Metalpeter's Journal
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01/23/2010 20:51 #50896
Religious Movies?Category: movies
The First Movie I saw was Avatar 3D. With out giving anything away I can now see why the vatican got upset by it. I'm not saying that they should have but they are so sensitive when diety stuff that isn't their version is in a movie. I will admit that is a part of the movie I never saw coming and that was fine. Story wise yes it an idea that has happened in the past in histroy and that has been in other movies as well, but that doesn't make it a bad movie at all. I know I liked it. The one odd thing is maybe it is just because I have seen so many movies there where parts that reminded me of other movies those movies are Braveheart, Lord Of The Rings, Earagon, and starwars. Now where things got interesting was the effects. If you watched any thing on Fox you saw a preview and so you know what the effects look like, and they where pretty amazing. I can't really speak on the 3D aspect since I don't have the non 3D version to compare it to. At the end of the movie I did have a slight head ache and I think it was from the 3D. But the thing is again this isn't the kind of 3D from the old days. Nothing was filmed in a way so it was coming at you that was kinda the same with UP. That Being said the Previews for "Alice in Wonderland" look like that won't be the case. Yes in the old days when one saw a 3D movie things leaving the screen was the entire point. But that being said I never did see The Final Destination 3D. It was pretty cool to look at and I had a good time so that is all that matters.
I wasn't sure what my second movie was going to be. I wanted to see Daybreakers but knew with only one showing the timing would be tough. I got out to late to see Legion but not to late to see "The Book of Eli" hey post appoclytic movies are allways fun. That reminds me for those that haven't seen it Zombieland comes out on DVD early Feb, 2nd I think that is a great and funny movie. This I knew was going to have to do with faith, from the previews you see it is some kind of book with a cross. Action wise I liked it. Story wise I liked it. I like how he wasn't looking for trouble , it came to find him. The only tough part is getting use to Mila Kunis being a serious actress I'm so use to her being Meg on family guy and Jackie on That 70's show. But that shows how good she is since those two people are so opposite, ok so she just does the voice but still. I think she did a good job i had a good time. I wonder if this movie will get certain faith people upset. I can see how some of it could but some of it is so positive towards faith also.
I'm hoping to have time to go see some movies next weekend but I doubt it will happen on like thurs. or Friday Winter X Games start, I'm pretty sure and I have a Bandits game and is the probowl next weekend also. If so that is another post on its own, argh.
01/22/2010 20:45 #50887
Taught Vs. Learning on line debateCategory: philosophy
So I admit that I'm guessing this will sound better in my head then on the web, often thoughts do. One thing the Web is great for is political debate. Hey who doesn't like to get into these debates they can often be fun. Religious debates can get pretty interesting also. That being said there is really no reason for these debates. The fact is that most people's minds and ideas aren't going to change based on something that is said. In issues that are only cultural maybe they will change but that is unlikely. The reason for this is that the majority of everyone's opinion is already set. They feel something and use facts that they know to back up their own Ideas. It should be the other way that they look at all the facts and then use that as how to form their opinions but it isn't.
Question?
Why do you Believe in the god that you do?
Why do you think that some things are right and others are wrong?
Why do you have certain stereotypes either good or back about others?
Why do you view the world the way in you do?
Answer:
Every thing you believe you where taught or learned on your own or based on things that happened but most things you where taught in some way.
The Best example is belief in God. I'm not bashing god here. If you prey to Mecca or won't eat a cow because it is Sacred the majority of the time it is because that is what your Parents or family taught you. If your family takes you to a Southern Baptist Church you are a Southern Baptist. It isn't like you can go "Mom lets go to the Anglican Church up the road and see how they think". Most kids wouldn't think of it. Yes this isn't true all ways in multi faith families but that is more about what you learn and currently I'm writing about be taught. As one grows up they are taught the ideas of the church or lack there of that they go to. If the family watches football and says stuff like Why is Warner preying ... Then Kids are taught of the lack of god or at least the lack of Warner's Good.
