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Sarge

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Posts posted by Sarge

  6. Posted · Edited by Sarge

    I saw this thread yesterday, but I wanted to give it some thought before I answered. 

    1. Michael Myers. I couldn't agree more with you, Ngata. Michael Myers was the original badass. He had it all: a chilling backstory, super-human strength and invulnerability, stalking, an imposing presence and walk, and the best mask. There's one more thing that sets Michael apart: his foil characters. No other slasher villain has foil characters in Michael's level. In fact he has the two greatest foil characters in horror movies history. We all know that Laurie Strode is the baddest chick ever to grace the horror screen. How do you escape the terror of your own brother? But there's also the timeless and venerable Dr. Loomis. Loomis' monologues as he chases Michael through the streets of Haddonfield are incomparable. Halloween was a game-changer in the horror genre; it was filmed and produced on a shoe-string budget and still influences new horror films more than 40 years after its release. Every basketball player wants to Be Like Mike, and so does every slasher villain. In fact, in Wes Craven's Scream, he unashamedly pays homage to Halloween all throughout the movie: one of the killers is Billy Loomis (same last name as Dr. Loomis). But the biggest tribute was when all the kids were at Stu's house for the Massacre Party and what movie were they watching? Halloween. Wes Craven admired Halloween so much that he played an entire scene from it in his movie. What could be a better tribute than that?

    2. Freddie Kruger. Here's where I diverge from you. Although your description of Freddie Kruger as a loser ass pedo who was burned alive isn't inaccurate, it doesn't do the character justice. In my mind it is part of what makes his character even more gruesome. Whether you kill a pedophile or he goes to jail, the impact of what he did never really goes away. Unfortunately, Jerry Sandusky is a real life example of that. 50 years from now, Penn State will still be haunted by his memory. Well Wes Craven took it a step further and made that loser ass pedo a psycho killers who not only haunts your nightmares but kills you in them. Kruger is responsible for sleepless nights of generations of children. Most young kids have issues with nightmares in general, and watching a movie about a guy who kills people in their nightmares just fuels those flames even more. And the song with the little girls playing hopscotch "1 2 Freddie's coming for you. 3 4 better lock your door. 5 6 grab your crucifix. 7 8 better stay up late. 9 10 never sleep again" stands as arguably the creepiest thing in horror film history. Freddie was the first guy that scared the piss out of me. That's because I saw A Nightmare on Elm Street before Halloween. Nonetheless I consider Wes Craven's crown jewel a true horror icon, and finishing 2nd to Michael is nothing to be ashamed of. 

    3. Jason Voorhees. The Sultan of Slash, His Hockey-Masked Highness, The God of Gore. Jason could be given a lot of nicknames, and he probably has earned them all. Jason made hockey masks more popular than hockey players did. That says a lot. Of the Holy Trinity of slasher villains, Jason is the toughest and most physically imposing. In Freddy vs. Jason, Freddy couldn't kill Jason even while Jason was asleep. But when the Big Dog woke up, it was lights out for Pedo Boy. The signature "ki-ki-ki, ma-ma-ma"  (Jason's way of saying kill them, mommy!) that we hear when Jason stalks his victims is a legendary sound-effect in horror. It seems that I'm a huge fan of Jason, and I am. So why is he only 3rd on my list? The first reason is that Jason isn't even the original killer in his franchise; Mrs. Voorhees was the killer in the very beginning. Does that really matter? Well if we're choosing the greatest of all time, then yes, yes it does. The other reason is that Jason never had a foil character follow him around throughout the series. Michael Myers had 2, and they were the best to ever do it. All that said, Jason definitely deserves this spot, and I understand completely if someone puts him higher. 

    4. Ghostface. After the highly-successful runs of Jason and Freddie in the 1980's, horror was ready for a new face. Those 2 had established themselves as legends, but horror fans needed a fresh face to fear. Wes Craven once again was up to the task. 1996's Scream introduced us to Ghostface. Ghostface borrowed many ideas and tactics from his (or her) horror ancestors, but added his own twist: calling the victims from inside their houses while stalking them. Ghostface was equal parts a homage to the great films of the past and a parody of how corny they could be. Nonetheless, Scream became the most popular slasher film from the mid 1990s onward. And the franchise introduced us to another great Fearsome Female: Sidney Prescott. Sidney became to the 90s and 00s what Laurie Strode was to the 70s and 80s--a kick-ass foil character who refused to die and would kick the killer's ass in the process. So Ghostface had many things in his favor: originality, a modern twist, and a great foil character to boot. Why is he only #4 then? Two reasons: one, it wasn't the same character in every movie. If you want to be a legend, you have to earn it every movie for a while. Some people could argue this gives Ghostface a cool advantage that the others don't have: anyone can dawn the mask and cause a town to cowar in fear. I get it. I just believe there's something to be said for continuity when we're talking the greatest of all time. The other reason is that Ghostface has become the most parodied killer of all time. It is difficult to take him as seriously as the others thanks to Scary Movie. But perhaps that means he is only a victim of his own success. Either way, I can't put him on the same level as the Horrible Trinity. They did it better and longer. 

