Judging by the trajectory of the sun...

I'd say you don't have a clue what you're talking about.

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Our school paper, The Daily, does not (to my minor disappointment) have a comics section.  There are only a couple I find funny with any consistency, so it wasn't that big of a deal anyway.  But while I was munching on fish, I noticed someone had left their copy of The Daily sitting on the counter.  There was no-one else in the restaurant, so I assumed whoever had been reading it was finished.

I pulled the paper over and opened it up, intent on perusing the classifieds.  I was hoping to find some unfortunate local business that would be willing to let me mooch off their precious resources, in return for a couple of petty chores.  Imagine my surprise when I found something better than comics to tweak my funny bone.

The column, "Star-bred fate", is a horoscope, if you hadn't guessed from the title.  The author, a self-proclaimed 'diviner', inadvertently made that lunchtime much more amusing than most people normally attribute to a meal.  Some of it may be intentional, but I think much of the hilarity came from the total absurdity of his so-called 'divinations'.  And now, without further adieu, some samples from "Star-bred fate".

(And for those of you out there who actually believe this kind of junk, don't fear! These expired weeks ago, so I doubt any of it applies to you.  Then again, if you really want to work yourself into a tizzy-fit over it, give me a call.  Around 12:30 in the afternoon would be great, I need some more laughing lunches.)

---

Aries
Have you ever run with scissors, Aries? The chances of you gouging out that pair of vital organs you so depend on is very low.
(That partially explains why I saw about 20 students and an elderly professor dashing across Red Square, wielding those nasty needle-point scissors! And since when were the chances high to begin with?)

Gemini
Today is Thursday.  It will help you at a party tonight to remember this lesson from the god Thor, who so lent his name to this day.  Thor was once challenged by the giant Utgard-loke to drink all the mead from a horn.  Thor failed, as the horn was actually connected to the ocean, but he drank so much that the tides changed.  The only tide that will be affected by your attempting the same feat with a keg will be manifested in the ebb and flow of your vomit.
(Besides being rather lengthy, and comparing two completely uncorrelated concepts, what on earth is this supposed to mean? I'd be willing to bet all these Gemini people stayed home from parties that night, while everyone else got drunk without vomiting.  Honestly, ridiculous.)

Scorpio
Track your progress by making a tally each time you study for longer than 30 minutes this week.  Erase a tally for each day you do not spend one hour in recreation, with another human being, in person.  The stars will tell you that the highest personal satisfaction lies between a total of seven and 10.
(Random advice aside, how does this apply only to a certain group of people? You'd think other people *outside* the group of Scorpios have this problem as well.  Obviously not.)

Pisces
Oh, no, Pisces, no.  Had a bit of a reprieve from the cruel eye of the greater spheres? Felt things picking up for you? A run of luck, perhaps? Nay, dear friend, nay.  An abysmal failure rides ever closer to you on the winds of the future.
(The Pisces who read this were so frightened, they stayed at home, claiming sick in bed.  They were then fired from their jobs, or thrown from their respective courses, for lack of recent attendance.  Ironic?)

---

These were the best four of the twelve.  Again, if you actually take these seriously... go home, scrub your brain, then come back and tell me you actually think that the crossing of two heavenly bodies from the line of sight of our relatively insignificantly sized planet actually has any cosmic significance on one person's life.  It'll make for a fantastic silly supper.


Author's note: Please do realize that while the horoscope entries are indeed unedited from their original form, the parenthetical commentary is over-exaggerated in order to make a point.  No, I didn't see anyone running with scissors.  In fact, the only scissors I've seen for a long time are my own.  And everyone loves to borrow them.

Strawberry Trees

An owl hooted twice, somewhere behind him, and Tuon sighed.
"Is there an omen in that?" Mat asked, just for something to say.
"I'm glad you are finally taking an interest. Perhaps I will be able to educate you yet. An owl hooting twice means someone will die soon." Well, that put a bloody end to conversation.
-Knife of Dreams

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Back home for Thanksgiving break, and the first thing I wanted to figure out: What on earth is this fruit?

From Campus Sights

After a lot of guesswork and research, my dad and I found the answer. It's called a Strawberry Tree. Yep, that's right. Those things you spent your early childhood being convinced didn't exist? It does. Talk about a smack in the face. The fruit has a yellow, pulpy center, with reddish spines around it. The spines aren't sharp, though they are a little stiff. While it is edible, the latin name for the tree and its fruit, unedo, is interpreted "I eat one". You figure out the rest.