Morals are not only taught through Faith. Most People wind up having the same Political outlook as the people who raise them. As adults or even as Babies having Babies you pass your ideas onto your kids. I don't have a good example for this really. The one I will use is how one treats others is a big factor. If someone in front of you drops their wallet the next thing you do will teach the kid different things. If you yell sir you dropped your wallet, you teach them honesty and looking out for others. Now if you pick up the Wallet and take a couple dollars as a reward for your self, then you are teaching them that it is ok to help people if it also helps you. Then if you do some version where you keep the contents and don't tell the person at all you show them that it is ok to get over on others, or that steeling is ok. What is even worse is if you take the credit card and then you both go shopping on some else's money and max it out or empty the bank account.
In Terms of stereotypes I don't only mean racial stereotypes. Yes those are the ones that most people think of. But those extended to more then just race , gender, sex, sexual orientation , Religious beliefs, national origin, how someone looks and even how they talk. All kinds of people teach these and they are very common in families. There are so many I don't even know where to start. Some comments are so small that you don't even notice them yourself. If someone thinks they got ripped off they go "Oh They Jewed Me". There are so many examples of these but the point is that these stereotypes are taught in little ways and big ways and so most kids wind up thinking like how their parents think.
I will admit Political views are more complex and it is tough to say how parents out look on life effects their kids. Again though I say parents but it is more then just them who teaches Kids what to think. For people who protest and take their kids to them as well that we can agree shapes how there kids think. I won't go as far as saying Parents brain wash their kids. But through daily interaction ok so maybe for some once a week, but the point is still the same. Kids learn so much when they are young and take in a lot so they get the same beliefs as there parents and this was true of the kids parents also. That is why things like racism stay around for so long. I also think that what stereotypes (again both good and bad) tie in and intertwine with ones political views. The best example I can think of is that if you have stereotypes about what it is like to be gay, you are more likely to think gay marriage is wrong.
I Admit one thing about a blog is you never know if anyone is really reading it or not. But for anyone who is this is where my thoughts I think get more interesting but maybe that is Just me. Remember I said taught vs. learned. There is a big difference. I will use school as the example to start this off, not sure where it will go. On a side note a bit any of you who went to high school with me remember how bad I was in English I can't believe I write blogs back then I would have never believed it. That makes the perfect example. Yes my grammar is still bad I have no idea why all those green lines show up. everyone goes to class is taught by a teacher. But just because you are taught stuff doesn't mean you learn it. If you did then every kid would get a 100% or an A+ in every class. Hey How would a College decide who to pick, HA. Different people learn differently. Some people can go to class and never open a book and remember it. But some people don't learn by hearing they learn by reading or by writing things out in notes. Not only do people learn differently in school but this is true in life as well.
It is really scary how much people can learn in school and I don't mean just in high School I mean at all levels. Often this things that are learned at school conflict with what home and the world teach you and that is where things get really interesting. I can admit I don't really know how ones mind decides what things are the truth, I would tend to think that what you learn out in world is the strongest. You live it and you know it and it is real, it isn't just an idea. But in terms of ideas I'm not sure how that works. Well that is what is coming up next.
I'll use the racial stereotypes as an example. Lets say at home you hear N this and N that. I think we all know what N means. But then you get to College or a big high school and those people are "The Cool Kids" They have the parties and they not what you where taught at home. There is this conflict between what you where taught and what school is teaching you so over time you learn what the truth is to you. Sometimes it happens the other way around. Now maybe after you leave school and get out into the world you get a job or what ever and meet more people and at that point you might learn some other version of what people are like. Again what happens to you sometimes causes you to learn that what you thought before was correct and sometimes that it was wrong.
