. 

Oh, and that's not to say I'm not completely horrified by the notion that I am, now, officially an adult and part of the overall framework of the world. I mean that I am horrified by the notion of becoming self-sustainable, becoming superbly responsible for myself and those in my life, becoming, to quote the Burbs', the guy "up at the crack of dawn watching a dog poop." I say this because I see myself, still, as a big kid...but alot of the time, don't we all...don't wee al think that, want that to be true?

So, I guess instead of writing about summer, I found I really needed to rant about education and my future life - I needed to practice stream of consciousness writing for a change...just write uninhibited...throw caution to the wind...and, in a strange elopement, take summer in hand and absorb its laid back mentality as I enjoy it for the last time before adulthood.

Politi-toons

It seems, even as diplomacy is tried and tried again, and even as the world community attempt to become and assume the role of the middle man between these two nations, Palestinians and Israelis will continuously fight over the Gaza strip and among one another. The irony is that what they are fighting over will never be completely won unless the opposing side is utterly demolished. As the cartoon depicts, Palestinians and Israelis will fight up to the very end.

This cartoon, in many ways, speaks for itself. I enjoy its snarky attitude towards an official that has, in many ways, inflated her ego to outlandish proportions through means more in keeping with reality television stars than anything else. The commentary on how she has fully embraced the celebrity of modern politics his also profound.  Don't get me wrong, I'd watch it, the show I mean...I'd watch it with all the levity and seriousness I stock in the Real World or Big Brother.

This a complete microcosm for how, at least I, myself, feel about the corporate insurance industry. With all the loopholes they have made for themselves through clever and obtuse writing techniques [and through the help of lawyers], all of the companies who promise they'll be there like a good neighbor and lend a helping hand have made it easy, almost through no work at all, to deny claims and put millions of people in debt. Of course, it's not all the insurer's fault - debt is not wholly contributable to this as I may have implied above - but also the fault of the American government's for enabling it and the American people's indifference of it, acceptance of it, and defeatist mindset of "that's just how things are."

I think this cartoon sheds light on the many mindsets that Americans share when it comes to obesity and overeating/over-drinking [i.e. soft drinks, beer, etc.]. Many individuals, it seems, have this mindset that if a food or drink is available, such as junk food at school, they have to eat it, or they become inflamed at not being given choices - the choice is easy: eat it/ drink it or don't. But I also see the flip side in that places such as schools should provide nutritious snacks as students can't all day without eating. This cartoon sheds light on both sides of the argument in an interestingly subtle way.

Being a soon-to-be college graduate, this cartoon sums up my feelings about heading into the world and the wounded job market. The only thing I would change about this is to add a cushion at the bottom that said DEBT.

Piece of Art? A Look at Snuff by Chuck Palahniuk

The assignment in my Opinion Journalism class was to review my favorite piece of art. I could, in fact, easily review something I hold in high esteem, something I dote over such as a painting, a film, a video game (yes, video games have finally become an art form), or a novel, short story, or poem. But, as having read Snuff recently and finding it to be somewhat lacking, I began to think: How difficult is it to review something, with utter fairness, that is, quite frankly, lacking. And, moreover, review that lacking piece of art that is spawned by a beloved artist, one also held in high regard. Here, I decided to delve into the world of Chuck Palhaniuk's Snuff...a novel I both admire for its showcasing of a writer branching out and venturing down new and unknown avenues of creativity and a novel that I, in the other hand, abhor for execution and style....


I'm not an avid viewer of pornography or a connoisseur of the taboo and I'm not saying Vancouver native and Fight Club author Chuck Palhaniuk is, but he does provide a strong case in his fictitious porn-scape, Snuff. A satire from the view of five individuals (Mr. 600, Mr. 137, Mr. 72, Sheila, and porn-goddess Cassie Wright), the story sheds light on a record breaking adult-film- a 600 man gang-bang. But in most parts, the story only gets deep enough, intimate enough, to show us sex; it never really shows us why we should care about what's going on or how the characters feel, or how they fill their “Palahniuk-voids.”

Palahniuk has a style that often leaves his characters with gaping, rotten-flesh wounds, schizophrenic baggage that somehow relates to all us saps that dig into his stories with rabid vigor. But here there is no surgeon, no gun-in-mouth epiphany, or psyche-ward afterward to sew things up, to show us the meaning behind it all, to show that the characters really are characters we could encounter in everyday life, that we could connect with- characterization just falls flat.
  
So, we trudge along as Cassie digs her way out of regret for her long lost “porn-baby” - some reverse ego-trip- and gets her wounds filled with all kinds of gruesome and raw phallic devices,- “tangy, ranch-flavored erections”- but never anything true or rewarding or redeeming. And we can say that about Mr. 600, the porn-o-sapian fossil who, in some ways, is responsible for Cassie's situation. And Mr. 137, the failed television star. And Mr. 72, the Cassie Wright heir wannabe who is trying to save his mother from death by dick.

All the characters are “flesh and blood, but like something's exploded inside” of them, leaving them lifeless.  So, through all the failed parenting, adolescent soul searching, reminiscing, and vanity, we are only left with some strange, Palahniuk-fused monstrosity of entertainment and northwest-hipster culture doused in the triple-x.   
 
 And doused in gruesome detail as well. True to his style, Palahniuk describes dildos, intercourse, condoms, blow up sex-puppets, and countless rare and strange sexual abnormalities to the most hideous of detail, painting us a picture that sometimes could have been omitted. And although Palahniuk's devotion to tabooish detail gives up images that are laugh out loud funny and, at times, pukingly vulgar, he fails to cue us in to the drab surroundings of the 600 gang-bangers. All we know about the backstage area is that there are monitors and monitors and monitors showing Cassie Wright in sexcapades, a bar with nachos and chips and punch and hot-dogs, and gray voids- everything is claustrophobically-gray and dark and vague. Except Cassie who is robed in white light – goddess.
  
So, with this strange juxtaposition of detail, we know about some strange fascination with gang-land tattoos, superfluous celebrity trivia, sexual innuendo, cockamamie porn-film names like “World Whore 1,2,and 3, Gropes of Wrath, and The Wizard of Ass,” but not much of the actual setting or the outside world.
  
But maybe setting isn't important and growth isn't important and zany names aren't important. Maybe this time it's about entertainment for entertainment's sake. And if this is the case, all of Palahniuk's research and hard work and determination to showcase the culturally hip, yet forbidden reality of pornography paid off. And maybe he is telling us something by not showing it all.. Maybe that in itself means something.
  
Mr. 600 says, “Dudes have a million ways of peeing on what they claim as there own,” and Palanhiuk reminds us that shock-writing is his territory by entertainment to prove it. So, read this if you just want to sit back, relax, and be shock-and-awed. Don't expect to find the meaning of life here.