Poetry Entry #6 – Undead

As a fanatic of zombie culture, I have written another zombie themed poem.  This time it is a cinquain poem. So without further adieu, here it is.

Corpses

Rising from death

Hungry for living flesh

Unrelenting in their pursuit

Of you

Outsmarting Natural Selection

To me there seems to be an increase in manifestations of chronic physical and mental illness throughout the United States each and every year. Some blame the overuse of antibiotics. Some believe it to be because of vaccintions. Others say it’s the chemicals, hormones, pesticides, and GMOs placed in our foods. My opinion, however, is that it’s simply because we have become too intelligent for our own good and have bypassed Darwin’s theory of natural selection.

Natural selection is one mechanism of Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution. Darwin describes natural selection as the process by which forms of life with traits that better enable them to adapt to specific environmental pressures such as predators, changes in climate, or competition for food or mates, will tend to survive and reproduce in greater numbers than others of their kind, thus ensuring the perpetuation of those favorable traits in succeeding generations.

Because of our advancements in medicine and other technologies, we have sheltered our species from the harsh reality of natural selection. These technologies include modern medicine, shelter from the elements, grocery stores, and better sanitation. With these technologies the sick, weak, and of those poor genetics are able to survive, thrive, and pass on their genetics to future generations. In my opinion, this has lead to a weaker species with more occurances of physical and mental illness. I feel like I’m a prime example of that. If I had been born only a hundred years in the past I wouldn’t have lived as long as I have already.

We didn’t see this much chonic illness in the past because sick people didn’t live long enough to breed and pass along their “inferior” genetics. I believe the more we rely on technology the weaker our species will become as a whole and the more illnesses we will continue to see. That is, however, unless we advance medicine until we come full circle and are able to treat and cure almost every ailment. Will that ever happen? It’s hard to say. We’ve come a long ways in just the past hundred years so who knows where we’ll be a hundred years from now

Parasites To Our Planet

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the definition of a parasite is as follows.

1: a person who exploits the hospitality of the rich and earns welcome by flattery 2: an organism living in, with, or on another organism in parasitism 3: something that resembles a biological parasite in dependence on something else for existence or support without making a useful or adequate return.

If you think about it, by this definition, we as human beings have become parasites to our planet which is our host. Human beings are miles above the top of the food chain. Couple that with the outrageous consumption of goods and resources, without giving adequate return, and I believe we have transformed into a cancerous parasite to our planet.

We’re all guilty of this transfomation of the human race. Myself included. We suck every drop of oil we can get out of the ground. We strip the earth of it’s minerals and precious metals. We clear the land of it’s trees. We drain the waters of their bounty. And what do we give back? Not a damn thing. We pollute the air with greenhouse gases and the land and waters with our garbage. We are taking everything we can from the planet and destroying it in the process. If that’s not being a parasite then I dont know what is.

The only hope we have of reversing this is to start giving more back and taking less from our planet. We should be moving away from the fossil fuels that power our homes and vehicles. We should be implementing solar energy, wind farms, and hydroelectric plants to power our homes and businesses. Hybrids and electric cars would also lessen our need of fossil fuels and the pollutants they put out. Reycling more would mean less garbage going into landfills and water and lessen the need of manufacturing new materials. Commercial fishing that decimates our lakes and oceans should be drastically reduced in favor of sustainable fish farms that are more renewable. Reforestation should also be implemented to restore nature and the areas we have been destroying for generations. Unfortunately big business has bought their way into politics and keep these postive strides from being taken just to put more money into their pockets, but that’s a topic for another day.

Poetry Entry #5

My sister had her 26th birthday this past April. I wanted to do something a little special for her so I wrote a poem on the inside of her card. The poem has no name, but I want to share it with the world all the same.

 

Another year has come and gone

And spring is here with newborn fawns

A fawn you were mere years ago

And through the years I’ve watched you grow

A loving sister you have been

You’ve made me laugh you’ve made me grin

Despite my struggles you make me see

How truly wonderful life can be

So with this card I wish to say

I love you and have a happy birthday

Firearm Misconsceptions In The Media

Earlier this year I blogged about my opinion on gun control after the shooting in Aurora Colorado put the media spotlight on the subject here in the US. I told myself I wouldn’t beat this subject to death every time there is a shooting, but after the recent tragedy in Newtown Connecticut, there have been a lot of misleading information being spouted by the media about firearms that needs to be addressed. The main issue is the blatant misuse of the term “Assault Weapons” to describe the weapons used in these shootings.

