Category Archives: Opinion

Freedom, Fascism, and You

It’s a trite thing to say, but the United States stands at a crossroad. We have as president, elected via electoral college, a mean-spirited, selfish buffoon who takes pride in his boorish behavior. He courted the angriest and most frustrated factions of the country during his election, and, long after getting elected, still refuses to denounce even the most heinous acts of white supremacy. He spends his days shouting at anyone who dares even consider opposing him and vehemently refuses to reflect upon his own statements or actions.

The Devil Doesn’t Need You to Advocate for Him

“I’m just playing Devil’s Advocate.”

The origin of this term, taken form the Catholic Church, is nearly literal: a member of the church was given the role of arguing against a candidate for sainthood in order to draw out their flaws and prevent misleading evidence from canonizing the unworthy. In modern times, it is used during debate or discussion to explore an alternative point of view, whether or not it is abhorrent. In a room fill of like-minded people, one plays the role of Devil’s Advocate in an attempt to speak for another.

People need to stop doing this.

Isla Vista

I wrote 750 words about the shooting in Isla Vista, California, but I don’t think I have anything to add to the discussion. A spoiled brat with an entitlement complex let his imagination run wild and, having never looked inward to consider that his issues might stem from within, decided to take his frustrations out on the world instead of trying to fix himself. That his family intervened and failed is unfortunate, that they could not convince authorities to take action beforehand doubly so.

Five Challenges You Will Face When Dieting

I’ve been dieting for almost a year and a half, slowly dropping down to my target weight. The first few months were easy, but since then progress has been maddeningly slow. I’m still slimming down — this month I dropped another waist size and am now within ten pounds of my second of three goal weights. However, it’s taking more and more work to drop this weight, and maintaining self-control remains as difficult as ever. I have come to terms with not being able to have a burger and fries for lunch every day, but there are still other things in my life that make dieting difficult. If dieting is stressing you out, take solace in the fact that you aren’t alone in these frustrations. Or, if someone you know is dieting, try to keep these things in mind when talking to them about eating.

The Mistreatment of River Song

Lots of sad things happen over the course of Doctor Who, but most of them pale in comparison to the fate of River Song. It is a long and twisted tale that spans several seasons of the show, and perhaps her biggest tragedy is that knowing how it all ends isn’t even the worst of it. Needless to say: spoilers abound. You’ve been warned.

Declarations

I worry a lot. Too much. I worry about the future. I worry about change, about failure, about rejection. I worry about failing past the point of no return. I worry that I will never achieve my goals. I worry that the two big life goals I have set for myself are impossible to achieve. I worry that I am wasting my time and my life on people and things that will never amount to anything.

The Biggest Disappointments of Generation 7

The release of the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Wii U have signaled the end of the seventh generation of consoles. With the excitement of new console launches now fading, I’d like to take a moment to look back at what the last generation brought gamers. Here are five of the biggest disappointment of the last generation.

Ignorance and Self-Righteousness: A Rant

 

I was perusing a popular online dating site the other day, and a woman caught my eye. Her profile was interesting, and she was pretty. The site said we were a good match, so I proceeded to check out her “Important to me” questions. The first question on her list made me quite trepidatious:

Have you ever spent more than 8 hours straight playing video games?