The Plural of Apocalypse

Well, we're here. The Serpent rises tomorrow at 11:12 UTC (so close!), 6:12 AM in God's Time Zone, EST. First, I made it - a victory in and of itself! Second, it's bullshit. But I believed in it a long time ago, half-ironically, but alas, half-seriously. No longer, but the damage is done. So I will use tomorrow as you should: re-dedicate yourself towards self-improvement, and the improvement of your family and community. Further, one - you! (and me!) - should strive to expand your notion of family and community. I view all of life as my community, and try to live with that mindset. It's tough, of course, but it's necessary for all of us if we are, collectively, going to rise above our primate instincts and become fully and truly, Human. We want that, right?

It's easy to look back into history and see the flaws of all the failed nations, empires, religions or societies over time, and equally hard to look at our own society or nation and see those flaws. The very same flaws that could lead to our own destruction. Since it is unlikely that the world will end tomorrow, let us instead focus on a more localized definition of apocalypse, which is societal. Societies rise and fall, over time. Some are more successful than others for a variety of reasons, but nothing lasts forever. The apocalypse is the end of your society. The ancient Maya. The Assyrians. The folks on Easter Island. Rome. Westernized Persia.

Iranian college kids in the early 70's. Look like typical 70's college kids, right? No longer. That society is gone. Destroyed.

Famous Iranian actors from the early 70's. Skin and hair, showing! No longer. Westernized Iran is gone, replaced by Mullahs and religious police. And this is a theme in many different apocalypseseses - the rise and triumph of religious fundamentalism. It's the scourge of our species and we need to fight against it at every junction. Alas, we appear to be losing.

Behold! There once was a time when Israel promoted tourism in Palestine. And why not? A beautiful land with metric tons of history. But alas! After getting tantalizingly close to real peace in the late 90's, this area has... degraded.

The reality today, with little reason to be optimistic for the future. Sad, and only getting sadder.

So count your blessings while you can, and appreciate all that is good with your society. And the things you find wrong with your society? Address it. Organize. Get involved. Speak up and out. Religious fundamentalism is always a minority movement that wields power far beyond their numerical representation in any given society. People power works, if the people get out on the streets.

So don't accept your apocalypse! Fight it, every day.

Peace be upon us all. Good luck, and good night.

What do they need such good eyesight for anyway?

Every fruit and vegetable needs a marketing campaign. Look what Popeye did for spinach! WW2 saw carrot advertisements at all time highs, due, no doubt, to the lobbying efforts of Big Bunny. It's all about the carrots with Bunnies, don't ya know?

(I Think I Was In) Heaven

It's a Pope Party Y'all! 

But seriously, one of my favorite sub-sub-sub-sub topics of interest is the general category of "Purported Holy Man Acts Hypocritically". Example: Ted Haggard. There are many, many others.


Not to say John Paul here did anything bad - other than the systematic cover up of institutionalized pedophilia and rape! - but, you know: Funny photo.

Oh and also too: Sorry for the long absence. I was in New Gondolin - I need to get me some Sully Minions or something, or some kind of bot, to keep up in my absences. For I know the Interwebs hunger for more stupid pictures and related stupid comments. Don't we all?

Two Faced

Great stories should inspire other art. A theory!

In scanning the many Lost posts here to see if I had used this photo before (for shame! Redshirt has no tracking system in place and thus, I apologize in advance if I re-use a picture. I have once before, that I know of, and it was way back in the dawn of this blog - the classic "It's a Tarp!"

and it's worth posting again, Ackbar be Damned!)

But anyways, in my meanderings through the past, I came upon a list of Redshirt's top 5 tv shows. And I didn't like it. So, here, forthwith, is a new and improved top 5(for now):

1. Lost
2. Angel
3. Buffy The Vampire Slayer
4. Survivor
5. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

I challenge any nerd to question my taste. And, obviously, nerds need only apply.

BSG

If you haven't watched Battlestar Galactica by now, it is far too late for you to watch and appreciate the finale, which airs this Friday night. However, there is always DVD, which in many - most - ways is the far superior viewing experience.

But if you have been watching, no doubt you are a'quiver on how this crazy story will end. It seems to me the show has consciously chosen to be depressing whenever able, so I'm betting on a downer of a closer, with of course the seeds of hope - the next circle - planted and taken root.

Great episodic storytelling is something TV can do extremely well, when done right. And BSG has been done it right from the first episode. Does not happen very often in television, to be sure.

Without pause, here's Redshirt's 5 greatest TV series in history (nerd universe):

1. Angel
2. BTVS
3. Lost
4. BSG
5. DS9


Finally, won't you spare a laid off Cylon a dollar?