This is not only true for racial stereotypes, It is true for many stereotypes. I guess the best example I can use is homosexuality. I won't use the example of the girl who finds out in College she also likes to have fun with girls when she is drunk. But before I do that, I will admit I have no idea what it is like to be gay and I can't even imagine what it is like. That being said I don't remember what my views on it was when I was young. But when kids are young they call each other fags and stuff like that. So I'm guessing for a lot of people you have this negative view of it. I wasn't one of the people who thought it is a sin being gay means you are going to hell. But there are people like that or people who think yuck. Yes to me it does still seem weird. But at least for me once you meet people who are gay, you see they really are no different then you. It isn't like I heard "oh can I........" but maybe for some people that happened and that is why they don't get along with them. I think that if more people who don't like homosexuals knew some they would learn that they are just like them. I know I learned that. I don't know as I ever thought they where any different or if I even really knew what it was.
I admit I'm out of practice of writing long things so my mind is run out of examples. But learning from the world is not all ways how people learn. Yes some times they learn things from the people who bring them up based on what those people do. The Best example I can give isn't really concrete but hopefully people will get it (assuming anyone is even reading this). Sometimes parents lead a life in a way that the kids find is screw up or makes no sense. In this case the messages that are taught often get learned to be the other way by the kids.
One example would be if you teach your kid that hardwork is how to live ones life. I think it is. At work you need to give it your all. But if the parent(s) is working so much that the kid never sees them, they may get the idea that screw this when I have a kid I want to spend time with them. One idea that is close to this is work hard then party harder. Hey you work hard then come home and grab a bottle kid is going to learn one of two things. Dad worked his ass off so now he can relax (then you where taught that) or the kid is going to learn from seeing that isn't a good way to live that, that is a bad idea. I'm not going to factor in that people wind up doing later in life what they know that would be a different discussion but it does kinda tie in here. For example kids who are beat and hate it wind up beating their kids often because that was what they know. But some learn that isn't the way to go. This is very true with women who keep dating abusive men. It isn't that they like it, but it is what they know. That is really a different topic.
I lost my train of thought a bit. But what I will close with is feel free to add your ideas to this. In other words add a comment or two. I do think that people are taught things and also learn things through life. But that what is learned is part of what is taught even when it is in conflict. Once someone has an idea on a certain subject then that is what they think and unless life shows them something different then that idea will never change. I also think that all political/social commentary and debates are done from the idea backwards. In other words I have an idea and the facts and ideas I use to support it are just my way of saying why I agree with this idea. They aren't why I think this way. I learned to think this way these facts are just a way to support that. If my thoughts where based on the facts then different facts (to be a fact for this point it doesn't have to be proved what a fact is, is very debatable) would change peoples thoughts. On a side note I stayed away from the drug debate on purpose way to complex with legal and illegal and scripts and stuff. My last example is the gay issue. One thing I have heard read is that homosexuality is not normal and not natural. The counter point is haven't you heard there are gay animals and people can " " the nature show where they saw gay animal sex [in an educational not porno way get the mind out of the gutter]. That fact should be enough to at least get people to rethink their thoughts but it doesn't. As a final note I remember being with my uncle and seeing a cool bumper sticker that said "Don't believe everything you Think". But most people do and for that reason real debate on line and off line can never really achieve much. It would be nice if it could.
(e:Paul) I don't think you are distrustful at all. I think that what you said is 100% correct in fact. I believe that most people believe what they do because of whom ever brought them up. The things that change how they feel/know about the world that differs from their Parental people in their lives are from what they witnessed first hand. I forgot about a Body Count song (again it is body count and Ice T is the lead singer so it gets pretty crazy) that kinda touches on this. He says things like how Moma lied to him and how not to trust white people, if you know the song it does get pretty nuts.
I wish I could think of a good example. But say the people who raise you, all your life tell you drugs are bad and don't do them. But then you meet people who after Dinner once a week or at a party after a stressful week like to have a communal event and smoke from a big pretty Hookah. Well then you learn hey it is ok to use drugs and that there is a difference between using and abusing. I know this is a bad example because use and abuse is a very fine line. What about people who can't wake up till they have their first Coffee?