Just because it's not very palatable doesn't mean it has no purpose; Spain and Portugal, especially, uses a close relative of the Pacific Northwest's Strawberry Tree to make brandy and jam. Even though it's a Northwest native, I've never seen it before I came to UW. It's a relative to the Madrona, though, which is definitely found around here, so I guess it's no surprise.

Another random thing I've found around campus is The Dreaded Overpass. I have to cross it to go back and forth between my dorm and campus almost every day, so I'm pretty familiar with it. And I'll tell you right now: it's downright frightening wearing clothes while crossing the thing! The wind gusts straight across those streets, coming in from the ocean. And the overpass lies right in the biggest cross-section of wind it could possibly be. Several times, now, it has tried to tug the coat, shirt, belt, pants, and sometimes even shoes right off of me. Truly a scary place to be. It would do you well to be over it as quickly as possible, lest it drag you onto the streets below in its apparel-flinging terror.

On a more serious edge, I've noticed a dismaying trend beginning to develop. The media's portrayal of the marital dishonesty of those it follows is becoming increasingly horrifying. As some of you may know, one of the big things to report on in the news right now is the Tiger Woods affair. While this in and of itself is nothing unusual, what's truly saddening is the manner in which Woods himself is dealing with the issue. It's a pattern we've seen before this year, and one we're likely to see again: he apologized to the people he's let down, apologized to family... but carefully skirted the issue that what he did was, in fact, wrong. Is it the media skewing it, or is he really that unrepentant?
While this may not be such a blatant case, there was another, similar event this year that sticks out clearly: South Carolina Governor Sanford's affair. When questioned about it by the media, he was shown to regret being caught, but it was disgustingly obvious that he was proud over what he did. That, really is what was so scary. Is this the pattern we're moving towards? "Everyone's human, so things like this happen to everyone, just grin, shrug, and keep going as if nothing ever happened." Or, worse yet, "You're such a man, look at all your conquests." Very concerning, indeed.

Anyway. What do you think? Am I over-analyzing the current situation?

Cell Phones, Pizza Grease, and a couple Strokes of the Pen

Prince Raoden of Arelon awoke early that morning, completely unaware that he had been damned for all eternity.
-Opening line to 'Elantris'

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Monday morning, I had a 4-minute persuasive presentation for my technical communication class.  Not exactly the definition of a fun morning.  It was a tense wait; I was only the fifth person to present that day, but I still had almost half an hour of gut-wrenching, chair-gripping, nostril-widening waiting.

Finally, my turn to give a presentation arrived.  I think I blacked out during the presentation the guy before me gave, because I don't remember any of his presentation.  Come to think of it, I don't remember much of any of the presentations from that day.  Maybe I was in a zombie-like state.  Either way, I was up next, walking dead or not.  I shambl

ed up front, accessed the virtual drop-box, and managed to find my name in the list.  Opening up the PowerPoint slides, I checked the remote, smashing random buttons with decaying undead fingers until I found the ones that worked.  And then I waited more.

For those of you who have given many presentations before, there's nothing more awkward and silly than standing up front, slides ready to go, and waiting for the people in charge to give you the green light.  So I just stood there, grinning nervously at the people in the classroom, who were surprisingly willing to keep their eyes on my horrifying zombie form.  Then the professor looked up from his note-taking, and gave me... the nod.

And, at almost the same time, my cellphone started ringing.  Out loud.  Up front.  When I was about to be graded.  My slick zombie fingers almost dropped the phone as a sly grin edged its way onto my face.

"Yeah, this is a bad time, I'm about to make my presentation on..."

ILLEGALLY FORMATTED DATA, BACKTRACKING TO PREVIOUSLY CORRECTED DATA

The class was about to start, but I had a couple minutes.  Time enough to put the plan into action.  I leaned over to the student closest to me, three chairs to my left.

"Hey, do you think you could call my cell phone? Like, right as I'm ready to start presenting?"

DATA REFORMATTED, RETURNING  TO ORIGINAL POSITION

"...ringing cell phones! As you can see, cell phone ringtones are a major distraction..."

