It's 2:00AM, I don't have work tomorrow, and I'm bored. That's right, it's rant time,suckas.

This month's rant is going to be about the king of snobbery. Those uptight, elitistjerkwadswho are just begging for a kick in the groin. I speak of none other than the'cultured'crowd. Notice how I put it in commas, emphasising a heavy'notactuallyso'vibe. You know, if this were a video, I could just do that whole finger-thing (See; Dr Evil: "Laser"). Anyways, these are those people who think they are incredibly intelligent and can interpret deep things that the ignorant masses cannot. Not once do they even consider that they might also be just as ignorant and are often regurgitating findings and views that were spouted by others (often by fellow'cultured'individuals). Now, apparently, to be'cultured', one must hate practically anything and everything American. Not only must you loathe any product of the land of the free and home of the brave, but you must be incredibly open about aforementioned hatred and tell anyone with earshot about it. For example, I'm in a pleasant little coffeehouse joint (these, unfortunately, attract those kind of people), and have decided that I'll just order some Lay's chips and a coke while I study for finals. I sit down in a corner, get to munching...and notice this gentleman from across my table staring at me as if an Alien larva had just erupted from my chest. This guy was complete with beretand Mac laptop. We are talking "Holy crap, those stereotypes actually exist!?" factor here. All that was missing was the turtleneck sweater and the stench of BO. Anyways, after a few seconds of silently staring back in perhaps one of the most awkward moments of my life, I slowly start to resume chewing again, and look back down at my book to research the ever-so-interesting topic of loopholes in the Checks and Balances system of the US government. Lo-and-behold, the stereotype-incarnate began to speak; "You know...pockyisa lothealthier than potato chips. You should consider investing in that instead."Pockyis a Japanese pastry product that you will often findNaruto-obsessedcosplayersconstantly chowing down on. That's right, it's another average food product that's only gotten so much attention in this country because its foreign. I honestly wouldn't be surprised if Mr. Chic there only watched cheap, obscure films from Soviet Bloc countries that don't exist anymore ("They simply convey the depth of emotion in a much more subtle and effective fashion than *scoff* American cinema"). Oh yeah, and their whole 'It's only cool if it's not mainstream' thing. Does that just not reek of longing to be different and unique. Self-esteem issues ahoy, Cap'n! And speaking of films in this subject; There are the so-called deep films that these people put up on infallible pedestals. A prime example is DonnieDarko. Now, I am not saying that anyone who liked DonnieDarkois a pretentiousasshat. But the people I'm talking about tend to react to my opinions of it with "Well, if you were simply capable of understanding it, you would appreciate it". When I was supposed to understand, and an explanation of the concept of parallel universes and how it can really be applied to it...I just get blank stares and more excuses at how my lack of understanding is still to blame for me not liking it to, say, A Beautiful Mind. Listen up, if something is hard to comprehend because its so convoluted, it is not deep (I'm looking at you, people who think MGS2'splot is the pinnacle of storytelling).

In conclusion, being cultured is not hating anything that originates from or is popular in your respective nation. Nor pretending to understand things that you don't. No one is falling for your ruse, and you're just coming off as a certain lower-body orifice. You may want to think you are an intelligent, special somebody, but you're doing more harm to your image by not accepting that you're most likely just an average joe. Or, maybe you are gifted with superior intellect. If that's the case, then you can do something far more productive with your mind by actuallybecoming cultured. Either way...I hope you all choke on your biscottis.

I am going through the roof! I just checked my grades online, and the class (Russian Politics) that I was pretting about...had me listed with a B. A freakin' B! I would have been happy with passing, but an 85? Yes sir, I will take that! I'll be ending this semester with three A's and two B's. And to think I was freaking out for a week. My summer is going to be guilt-free. :D

My semester is finally over. A week's worth of stress, gone. I can only hope I did well on my Russian Politics exam, or that there is one hell of a curve. either way, I'm just glad I'm on summer break. I'm really looking forward to long gaming nights with friends and my two-week trip to Colorado so I can be with my precious steam locomotives agin. :P

I swear, the sooner this week is over, the better. I have two finals tomorrow, two essays due, and another on Thursday. This is quite possibly the worst finals week I've experienced to date.