Either through a lack of knowledge on their part, or because of some secret agenda, news anchors have been misleading viewers by using “assault weapon” as a blanket term to cover multiple firearms that are fundamentally different. The main firearm that news anchors have been referring to when they bring up assault weapons is the AR15 which has been used in some of the recent shootings. The problem with this is AR15s are NOT “assault weapons”. Despite popular belief, the “AR” in AR15 does not stand for Assault Rifle, it stands for Armalite Rifle who introduced the rifle. And while It may look like a military rifle (M16, M4, etc.), it functions very differently. The AR15 is a semi-automatic rifle that requires you to pull the trigger every time you wish to fire a round. This is quite different from an “Assault Weapon” that is capable of fully automatic or burst-fire. These types of firearms are already very highly regulated and require an in-depth background check. a long waiting period, and a Federal Tax Stamp in order to acquire one.

I won’t get into my beliefs on gun control right now because nothing I can say will persuade someone who wants to ban firearms to change their mind. I just hope that what little knowledge I have shared here will help inform those of you who are undecided or uninformed.

World War Z, Flop or Film Masterpiece?

As a huge fan of zombies, Max Brook’s “World War Z” definitely ranks up there as one of my all-time favorite books. For those of you unfortunate enough to have not read this zombtastic gem, “World War Z” takes place years after a zombie outbreak ravages the Earth and an all-out war between the living and the dead almost leads to humanities extinction. As humanity rebuilds, our protagonist, an agent of the United Nations Postwar Commission, travels around the world interviewing people about their experiences during the war – turning this book into more of a collection of events and less of a straightforward novel. Each character’s experience is so unique that you are eager to go right from one interview to the next and they are so gripping that it was hard to put this one down.

Being such a huge fan of the book, you can imagine how thrilled I was last year when I found out a “World War Z” film was going into production and being directed by Marc Forster. I have followed this film’s progress ever since and was even more thrilled once the trailer for the film was finally released. I’ve got to say though, once I watched the trailer, I wasn’t as thrilled anymore. What I saw when I watched the trailer didn’t resemble the book in the slightest. Call me a nerd, but I am pretty particular when it comes to my zombies and if you ask me someone serious dropped the ball on this one.

First off, the zombies in this film were running. Zombies are supposed to be slow lumbering ghouls that defeat the living with their endless stamina and unending numbers. The zombies in the trailer more closely resemble a tsunami wave of Olympic sprinters as they topple over buses and up scale up the walls of buildings. Secondly, instead of a film that fleshed out the detailed experiences chronicled in Max Brook’s book on the big screen, it seems all we have is yet another 28 Days/Weeks Later run and gun zombie slaughterfest. Those are really my only gripes about this film so far, but these are two pretty big’ problems if you ask me.

Will I still watch this film? Yes. Am I judging this film too early? Maybe. But from what I’ve seen so far, I am not going to get my hopes up. It’s so damn disappointing that they aren’t, from what I’ve seen, recreating the gripping stories told by the characters in “World War Z.” It’s still early, and I hope I am wrong on this one because I have been waiting for this movie for far too long.

What Am I Doing With My Life?

That question has been on my mind ever since I had to put college on hold last year after budget cuts in my state took away most of my funding. In order to continue taking classes, I would of had to take out over 30k in student loans. I decided against it though because with my disability I feel as though the chances of finding a good paying job after college, in order to pay back the loans, doesn’t outweigh the risk of taking on so much debt. If and when state funding returns, I’d like to go back and finish my degree.

It’s been about a year now since I put college on hold and I haven’t really done anything with my life. Instead of working on a college degree, my days are spent trying to find ways to pass the time. Other than starting this blog, all I’ve really done with my time is read books, watch TV, play video games, and dick around online.

I want to do more with my life and have done a lot of thinking about it lately. After putting a lot of thought into it, I came up with two things I am really interested in. One is developing my web design skills and the other is writing. Web design is something I’ve been interested in for a very long time. I learned basic HTML back in high school and little bits and pieces of other coding languages on my own here and there, but there is definitely a lot more I need to learn if I want a career in this field. On the other hand, I have acquired a recent passion for writing. That’s the main reason why I started this blog in the first place. Also, I’ve always wanted to write a book, more specifically a horror novel, but I’ve never had enough passion to actually commit to it until now.

While web design seems like a more solid career, but I have too much passion in me for writing to just put it on the back burner. Therefore, I think I’ll work on both and spend part of my day writing and a part of it learning new coding languages. This way I can work on both of my interests and keep my options open. So here I go. The first day of the rest of my life (Yes, I know how cliche and corny that is). I will no longer waste it away lying here doing nothing. It’s about time I do something with my life.

Any yes, despite these new goals of mine, I still plan to keep on blogging and posting as much as I can here. So if you enjoy what I’ve written so far, keep checking in because there is plenty more to come.

A Quick Update

I figured I would take some time out of my night to post this little update about where I’ve been and what I’ve been up to since I made my last post over two months ago. Well, to keep it short and simple, I have been ill with a few different things back to back. Because of this, I haven’t really felt like writing much. Now that I am finally starting to get better, I’ll begin writing again here real soon. Thank you to those of you who have stuck around and continued to check in on my blog. It means a lot to me.