Bingo! The hook worked just as planned.  And just like that, I went from being a zombie back to a normal human being.  And I was eager, instead of lethargic.  Probably a little too eager: I went over the time limit, which earned me some docked points.  But it was still went really well: the hook was well-received, and it kept their attention from the start.  That was one of the more fun things I've done this quarter!

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One of the events I've been looking forward to took place tonight.  A bit of research, my trench coat, and a hefty book, and I was out the door toward the University Bookstore.  The Gathering Storm's big book tour was here at last.

While it wasn't too big or bombastic, there were plenty of people there for Brandon Sanderson's signing.  And quite a lot of random posters, bumper stickers, and other goodies to pick up.  I grabbed Elantris while I was there, the first paperback I've actually found.  Brandon was gracious enough to sign both my copy of The Gathering Storm and Elantris, so I came away happy.  Soaked from the rain, but happy.  Good thing that trench coat keeps the rain off.

Brandon Sanderson Book Signing

Local Cuisine

Musical Motifs: Villainry

One of the most powerful tools in music is the leitmotif, a simple melody or line that ties to a concrete idea.  Think of the Jeopardy theme.  What do you think of when you hear it? Tapping your foot while waiting for something?

The true power of leitmotifs, however, is seen through the relatively recent media of movies and games.  The soundtracks made for these are often made up of a set of themes, describing situations, places, or people integral to the story.  The strength of these themes, and how much they are varied within the soundtrack, is what makes them so powerful.

Today, I'm going to look at a few different themes, tied with one of the primary features of any story: the villain.  There are a several kinds of villains that are seen frequently.

1. The Insane (or totally evil) Villain

This kind of villain is seen more frequently recently, thought there are several good examples in older literature, as well.  The themes tend to follow the same thought process as the villain: chaotic, unpredictable, or simply crazy.  Their insanity, however, is a direct result of their evil hearts.

• Final Fantasy VI: Kefka, Dancing Mad (4th Tier) 
• Listen carefully for the common theme.  One carries his sense of madness and cruelty, the other his desire to destroy.
  

• The Dark Knight: Why So Serious? 
• While this theme wasn't varied much in the movie, everything about it carries the Joker's broken mind: skittering and jumping, screeching and discordant.

2. The Melancholy Villain

These villains are generally evil, but with a past or motivation that usually makes the reader/watcher want to sympathize with them, despite their deeds.  Their themes are quieter, and saddening, though they can change to a more menacing one with a slight touch of the reins.

• Full Metal Alchemist: Homunculus, Transient Life, Thread of Life 
• The homunculi were undoubtedly evil: they destroyed thousands of lives, just because of their desire to be human.  But that same desire, and the sadness of having the memories of their lives before being homunculi make them sad characters, as well.
  

• Phantom of the Opera: Why So Silent
• His selfish desire for Christine overshadows everything he does, but his sad past, his mocked face, and his forced seclusion make you pity him however slightly.  His theme is not, however, the classic one you've heard.  The middle of this song is his true theme, though I can't find any other examples.  This one also fits somewhat in the insane category, due to its edgy quality (and the character's obvious insanity).

3. The Selfish Villain


Whereas the insane villain is simply evil for evil's sake, the selfish villain often has a personal goal or motivation for the evil they do.  Their themes are more structured than those of the insane villains, reflecting the often ordered way with which they attempt to reach their goals.

• Full Metal Alchemist: Deep Forest, Dante, Warning, Dancing, Revelation 
• Dante was the ultimate extension of the motivations of the homunculi.  She discovered an alchemic method that would allow her to live forever, by body-jumping; however, the cost of each jump was thousands of human lives.  She lived for 400 years this way.  There are several versions of her theme, each becoming more threatening as more is revealed about her past and who she really is.

• Final Fantasy IX: Kuja, Fall of Neo-Kuja, Annihilation of Brahne's Fleet, Recalling Bahamut, etc.
• Kuja's role is too complex to flesh out here; suffice it to say he was jealous of the main character's task, and most of the outcomes of the story stem from his reaction to that jealousy.  His themes vary from brooding, to threatening, to outright rage.  There's more than I can list here!