    5. I'm leaving this blank. Nobody else is worth mentioning. 

    • Upvote 1

  9. Posted

    Jobs are lost for a variety of reasons though, not just technology. That was only one example. And a lot of the new jobs that are created each year don't pay a whole lot. The UBI protects unemployed people for whatever reason they might be unemployed. Additionally it gives people to ability to pay off debt, save for retirement, take vacations, and leave shitty dead end jobs that aren't going anywhere. It could potentially also lead to families spending more time together since both parents won't have to work their lives away in jobs they hate just to get by. 

    I like it, but I understand why others don't. 

  11. Posted

    Sean is right: most people are much more "moderate" in their general political views than both the vocal far right and far left minorities make it seem. And there will always be "single-issue voters" too.

    I used to consider myself a liberal in nearly every sense of the word. If I had to tally up my views, I'd still hold more liberal views than conservative views. I just don't feel the need nor the desire to get upset at things that the extreme left does. So what happens to me is liberals call me a racist, sexist Trump voter and conservatives call me a bleeding heart Obummer sucking snowflake. 

    I hate labels. I know why they exist. I just wish they didn't. I wish I could have one conversation about one issue without someone saying of course you believe that, you voted for Obummer! Or you think some racist jokes are funny! Why aren't you outraged? Go vote for Trump again, moron. 

    I get it from both sides. We're not allowed to admit that both sides have good and bad ideas. But I've never cared about society's rules, and I won't start now. 

  12. Posted

    20 hours ago, Phins4life said:

    For my "nuanced" responses:

    4. Red flag laws ride a fine line between protecting the public from potentially dangerous people and stripping individuals of their inherent right to bear arms.  I believe law enforcement and family members alike should have to follow a process that would involve arranging psychiatric evaluation to confirm someone really is a danger to themselves or others.  If it is determined that they aren't, their right to own weapons should be instantly reinstated.  Even this process isn't flawless, but as long as people are relatively safe from knee-jerk armchair diagnoses, I think the right intentions are there. 

    5.  I'm a firm believer that people can be rehabilitated, and for those who can, they shouldn't have to continually pay for their past misdeeds without a chance to vindicate themselves.  I think a good compromise is to establish a suspension period, and then a process or some kind of board evaluation that would give a member of society a chance to prove they are fit to own weapons.  Again, there's a fine line between keeping people safe and stripping people of Constitutional rights.  There needs to be a balance. 

    9.  The driving force behind mass shootings in our nation is a combination of 2 things, in my opinion:

         - Easy access to high capacity weapons designed to take out multiple soft targets in a very short span of time (Dayton shooter is a perfect example of this lethal efficiency)

         - Unabashed hatred for the "other".  Lack of tolerance and the racial and cultural divides are painfully obvious in the wake of many of these types of shootings.  The Vegas shooter feels like an outlier...those situations where no motive is immediately obvious.  To quote Michael Caine, maybe some people really do just want to watch the world burn. 

     

    I'm by no means an expert on gun violence or the causes behind it, but my biggest issue has been the ease of access to semi-automatic assault-style weapons.  For those who have never shot an AR-15 or M-4, let me make this point...I work a desk for a living, and yet I still manage to shoot expert every year on my qualification.  That's how easy it is...and I don't think civilians should own them.  They are offensive weapons designed specifically to inflict large amounts of casualties in a very short span of time.  I will always support the ownership of handguns, shotguns, hunting rifles...provided there are measures in place to ensure responsible people are buying them.  I like the idea of enforced waiting periods.  If you have to wait for a mandated period of time before you can finalize a divorce, you should have to wait a mandated period of time before you buy something that can take a life.  I also like the idea of having to have a license to own weapons, not unlike having to own one to drive a car.  And just like a driver's license, I think there should be a requirement to have to renew one for gun ownership.  It doesn't feel like that big of a commitment for those who have innocent intentions, and it would put me more at ease knowing those kinds of measures are being taken without completely stepping on our rights. 

    I more or less agree with every point you made. I've shot an AR-15... That is scary power even for me as someone who likes guns. If I owned one, I would trust myself to be meticulously careful with it so that it didn't fall into the wrong hands at the wrong time.

    That said I don't really like the idea of any Joe Schmo getting his hands on one. I carry a Smith and Wesson Model 442 for self defense. If I found myself in the middle of a mass shooting, there's no way I'd draw my gun and charge down a guy unloading an AR-15 into a crowd of people. Even as proficient as I am with my trusty revolver (my pap started me on his Model 19 when I was 12), my first instinct would be to escape the area entirely. If that were impossible, I'd find the best cover I could and THEN draw my weapon. The bad part is that if he compromises my cover, yea, he's within the deadly range of my gun, and I could probably put him down. But I'm still in more danger than him. 

