Government Monitoring

Okay so a recent topic of conversation has been this government monitoring being brought to light. I have heard both sides of the argument, still not sure exactly how I feel about it though. My first thoughts were: "wow that's a scary thought."

One of my friends kept saying "monitor away, I have nothing to hide," and at first this is sort of how I felt, but then I started to think, what if the day comes where I do have something to hide?

I guess my main argument is "what has been the main plot point of almost every sci fi movie?" A government that monitors the populations every move. And who monitors the monitors?! Well it ends up being a computer. And not just any computer, an intelligent computer, one that can almost think for itself. I believe this is what I am most afraid of, because the one decision after some time  almost unanimously that these computers come to in Sci fi movies (iRobot, Terminator, Eagle Eye) is that humanity is on its way to destroying itself, so the only way to save them is to start anew (i.e. wipe them out). This conclusion is actually quite a logical one for the intelligent computers to come up with.

But maybe if we had this technology, we wouldn't have accused every Muslim in the US of being a terrorist, put bags over their heads, and shipped them off to Guantanamo for no bloody reason.

Although this is just one case. But I think my main fear is that if we end up putting a computer in charge, that's when I will wish this act didn't go through, because I will have something to hide at that point. I don't want the world to turn into a robot apocalypse.

What do you all think about this mess?

ARK

No Good Deed

2 days ago something quite incredible happened to me. I took my Accounting final, went to my last class of the semester, got back to my apartment, made lunch, cracked open my computer only to find an email from a girl asking me if I lost my calculator because she found one with my name on it. Nothing truly amazing right? WRONG. I immediately checked my bag, and noticed I was indeed missing my calculator, but I remember putting it in my back pack after my test, unless it slipped out. Anyway why is this situation so amazing? Because! This means this girl, picked up my calculator, checked it for my name, THEN reasoned to herself "I can logon to my email and find this person through my school's directory!" maybe I am too cynical but this is just fantastic to me the kindness of this person, to go out of her way to get my my calculator back. The thing is, I wouldn't have noticed I was missing it until I needed it again which probably wouldn't have been until my exam NEXT semester!

On a side note I really didn't care about the calculator, I just cared that this person was so genuinely nice. I believe that no good deed should go unrewarded so I gave her a Starbucks gift card ($25) that I had lying around. She will have no idea until she tries to use it, how much the card is for and I wish I could see her face when she finds out, cause it is a ridiculous reward especially cause she wasn't expecting anything in return!

Another thing that amazes me was that she was pretty attractive. If you are even a decently attractive person on this planet you don't have to be nice to anyone. You can be an absolutely jerk but since you are attractive it doesn't matter, we all know these people. However, if you are unattractive you need to go out of your way to be nice to people, because you already have your unattractiveness going against you! I mean their are exceptions, we know people who are fat, ugly and to top it off complete bitches, but we also know people who are well built, good looking sweethearts.

I guess my point is, that maybe the world is a better place than I think it is. I mean am a pretty cynical person, but I am also a realist. I just don't see it happen very often that a person goes out of their way to help another person. I mean I do it, probably more often than I should, but that's because I had a mom to teach me this stuff. So I what it all boils down to is how good your parents parenting was.

Horn Crazy

So I was driving today with Brianna (my girlfriend) and this girl around my age is in the car behind me, yapping away on her cell phone. I think my turn is coming up so I begin to slow down...turns out it is the wrong turn. Oops my bad I apologize. She leans on the horn gives it a nice 10 second lean. Bitch get off your cell phone. I didn't endanger anyones life, so why the need for the horn? just cause I had my turn signal on and didn't turn? I didn't even come to a full stop I just slowed down. We keep driving and now my turn actually is coming up. I put my turn signal on, stop cause there is oncoming traffic and what does she do? HONKS at me again! I give her enough room to get by, she drives by STILL ON HER FUCKING PHONE, and gives me another 10 second BEEEEEEEPPPPPPP! If we weren't picking up Brianna's brother/if Brianna wasn't in the car I would have followed this lady beeper!

And please do not think "oh your one of those guys." I would NOT have followed her to beat her up or throw her out of her car or whatever those people do. I would have followed her to give her a lesson she wouldn't forget. I don't want her to ACTUALLY get killed when she BEEPS for no fucking reason at the wrong guy. In those situations I always think if it was anyone else but me what would go down? Now don't go thinking I am a noble guy cause I want her to live. If that bitch fucking dies I wouldn't really care I just would want to avoid death when it would be as stupid as "Bitch dies for beeping at some fucker who is now getting 10 years cause the bitch didn't have an ounce of patience." All I would have done if I got to talk to her without her pulling a gun on me is say "listen lady I mean no harm all I wanted to do was scare you into not being so horn crazy. Was I endangering your life by putting on my turn signal and coming to a stop? No. So listen, if you did that to someone else besides me they would probably follow you, take a crowbar and desimate your car with it. All I am going to do is tell you 2 things: Put your goddamn cell phone away. And 2; only use your horn if you were actually going to die in a situation, cause people don't like getting beeped at, ESPECIALLY for no reason, thanks for your invaluable time." Walk back get in my car and drive away.

So if you are one of those horn crazies, think twice, because I have told you what goes through my mind, and I am generally a nice easygoing dude. To all other people who are not horn crazy I applaud you!