Got it not an hour ago, and I shall post my first impressions. The first thing you're going to notice when you go to pick it up is the $40 price-hike. Yeesh. And I'm too attached to my old DS Lite that I don't have the heart to trade it in for the $70 at Gamestop. As you finally take the box that houses your new electronic peripheral of joy, you'll also notice that the thing is farking heavy. This is because, as you'll discover when you open it, there is a 300 page manual inside. And once you get that behemoth out, you'll finally lay your eyes upon the black/skyblue shadow of your new DSi underneath the Styrofoam paper wrapping that conceals it seductively like a gossamer curtain does a naked woman. And when you get your new new 'lady' out...you'll see that the smooth, shiny shell from the Lite series is gone, which could be a plus or minus for some. In its stead is a more...grainy (which really comes off as a term that's used in a negative sense, but it really isn't in this case) texture, which provides a better surface for gripping. Then, you'll see the dow in the lower right corner, the camera. The shoulder buttons are also smaller, but not exceedingly so. You should also notice that it's a bit thinner than the Lite as well. And when you open it, the real magic begins. The screens are significantly bigger, and the power button is no longer a spring-slide on the side, but a small, gray button on the inner console. Big plus. The volume slide is also gone, being replaced by a dual-button layout on the side, by the way. I'll update this when I can give it a more comprehensive lookover.

...and I'm spending it working (due to it being inventory week, joy of joys) until late at night, and if the last two weeks have been any indication, celebrating it alone. Wheee. My birthday wish is for this damned week to end already.

No, I'm not going emo, trust me. I'm just...tired, with a little dash of depression. Oh, and stress too.

So...I've had a weekend shift, with the Sunday one starting in, oh...30 minutes as I write this. I hate Sunday shifts. The stupid people seem to come out of the woodwork that day, all wanting to go out on a shopping spree after Church is over. And, ironically, these people who have JUST finished their weekly ritual of apologizing for their sins and promising to better themselves in the name of Christ come into Office Depot...and act like total jackasses. No, sir, I CAN'T give you a refund for your opened software. See that part of our sales guideline sheet at my register...the part that I have underlined with a neon-green highlighter? It's because of that I can't. Sure, do start yelling at me and accusing me of robbing you. Fortunately, through the joy or corporate ruling overriding your loud mouth, I can, and am obligated to, tell you to get out for causing such a scene. And then there are the bargain-hunters, whose entire lives revolve around them fidning the latest deals. It is such a pity that they can't read the fine print of the sales add that states that not ALL of our external HDDs are, in fact, 30% off. Just the ones that have a 320GB capacity or less. And go ahead and start yelling at me, I'm just gonna handle you the same way I did Mr. Software Bastard. You all rant about how you've been so horribly deceived by us corporate swindlers...but what about me? I'm the one losing braincells by merely being within twenty feet of your aura of stupidity. I think the fact I'm having to give up my weekend to cater to your constantly-unhappy and ungrateful backsides is a far greater crime.

Yeesh, I don't know what the deal has been this last month or so. I haven't had a serious gaming session since February, or something to that effect. The only games I've even really played during this time have been one-hour long spurts of Forgotten Hope 2 (a BF2 mod) online, and GTA: Chinatown Wars for the DS. My 360's only been used to watch a couple of Ghost in the Shell movies I downloaded. I guess I've just hit a rut. All my PC games have been pretty much played to death by me, and the same goes for my 360. I simply can't afford new games right now. I guess thepost-holiday gaming doldrumms could also be having a hand in this...

I think I'll have to stop frequenting the SW board during the weekends. Normally, the place isn't exactly renowned for the amount of worthwhile discussion and debate that takes place within its virtual confines, but during the weekend, there is always an influx of blatant stupidity. Dozens of newly created accounts spring up from the wordwork like unholy weevil grubs, and spew posts so moronic that you can't help but hear the cries of your brain cells as they slowly shrivel up and die after being exposed to such abominable thought processes. I blame the schools. >>

I just recently finished reading The Watchmen for the first time last night. I started at around nine-ish or so...and didn't stop until two in the morning. I was tired for my 8AM cl@ss, but damned if it wasn't worth it. The Watchmen is an absolutely exceptional piece of literary work. Don't dismiss it for looking like a comic book and its superhero-themed plot, it's deeper than most books I've read. This effectively puts the era of superheroes and society's need for them to bed to die, and showcases the end result of a nation that has truly grown too old for such black-and-white notions. And it tells this in a chilling, almost too-close-to-home manner. Some of its subject matter may have worn off since its release in the 80's (our fear of a nuclear holocaust and paranoia of Communism has pretty much died), it still has plenty of things to say about modern American society. And it's going to say those things to you, and then punch you in the groin afterwards. It'll also probably throw a snide remark down at you while you're in a fetal position on the ground.

In short, if someone doubts or wonders about how something so reliant on pictures can still affectively convey the lessons and complexity of a novel, you need not point them any further than The Watchmen. Here's hoping the movie is going to be awesome.