These are all the representative themes I can think of for today.  The strength of all (or most) of these is their frequent use and variation.  Try listening for these kinds of themes next time you watch a movie.  Lord of the Rings, for example, has a fascinating score, filled with all sorts of themes, each tied to a person, nation, concept, and the list goes on.  Pick out each one as you listen, try to follow the thread each motif weaves.  It's a fascinating way to look at music, and it can deepen your appreciation for a set of pieces.
(And for those of you too lazy, this site dissects it for you.  Incredible work!)


Motifs also affects the way we view the movie or game: whether we realize it or not, the themes tie us emotionally to people.  As the themes change along with the character's circumstances, our emotions are swept along with it.  This is one of the most potent tools in music: the ability to affect people emotionally.  I'll talk more about this in later posts.


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Picture of the day:

From Dorm Mini-Tour: Lander

Birthday Tour

Just watch me, L.  I'll solve equations with my right hand, and write names with my left! I'll take a potato chip... and I'll eat it!

-Death Note

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Been awhile since I posted.  There hasn't been much to speak of going on, besides midterm fun.  But, since my birthday was this Friday, I thought I'd put a little effort into a post.  But just a little.  After all, I still need a couple brain cells for the second part of this quarter.

Went home to hang out with friends for the aforementioned birthday.  And pounded down so much sugar, I'm surprised I didn't wipe out completely the next day.  As it was, we still managed to go camera hunting.  The family all went; we brought our decoys (my dad's big camera lenses), scents (battery acid), and rifles (a loaded debit card; Visa, I think).  We hunted in a couple locations for a decently sized one, so we would be sure to be able to fit it on the car.  We finally spotted a couple herds, but nothing small as we were looking for.  One of the big males told us about a second herd to the south; I guess someone else got his girlfriend, or something.

We ended up getting a Canon PowerShot A1100 IS.  Nothing incredibly fancy, but it should be plenty for taking decent pictures around campus.  I even took the time to make a mini-tour of Lander! Keep an eye out on updates.  I'll probably be doing more building tours, and who knows, you may even see the infamous garbage squirrels of UW.

Irredeemable Evil in Fantasy

His last invention was an Evil Lasagna. It didn't kill anyone, and it actually tasted pretty good.

-Igor

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Fantasy writers should be especially familiar with the concepts of irredeemable evil.  It provides a way out for a bigger moral dilemma many authors have probably faced: how can I create conflict in a story, have it be morally upright, and yet still have any decent measure of action scenes? I think part of this problem lies in the killing of any being who has a soul, and our view on how pure, evil, or redeemable the soul is.

Those with a Biblical worldview, like myself, believe that the heart of every man is, inherently, 'deceitful, and desperately wicked' (Jeremiah 17:9).  However, due to Christ's work on the Cross, and the open call to repentance provided by the Gospel, we have no right to simply kill the unsaved.  We can never assume a person cannot be saved, no matter how depraved or sickening their sin is.  Paul considered himself the worst of sinners, and yet Christ chose him to be an apostle.  No man is beyond God's reach; his glory cannot be dimmed by our depravity.  God still demands justice for sins, but it is not our place to deal this justice.  Under this view, the killing of any man is inexcusable.  But this is where the concept of irredeemability comes in.

1 John 5:16-17: 16 - If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and God will give him life -- to those who commit sins that do not lead to death.  There is sin that leads to death; I do not say that one should pray for that.  All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that does not lead to death.

This verse tells us that it is possible for a person to sin in such a way that they become totally, irreparably spiritually dead.  However, as finite human beings, we can make no assumptions about the state of another person's soul.  It is not our place to judge any person based on their deeds, as we know that no sin is too grievous for God to forgive (if you need examples, look at Paul/Saul!).  We must hold all men as redeemable.  This is what lies at the focus of who we directly witness to, and the manner in which we treat others.

Now, in a fantasy or sci-fi world, people expect a lot of action.  That's generally the case with these genres.  But, if you wanted to work within a Biblical (or moral) view, the natural question comes: is it ever right to kill any person, or other fully sentient being (sentient here meaning having a soul)? Even killing someone who is considered evil by most others in the world could not be justified, especially with a vindictive intent in the killer's heart.  Irredeemability makes its point here.  The best equivalencies I can make here are tied to Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, so I will demonstrate with that frame of reference in mind.