I think that even if both people in a on line debate or in person believe what the other is saying that, no way of thinking will change. Again I think their way of thinking is set and the arguments they use are used to back up their ideas and not to form them cause they are all ready formed. That doesn't mean that some time down the line that person won't re think their ideas. Everyone should do that sometimes.
I think I change mostly through self experience, at least I very rarely changed ideas due to just a discussion with some one. I guess I almost never trust what other people say, no matter what the topic. Maybe I am just a distrustful person.
I have never read that but I have heard of a simalar idea. There is that symbol the Ying Yang. For those who don't know it is kinda the design pepsi used for their product. It is a circly sort of spilt in half with a wavy line and tradtionaly one side is black and the other is white then in each half there is a small circle of the other color. If I have the meaning right it means that everything that is opposite has a little bit of that in it. So to be masculine means you have some faminity and so on. Not sure about the empethy part though.
I've read some Buddhist literature, we've all been male, female, Muslim, Jew, gay, straight, black, white and everything in between. I like this because if you can see more of yourself in everyone it's easier to have empathy for people and have compassion.
01/17/2010 10:11 #50834
Shooting at Merge?Category: news
Deadly Shooting at Downtown Buffalo Restaurant
By WKBW News
WKBW-TV
updated 12:19 a.m. ET, Sun., Jan. 17, 2010
Police have identified the victim and the suspect in a deadly shooting at a downtown Buffalo restaurant.
51-year old Ernesto Arechavaleta-Taureaux of Porter Avenue is charged with the shooting death of 18-year old Rick Costner, Jr.
Buffalo police were called out to Merge restaurant at 439 Delaware Avenue at about 11:40 this morning after a report of a shooting. When they arrived they found two people shot. Buffalo Police spokesperson Mike DeGeorge tells Eyewitness News the restaurant's manager 40-year old Rick Costner, Sr. and his son 18-year old Rick Costner, Jr. who worked as a sous chef were shot. Costner, Jr. was taken to Buffalo General where he was pronounced dead. His father was taken to ECMC and treated for his wound.
Police say the suspect in the shooting is 51-year old Ernesto Arechavaleta-Taureaux of Porter Avenue. Arechavaleta-Taureaux worked as a dishwasher at the restaurant.
"The people who run the restaurant are wonderful people and this poor guy now his 18-year old son is gone", said Gerry Smith.
Smith has an auto dealership just around the corner from the restaurant. He says in 30 years he's never seen or heard of anything like this in this neighborhood.
"It puts a black mark on the neighborhood it's not the neighborhood that you find stuff like this happening in the middle of the afternoon". Smith told Eyewitness News.
Merge opened just about a year ago by sisters Eliza and Sarah Schneider. According to their website the restaurant is a place, "... where vegans can sit down over lunch with meat eaters to discuss art, and foodies can enjoy an elegant dinner with blue collar sensibilities".
Both sisters showed up at the restaurant shortly after the shooting. They sisters were seen comforting one another and other employees at the restaurant. Neither would comment on the shooting but they did post this message on their website:
Our hearts are with the Costner family at this time. We are shocked and saddened by the tragedy that occurred today. It was an isolated incident and a random act of violence. We are accepting charitable donations of any size for the Costner family.
The suspect is charged with second degree murder as well as attempted second degree murder, and criminal possession of a weapon. Police did recover a 9mm handgun at the scene.
Hopefully I'll get last nights Bandits Game pictures posted today if I have time before Football then 24.
I read a story on the guy in the news today sorry no link, and he in some ways reminded me of me. But what I ment to mention is (and you can apply this to the girl who did the attacking out side of Roxy's also) If you are going to work and you need a gun or going out some where and you need a weapon then it is someplace you just shouldn't go. I find it interesting that so far (maybe it is because of court stuff) we haven't heard who's gun it is and was it legal or not. In any event it is sad, and you wonder what caused it. You would think if it was only work related the guy would have found another Job?