The Necessity of Hunting

It’s getting close to that time of year again here in Indiana where hunters wake up at the crack of dawn, strap on their camo, grab their gear, and head out the door to track down their game. Growing up in rural Indiana with a father who is an avid hunter and outdoorsman has made hunting a significant part of my life since I was young. I myself went hunting numerous times when I was a teenager, while I was still able to get out of the house. Hunting was also a great way for my father and I to bond as well as put some food on our family’s table.

I have always been open and honest with those around me about my involvement in hunting. Most of the time I am met with either positive responses or indifference. There are times, however, where I am met with hostility from people who see hunting as a cruel and unnecessary blood sport. I have always been one to respect the opinions of others and if you are a vegan or vegetarian who believes it’s bad or wrong to eat meat then I respect your dislike for hunting. What bothers me are the people who eat meat and still say hunting is wrong because it’s wrong or cruel to kill animals. The hypocrisy in that just blows my mind. Where do they think the meat they buy at the supermarket comes from? I’ll tell you where. It comes from “farms” where the animals are born and raised in horrible conditions, given shitty feed, pumped full of antibiotics, and then shipped to factories for slaughter where they are hung upside down and then get their throats slit or have a metal rod shot into their head. Both of which don’t always kill them quickly. Compare that to hunting and you might start to see how much more humane hunting is where animals are killed quickly and with respect.

Putting the food aspect of hunting aside, there are still other reasons why hunting is a good and necessary part of society. One reason is population control. As humans spread out in the world and develop more and more land for human population, less land is available for wildlife. The land that’s left can only support so many animals. Without hunting, wildlife populations would rise and the animals would quickly use up all of the available resources which leads to mass starvation and the development of illnesses that would kill off an even larger amount of the wildlife population. Another reason why hunting is necessary is to remove invasive and destructive species to the ecosystem such as feral pigs whose population has exploded in recent years. Feral pigs root up the ground and destroy large areas of land while consuming both the native animal’s food sources as well as farmer’s crops. Left unchecked, the damage to land, wildlife, and personal property would be immense. Not only that, but feral pigs are also very dangerous and could easily injure someone seriously. Feral pigs are not an animal you want around you or your home. Hunting also brings revenue to the state. The money generated from hunting through the purchase of hunting licenses and game tags goes to the state and is often used for conservation programs that benefit wildlife greatly.

Hunting has been a huge part of American culture since it’s settlement hundreds of years ago. Whether for food or conservation, hunting is a necessary part of society. Without it, wildlife and the land they inhabit would be in worse shape than it is now due to human encroachment. I could go on and on about the benefits of hunting until my fingers are raw and bleeding, but I think I’ve said enough to show the good in hunting and the many benefits it has for both humans and the wildlife around us.

Disarming Law Abiding Citizens

Following the incident in Aurora Colorado last week that left 12 dead and 58 injured after 24 year old James E. Holmes entered a movie theater and opened fire on its patrons, the debate on firearm regulation has sprung back up in the media. We have seen this debate come up every time there is a mass shooting somewhere in the U.S., such as the shootings at Virginia Tech, Columbine, and Fort Hood. The debate is on how much access normal citizens should have to firearms, specifically “assault weapons”.

First off, the term assault weapon is a completely made up and misused term. If you search around, the term assault weapon varies wherever you look. There are, however, characteristics that are shared such as a burst-fire or automatic action, a folding or collapsible stock, a pistol grip, and a detachable magazine with a high capacity. In light of this recent shooting, there are many who believe these types of weapons, along with semi-automatic look-a-likes, should be banned (Even though an “assault weapon” wasn’t even used) because they are specifically designed to inflict high amounts of damage in a short amount of time and have little to no sporting applications. I don’t necessarily believe that because these firearms are used for competitive and recreational shooting as well as self defense.

I have always been a strong believer and supporter of the Second Amendment. I grew up around firearms and was taught at an early age to respect them and learned how to properly and safely handle them. I have even used a variety of them for both recreational shooting and hunting. Even though I can no longer get out of the house to hunt or go shooting because of my medical issues, I believe restricting access to firearms would be a great loss to American culture and interfere with our right to protect ourselves.

To think that restricting access to firearms would stop shootings like the one that took place in Aurora Colorado, and reduce crime rates, is no more more than a pipe dream. Firearm regulation only keeps firearms out of the hands of law abiding citizens. Even though James E. Holmes, the Aurora Colorado shooter, acquired his firearms and ammunition in a legal way, he could have easily gotten them illegally as well. If this guy was intelligent enough to build terrorist grade IEDs and rig his apartment to explode upon entry, then I think it’s safe to say he could find some firearms as well.

The NRA slogan “Guns don’t kill people. People kill people.” has a lot of truth behind it. If we want to prevent crimes such as the shooting in Aurora Colorado, we need to focus on figuring out why these people commit these atrocities and work on those issues instead of focusing on the tools used to commit them.