1. Redeemable Beings - Gollum and humankind
Gollum was an absolutely foul and pitiful creature by the time he appears in Lord of the Rings.  The bitterness and malice of the ring has all but consumed him.  Yet Frodo, when he is attacked by Gollum, chooses not to kill him, as he very well could, given his past deeds.  He instead allowed him to live, earning Gollum's partial loyalty.  Frodo truly believed Gollum could be redeemed, and through his kind treatment, he almost was.  Frodo, also feeling the corruption of the ring, could pity and empathize with Gollum, much as we, too, are lost sinners, and know how fallen we are.

Sam, on the other hand, saw only the faults of Gollum, and believed he should be killed immediately, before he betrayed them to their deaths.  Sam's harsh treatment of Gollum, and the three's eventual capture on the outskirts of Gondor and Mordor, eventually lead to Gollum's hatred and betrayal.  However, everything would likely have ended differently if it were not for Gollum's decisions.  This is an excellent depiction of the state of man, really, and even though Gollum was never redeemed, it is shown that he was able to be, and that is key.  This theme really runs throughout much of Lord of the Rings: Aragorn and his lineage, and Boromir's struggle in trying to use the ring are both excellent examples as well.

2. Irredeemable Beings - Orcs and demons
When you see the orcs, goblins, and other foul beings in Lord of the Rings, you see only monsters filled with malice, hatred, selfishness, covetousness, murder... the list goes on.  And there is never a sign that they would want anything but what they already desire: the death of all other beings, men, elves, and dwarves.  You never see one acting in a remotely kind, generous, or selfless manner.  They are completely and irreparably evil, and their influence on the world corrupts it.

Unlike killing redeemable beings, the destruction of the irredeemable carries with it no consequence, as long as the killer has the correct mindset in doing so.  It would be one thing to defend the people of your homeland; it would be another to kill simply for the sake of killing, to sate ones bloodlust.  While the killing itself would carry no consequence, the heart may corrupt itself in doing so.  This still allows for strong moral problems to be presented and confronted by characters, while still allowing the action scenes to take place.  It allows for a two-fold battle to take place, as well: while a force of irredeemable darkness can simply be dispatched, a redeemable people can not be dealt with so simply, not without violent repercussions to one's soul.

3. Breaking Point Beings - Ringwraiths
While redeemable Beings are always redeemable, as seen with Gollum, Tolkien also brings with him another type, which I've labeled the Breaking Point Being.  Nine men were given rings of power when they were first formed, but as Sauron corrupted them with the One Ring, the mens' hearts grew corrupted, too, until they reached the breaking point, becoming the Ringwraiths.  At this point, they turn from redeemable, to permanently irredeemable.

In Tolkien's world, men are all Breaking Point beings.  Elves, I believe, have more of a resistance to the corruption; I'm not sure how affected they would be.  Dwarves lost their rings, clumsy things.  And Hobbits show a natural resistance to the ring, as well: look at Gollum.  While not much is seen of the mechanism behind the ring's corruption, it can be safely assumed that there are actually no redeemable beings in Lord of the Rings, only Breaking Point beings.  This allows for some interesting possibilities, though it should be noted that once a person has crossed that line, the effects are tangible.  There is no guesswork: you know a wraith has crossed from being redeemable to irredeemable.  And this is what separates a fantasy world from reality.  We do not have the luxury of seeing these effects; we can only assume that any man is still savable.

So, in conclusion, keep an eye for this in fiction.  Be aware of the difference between killing evil in a fantasy world, and dealing justice in the real one.  Also use these ideas to weigh a character's actions in dealing his own judgment on others: is the person redeemable, or not?

Also keep in mind that the God-given judicial system (albeit corrupted by us) allows us to make impartial judgments based on a person's past behavior.  This is, really, a way to give punishment for one's deeds here on Earth.  And, really, it gives the person a chance to repent, even if sentenced to death.  Prisoners have time to consider their decisions, and though they will still suffer the consequences, they can still be redeemed.  And that should always be considered before simply killing someone for the murder of a family.