So freakin sad. Apparently it happened right after I arrived at Allentown Athletix just two blocks away. Sounds like it was a personal grudge or something.
Incidentally Buffalo News online had a gruesome photo of the dying son on a gurney, blood and all. It was a kinda graphic to the point of being gratuitous or voyeuristic in a sick sort of way.
This was in the Buffalo News today so I thought I would share it from there web page
:::link:::
One killed in restaurant shooting
Gunfire wounds father of victim; co-worker charged
By Jay Tokasz and Jay Rey
NEWS STAFF REPORTERS
Updated: January 17, 2010, 9:45 AM / 38 comments
A dishwasher allegedly opened fire on his co-workers â€" fatally shooting one and wounding another â€" inside a Delaware Avenue restaurant, as employees prepared to open for business Saturday morning.
The victims were a father and his son.
Rick Costner Jr., 18, a sous chef at Merge restaurant, 439 Delaware Ave., was killed, Buffalo police said.
His father, Rick Sr., 40, general manager of the restaurant, was taken to the hospital, and listed in stable condition Saturday night.
Arrested was the gunman, a 51-year-old Buffalo man who has been working as a dishwasher at Merge since May.
Ernesto Arechavaleta-Taureaux, a resident of Porter Avenue on the city's West Side, has been charged with second-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder and criminal possession of a weapon.
He was scheduled to be arraigned in City Court this morning.
Chief of Detectives Dennis Richards would not comment on the motive for the attack, other than to say it was a case of workplace violence, part of a disturbing trend seen throughout the nation.
"It's this kind of new phenomenon now in the workplace where there's this lone gunman exhibiting violent behavior," Richards said. "We've seen many instances of this in American culture."
News of the shooting stunned the restaurant's patrons and the community â€" a tragedy considered unlikely for a restaurant that has become a particularly popular destination of young adults.
The owners are sisters Eliza and Sarah Schneider, who carved out a niche for Merge, offering a largely vegetarian menu in a community that offered few venues for vegetarians.
"Our hearts go out to the Costner family at this time," read a posting on the Merge's Facebook page. "We've all lost a wonderful friend and co-worker. We are shocked and saddened by the tragedy that occurred today. It was an isolated incident and a random act of violence."
Here's what happened, according to reports by police and witnesses:
The initial call reporting the double shooting came in at 11:41 a.m., police said.
Six employees, including the Costners and the apparent shooter, were in the restaurant Saturday, preparing to open for lunch at noon.
The restaurant was planning "Drinks & Drawing/Pints & Painting" â€" an afternoon event billed as encouraging artists of any skill level to "come hang out, have a hot cup of tea or a beer and paint/draw."
About 20 minutes before opening, Arechavaleta-Taureaux, a native of Cuba, allegedly began firing multiple shots at his co-workers using a 9 mm handgun.
The shooter narrowly missed one co-worker, who managed to duck.
The Costners, however, were unable to escape the gunfire.
Other employees were able to disarm Arechavaleta-Taureaux and hold him until police arrived. Police recovered a handgun at the scene.
Three ambulances, a fire truck and about a dozen police vehicles converged on the restaurant, blocking northbound traffic on Delaware between Virginia and Edward streets.
An ambulance took Rick Costner Sr. to Erie County Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries, police said.
Later on, a man â€" who turned out to be the younger Costner â€" was rolled out of the restaurant on a gurney and into an ambulance, as an emergency crew worked intensely to revive him. He appeared to have a gunshot wound to the chest.
The younger Costner was taken to Buffalo General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The restaurant was opened about a year ago by the Schneider sisters, members of a well- known Buffalo family. Their father, Jake, is an architect and songwriter, while their mother, Katie, is a Koessler, a prominent family known for its civic and philanthropic involvement in the city.