    All of this is to say: carrying a revolver for self defense doesn't make you Clint Eastwood. It is strictly a defensive weapon to be used as a last resort when escaping is impossible. I hope I never have to use it, not only because I'd have to kill someone, but my own chances of getting killed are high if it comes down to me drawing my weapon. 

    • Upvote 2

  13. Posted

    I read through the entire post twice just to make sure I hadn't missed anything. 

    You said you wanted to start having kids soon. Is there anything else you've been wanting to do? Which of these jobs do you think you would enjoy the most? And which would put you in the best position to smash your goals? 

    Maybe the answer to your question lies within the answers to mine.

    • Upvote 1

  14. Posted

    14 hours ago, Zack_of_Steel said:

    Congratulations, man. You're probably in the process of moving now, so good luck!

    I was insanely good at Spanish in the 5 years I took it, but I've let it fall away over the past near-decade. I think I could get back on track with a text book or something. How hard would it be for me there, this being the case? I don't have a degree, would I even be able to fall into something like what you're doing? Alecia has a psychology degree, but doesn't know much Spanish at all. Seems scary.

    I'm catching the plane on Sunday morning. I'm really excited because I had previously planned to live in this city, but it didn't happen at the time. 

    I think the first 6 months would be difficult for you, but after that, you would more or less be able to live your life without many issues. Alecia, on the other hand, would find the treading even more complicated. 

    Without a degree, you'll have to accept the lowest jobs on the ladder for a few years until you get the experience and contacts necessary to move up. Nepotism is an even bigger thing in Colombia than in the U.S. If people know you and like you, they bend over backwards to help you navigate through the red tape. 

    If you're interested in knowing more, I can send you a detailed PM next week. 

    • Upvote 1

  16. Posted · Edited by Sarge

    I love guns, more specifically handguns, more specifically revolvers. A revolver is old school technology, but for a real self-defense situation, you can't beat a J-Frame Smith and Wesson or a small Ruger in .38 special. People call the .38 special weak, but to this day nobody has volunteered to stand in front of me while I shoot it. 

    Other people can do whatever they want, for the most part. But my little 5-shooter is all I need to feel safe. If I'm too far away to use it, I'm in a good position to do the right thing in a dangerous situation: run. 

    • Upvote 2

  17. Posted

    Colombia's doors are open to you, Zack. And anyone else who wants something different. 

    Speaking of Colombia and different, I'm moving to a totally different part of Colombia in 2 weeks. I don't have a new job lined up yet, but I have plenty of savings. It won't be hard to find work anyway. 

    • Upvote 1

  19. Posted

    The Pirates have a decent group of young guys this year. With a bit of help they could definitely be a playoff team. Need more production at SS and another starting pitcher. Too bad Bob Nutting is a stingy fuck. 

  22. Posted

    We also have to be careful of subtler forms of disrespect and aggression on the part of others. Examples: someone trying to get us to do free work/work for less than we deserve, requests that go against our values (if anyone asks, lie for me so I don't get in trouble), etc...

    I wrote this recently on Facebook and wanted to share it here:

    It is neither selfish nor immoral to negotiate for what we deserve. We must stop being afraid to "rock the boat" in order to "keep the peace." Why do we think being peaceful 100% of the time benefits us? It doesn't. We ought to grow some teeth and show them to the world once in a while. There is a nasty, sleeping monster inside of us. Let's feed it carefully, but let it play. Maybe then we will respect ourselves and require that others do the same. 

    Being agreeable to the point of harming ourselves isn't morally righteous, nor is it going to make us "good" people . It's cowardice. Let's not use morality to excuse ourselves for being cowards! A good person is capable of anything and has the strength to use their darkness when they pursue what they want and need. 

    We must not let anyone make us feel bad for looking out for ourselves. That doesn't mean be selfish. It means standing our ground in the presence of others who are. Aggressive and selfish people won't battle us if they think they can't win. They will go find the next pushover, because we can be sure that there is always a hopeless, hyper--agreeable person lining up to be abused. 

    We will not let that be us any longer. Understand?

  23. Posted

    Is Brees going to have the best year ever by your metrics?

    Is the average score of the top 5 going to be the highest ever? 

    All of this is to ask, do we exaggerate when we say we live in the age of the QB or do your numbers prove that to be true? 

  24. Posted

    21 hours ago, BJORN said:

    Sarge, I think you have to be careful doing what you did because it could come off as douchey rather than what you are thinking. 

    That being said, I agree with your general message about handling  it at work...you just can't let it slide every time. I can be very fiery at work sometimes if I feel disrespected. But there is a fine line you walk...you want to be well-liked too.

    In public, I usually just write it off or will say something if I am really mad...but I try not to. Not worth the consequences/risks if it turns physical. I will completely write people off who I feel have disrespected me though.

     

     

     

    I feel it is important to emphasize that it is not the person you have a problem with. It is their behavior. I thought in that specific scenario that my message would get through easier if I pointed out that she was a good person first. You are right that in other situations, it is better to simply state the issue. If I had only said, "I feel disrespected when people interrupt me. Please allow me to finish my conversation next time" she might have taken it the same way. 

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