My life is rearranging (and my dorm is too)

No, that's not how it works. Some traits are more dominant, so there is the possibility that if you cross A with B, it could resemble A more. Moment of truth: does she look like her dad or her mom? Either way, she's a monster, but if she's gotta be a potato or a tomato, please let her be a tomato!
-Lieutenant Havoc, Full Metal Alchemist

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Chris had a flash of inspiration today, involving the juggling of furniture. Over the weekend, while I was back at home, he brought in a TV set and his old Nintendo 64 console. Problem was, there was no way to sit comfortably in a group to play with his friends. So he decided that, since he didn't use his desk much, he would toss it into one of the study rooms on our floor, and replace it with a couch, which, incidentally, came from the 8th floor lounge. From what I can tell, the 8th floor doesn't use their couches. They just stack them into giant games of Jenga, and Chris figured they wouldn't miss one couch. So down came the desk, down came the sofa, and down came all the stuff on the shelves. At this point, he realized he'd have to rearrange the whole room to get the sofa into place. Joyous.

(Incidentally, someone was trying to play Jenga.  On the ferry.  On a rocking boat.  And I think she was blonde, too.)

The next hour or so was spent rearranging food items, refrigerators, closets, beds, stacks of cardboard boxes, books, TV sets, cabinets, chess boards, laptops, wires, chairs, and various other small items. Finally, the fridge was moved to the opposite corner, with the TV taking its place. The sofa is positioned where the desk used to be, right behind me. Nice to know people can sit there and stare at my dandruff-flaked back. Almost like watching the snow fall outside, I guess. How nostalgic.

Halloween is coming near. I'm really not sure if I'm going to want to be in the dorms when it rolls around, though. People do strange things around this time. And no, it's not the ghosts' fault. Whatever happens, I'm hoping to be away from the dorms. Maybe I'm overreacting or guessing. Maybe not. Guess I'll find out pretty quick. In the meanwhile, it hasn't affected school, thankfully.

Homework's in full swing now for all four classes, so I'm going to get back to work. Good times!

P R O J E C T   R E A L I T Y

Craig Alder – Hero, Security Technician for ElemenTech

Now that the world has settled into using the AtomWall system, hackers seem to be a nonexistent issue.  But when things start going wrong with firewalls, ElemenTech hires a team of hacking experts (known as the High Five), trains them in the use of the special NetHack software, and gives them the task of repairing dysfunctional AtomWalls.

When the problems get worse, the corporation begins to hire regular individuals for the Security Technician team.  Craig Alder is one of these special men.  He’s rather nervous about having a new job, but he quickly picks up the pace.  A co-worker, Brent, is one of the High Five.  He helps Craig along, and makes sure he understands the core ideas behind the system.

Brent – One of the High Five, the top Hackers in the ST team.

Early on in Craig’s new job, a consistent defect in the firewalls begins to grow.  He’s been able to repair the effects of these damaged systems, but although he does not realize it, he is only cutting off the tail of the worm: the defects continue to grow.

It was finally discovered that someone had broken into the developer’s department at ElemenTech and corrupted an important file for the next firewall patch, leaving the AtomWall with a gaping back-door.  After some investigation, Brent was found to be the perpetrator, and was promptly fired, and a warrant released for his arrest.  However, he was nowhere to be found.  Most employees thought he corrupted the file to achieve the all-important quota: if more firewalls broke, there would be more for him to fix.

Lianna – Craig’s girlfriend, inexperienced hacker

Craig confides much about his job with his girlfriend, Lianna.  He is careful to hide the security-sensitive information restricted by the Corporation, but things slip out.  One night, after work, Craig tells Lianna about a critical factor: Morris’ plans for Project Reality.

Lianna does more research, and discovers the ultimate purpose of the project: The project is a framework for a human ‘utopia’, a means by which the planet could be controlled.  Once created, Project Reality would allow a human to rest in a form of stasis, keep them nourished through elemental energy-absorption techniques, and allow the new ‘plants’ to view the world as it could be through virtual-reality machines.  Essentially, the world would be comatose, living only in a non-existent reality.

Lianna realizes what this would mean for the world if this occurs, and begins trying to get Craig to help.  Craig thinks she’s getting too emotional about it, and vaguely ignores her.  Desperate, she turns elsewhere, and eventually finds someone who agrees with her cause: Kroger Lindstrom.  It was he who had enlisted Brent’s help to try and create a back-door to the firewalls, trying to destroy the corporation.  Craig, however, had destroyed that plan, and Kroger is looking for another way to attack ElemenTech.  Aided by Lianna, they begin initiating several plans to take it down.