A Buffalo News review described Merge as a long, narrow restaurant with a small bar in the back, nice woodwork, bright colors, interesting art and a raised stage and sound system for films and live music. The restaurant threw a New Year's party celebrating its one-year anniversary, and appeared to be successful.
It offers an eclectic, creative vibe, according to the report. Patrons play board games on cozy leather couches. The entertainment ranges from live bands to comedy to local art exhibits.
"The word merge means to combine, unite, or most literally to come together," the restaurant's Facebook page reads. "That's exactly why the name fits our philosophy so well. At merge we hope to bring people together in a place where they can share meals, drinks, art, and ideas."
jtokasz@buffnews.com and jrey@buffnews.com
I heard about this shooting yesterday around 1pm but the only details were that it was on Delaware and Edwards and that three people were shot. I saw that file photo of the gun like you did and thought it was pretty lame. It is very sad, that boy was so young.
01/20/2010 19:30 #50867
Part 2 Bandits Knighthawks PicturesCategory: lax
At the End of the Game the Bandits where down by 1 goal, so they pulled the Goalie so they would have the extra attacker but Rochester got an empty net goal so they won by 2.
Well If I knew anyone who did stripercise I would like to take pictures of that to, that would be fun to post also. Not to mention all the pictures of when her lovely out fit was on the floor.
Hmm - Bandits cheerleading or "strippercise?" I know what I prefer!
01/17/2010 11:52 #50835
Bandits Lost good game thoughCategory: lax
Ok I think I may have just double posted some pictures having an issue here so time to cut it here and then edit it and add more. Yah I did sorry about that some Bandette Pictues will here also since it is part of the game and that.
I iwsh I was good at and had the time to tell the story with my pictures by order but what I can say here is that was a big sqismish I wish I had like a 10 times zoom so I could have gotten close ups that would have been amazing.
So Having a little problem uplaoding so I'll take a line from Heroes
Missing Image ;(
]To Be Continued...........................................
So If you Haven't seen Avatar Don't read these comments as it will give away stuff that isn't in any of the previews I saw.
I will admit that I don't know what makes the Vatican upset Dogma really Pissed them off but Stigmata was fine. Maybe Dogma was mocking and Stigmata was based on stuff that they suppose really has happened or could happen based on their faith. It just being a movie I think they get that even though it is just a movie it might make people question them, not sure on that.
Jake being picked by those Spirit things that float around could upset them. The fact that the tree was their deity could. The Fact that the people lets face it they where like indians and worshipers of the land kinda or mother like mother earth could be upsetting. The fact that someone who is a doing every thing for science wants to sample what the people think of as a god, could really upset them. But what I'm guessing is what got them the most upset is the resurrection. I get that it wasn't really it was a transfer of energy from one type of body to another and it worked once and not the other, the time it didn't work was a wound to the abdomen (that could be a slight to them pretty hardcore or it is just a story). One could even make it sound worse by saying she was trying to bring peace and save them and it is more of a slap to the face of them. Plus that entire we are all energy thing (yes that is an old idea star wars took also) could upset them also. Again I'm not sure what got them upset, it was just weird to be thinking about that during a movie I really enjoyed.
Also Glad you liked Zombie land, that movie was great and funny.
Oh one Effects thing I forgot to mention in my post. Yes the movie looked very good. But I still think the most real looking animation style movie is Final Fantasy the sprites with in. Even with all the 3D and human actors no one has touched that yet. Hoping Alice and Wonderland tops it we shall see.
I loved Avatar. When I saw the previews I thought I would hate it but after all the positive feedback I heard I wanted to see it. After the movie Mike and his mother and I all talked about why we couldn't understand why the vatican was upset about it. I mean it is just a movie, why pick on this one? There are so many movies that are certainly a lot worse than Avatar as far as Catholic values goes.
Zombieland was another movie I thought I wouldn't like but I did.