Cheers

ARK

Life of Pi review: Jonsi and Pi

What is there to say about Life of Pi? Only that instead of reading this review you should be watching it. Actually no keep reading.

I will say though, that the ending warrants discussion (possibly for a future blog post after I see it for a second time), and that it is one of the most beautiful movies I have ever seen. One thing I have truly like about Ang Lee (Brokeback Mountain, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon), director of Life of Pi, that I can say is consistent in every movie I see of his, is his stunningly gorgeous camerawork. He captures images that stand alone as art. For example, he shows reflection of water, one of the main symbols he goes back to, and the way he shows it the viewer simply cannot tell whether what he his looking at is reflection or actually real. He also shows what I can only describe as a sea of meerkats on a mysterious island which reminded me of the sea of sheep in Brokeback Mountain. I love how he sees the art in real things your everyday person would not.

The story is very compelling. It centers on an Indian boy (Pi) whose family owns a zoo, but decides to pack it all up and sell the animals in Canada because Pi's father has a business opportunity there. Well things go terribly wrong during a storm on the freighter and Pi is the only survivor along with the tiger from his zoo. The two have to learn throughout the film to be able to coexist in the limited space they are given on the lifeboat. That is where I will stop with my synopsis.

The only thing I can say negatively is that the beginning of the film is a tad too religious for me but it truly serves a purpose, so I can't really complain. Pi, as an young man and an adult is interested in the many religions of the world and becomes a Jewish, Christian, and Muslim Hindu. He does not just accept these religions however. He questions each holy man on his search for spirituality, which I enjoyed, because he asked the very questions I have about these religions as well as others I am sure.

I will end by saying that I almost felt as I had felt the time I saw Jonsi (Sigur Ros) live. I felt as though it was my personal moment with him (Pi, Jonsi, Ang Lee) even though the concert hall or the movie theater was packed I felt as though I was being let in on a secret. I escaped reality for the 2 incredibly short hours of the concert/movie. And that if nothing else is why you, beloved reader, should see it, because it is not just a movie it is a wonderful experience!

Spiritually yours,

ARK

Loathing of the Phone

After receiving numerous voicemails saying "I don't know why I bother, you never answer." I have come to a realization: I despise talking on the phone. Let me clarify, I don't like talking on the phone for long periods. Now, I know I sound like an asshole, but let me explain.

First off, if there needs to be a lengthy conversation about life and such it should be done in person. Still assholey? Ok, in person I am there one hundred percent for you. I am not thinking, what could I be doing instead of holding this god damn phone up to my ear. I am reading your body language and truly feeling what you say and how you act.

To put it simply the phone bores me...

So I do not mean offense to those of you who call me. And yes my voicemail does say I will get back to you soon, but I may have forgotten to add in "as long as you don't call me out for not answering" and "leave a specific enough message (which not nearly enough people do) so I know what the hell you want". These are my [quite simple if you ask me] criteria for getting (depending on the situation) a QUICK call back or a text.

And that my friends is why I loathe the phone talking. I do not mean to sound like a meanie, but ,as a lot of wonderful women would say, I cannot help how I feel.

ARK

ARK's Town

There is a quaint satisfaction of growing up in a town where nothing really ever happens, then going to college where it seems as though everything happens every day. And when I come back to this town after being at school for breaks I realize how boring it truly is, and yet I am satisfied by the biggest thing happening being the convenience store I rode my bike to with my childhood friends closing, or the local grocery finally getting a liquor license. Why am I satisfied by a convenience store where I have so many memories closing you ask? Because it shows me that in a boring town where nothing changes or happens, the small things actually do have an impact on everyone. That to me is just very cool.

ARK

Just Business

Two times in the past 2 weeks I have been told how refreshing my attitude towards life is. By this I mean the way I deal with certain situations. For example, my Best Buy story. My friend and I went to see Life of Pi on Saturday night and went to target to get some reasonably priced snacks. He asked me where we were gonna put them to sneak them in. "Dude I am just gonna walk in with them." I said.
"What if we get caught?" He asked.
"I will ask them if they want my business or if they are willing to throw me out just cause I brought food," I said calmly, "and if that doesn't work I will tell them I have food allergies, we will be fine."
"I love your attitude in these situations man." And he wasn't mocking me! I then proceeded to tell him my Best Buy story, which he found hilarious.

The other instance where this happened is when I was told that one of our roommates in our apartment would be moving out, he is from China and wanted to live with an American family before he went back. I completely understood his reasoning, but he told me he would only pay a quarter of the share of rent he originally agreed to pay. Well, I got upset by this so I talked to his roommate (lets call him Jeff) because I didn't want to start anything before I talked to Jeff. Jeff is truly an amazing friend and my best friend at school. He proceeded to tell me how he did indeed feel betrayed, but he didn't want to end on bad terms with the roommate who was leaving. I told him to let me handle it cause I wanted Jeff to not be the middle man. It was just business to me, our roommate signed a contract and sought to make sure he followed through with it. I kept pushing him (cause I am a persistent asshole at times), he told me I was scaring him. At this point he told me "You are a little man, but you have a huge presence and a big personality, I am glad we are going into business together."

So, 2 times in the past 2 weeks 2 of the closest people to me have appreciated my persistent assholiness. Feels pretty good. Pretty good. All it is though is just business.

ARK