Youtube.

I love youtube. I love it for its wealth of information, misinformation, explosions, music videos, reviews, jackass stunts, talent, and just about anything else you could possible think of. For many people, youtube is a way to express themselves to the world. In doing so, some people have even become famous.

I spend more time than I should on youtube.com, often watching videos about stuff that interests me, as well as other stupid shit my brother emails me.  My favorite videos include; the Zelda theme on an 11-string bass, vader sessions, evil state of the union addresses, and possibly my favorite, a miniature working Ferrari 312 PB.

I find it amazing how so many people with so many different interests use youtube on a daily basis.  It has such a diverse group of videos, something for everybody.  Whether you are straight, gay, tall, short, fat, thin, republican, democrat, old, young, smart, dumb, hungry, not hungry, loud, quiet, or giraffe, it makes no difference.  I suppose the only people that wouldn't like youtube are people who: 1) don't like the internet 2) don't like videos 3) don't know what youtube is.

There are a couple things about youtube that I would change.  One would be that there are now ads when you watch videos.  I find ads extremely annoying, especially when they get in the way of me watching something.  It is like somebody I don't like standing in front of the TV whenever I try to watch it.  The other thing is corporate censorship.  Television networks often prevent people from posting their videos.  That is why you will never see a video from SNL or The Office on there.  Same goes for Robot Chicken, although some clips have slipped past.

Overall, I have spent way too much time on youtube since discovering it a couple years ago, but I am no worse for the wear.  If anything, I am better for it.  I learned how to tie a bow tie, blow things up with mentos and diet Coke, that cats don't work well in zero gravity, and how waves move across a water sphere in space.

For this entry I will go above and beyond.  A youtube video for your viewing pleasure.

During my senior year of high school my film class had a documentary assignment.  A couple classmates and I decided that this was going to be our big project for our senior year.  Jonathan Mitrick, one of the project partners, proposed that we document the life of people at an orphanage in Jamaica, trying to show how they get by day by day with what they have.  Who wouldn't like this idea?  Jamaica seems like a pretty awesome place with beaches and fancy resorts.  Well, that wasn't exactly the case.  The beaches and resorts are only seen by the tourists.  The citizens of Jamaica live a very different life.  Much of the country lives below the poverty line.  The particular home we were going to is supported by a church in Jacksonville, Florida, so they were a little better off than most folks.  Seeing how these people were so thankful for the little they had really gave me faith in mankind.  They lived a very simple life, no internet, no cell phones, minimal technology and almost no television, a warm shower was hard to come by.  The whole experience changed the way I define necessity.  I am much more thankful for my family and friends, the things that I have are not as important as having friendship.

Although my classmates never did post the video on youtube, some member of the church ripped it from our DVD without our permission and posted it.  So here it is.

This video makes me feel like crap about the future.  Not only did the makers of the video not know how to record in stereo, it made me wonder if anything positive is happening in Iraq and Afghanistan.

In the video, one guy said that he does not view Americans as human and will never respect us.  This is all the fault of the Americans, we are the ones to blame.  I really wish the military would get their act together.  It is a shame that people feel like this because of the American Military.  The opinion of these people will only spread over time.  They will tell their friends and family who will then spread it on to other generations.  Eventually, lots of people will feel that Americans are not friends of Islam.  I, for one, am definitely a friend of Islam.  

In this day and age people should be tolerant of other religions and viewpoints.  Although I was brought up Roman Catholic, their beliefs have not stayed with me over time.  One thing I never liked about Christianity is that it is a universalizing religion.  This means that followers try to convert people to Christianity because it is the only way to get to heaven.  I never have and never will respect anybody who tries to force their religion upon anybody else.  It actually makes me feel offended.  I believe that tolerance is the key.  One should respect the beliefs of others, just like you would want others to respect your beliefs.  As much as I disagree with those religious nuts that spew bible versus in Woodruff Park I never stop to argue or tell them they are wrong.

Relating that to the video, I have nothing against Islam personally and I don't think it is right for them to attack us for our beliefs.  They should practice some religious tolerance and keep their beliefs to themselves.

And the future right now looks like a steaming pile of doodoo.  Not to be too optimistic.

Stuff White People Like

I feel mixed about the list.  Parts of me think it is hilarious, stupid, hilariously stupid, entertaining, and offensive.  First of all, I would like to make it known that I feel many lists are overrated.  People make ways to many about really stupid things.

I find this particular list hilarious.  Mostly due to the reason that somebody (or several people) took the time to make this list.  Like I said in a previous entry about rich people buying dead zebras, do people not have anything better to do with their time.  Also some of the items on the list are a bit specific, such as Sarah Silverman and Wrigley Field.  Some of the items are inherently stupid though, like "knowing what's best for poor people" and "girls with bangs."  

This list is also sort of offensive to me.  Being a white person I don't like all of the things on the list.  Not only do I not like scarves and sushi, many other white people don't like them either.  I also don't understand why the list is only aimed at white people.  There are plenty of people with different skin colors who like divorce, marijuana (especially marijuana), traveling, and apologies.  The author of the list should have called their blog "I am white and this is what I like."  However, that would only work if the author were white, otherwise the blog is a racist generalization.

The blog tries to poke fun at white people, but I feel that it misses the mark.  While some of the items listed are funny and stereotypical, others just don't make sense and offend me as a white person.  Maybe I should start a blog "Stuff Black People Like" and satirize watermelon, fried chicken, and du rags.  Maybe not.

H.H. Holmes

For some reason people are always fascinated by serial killers (or maybe it's just me).  Earlier today I was reading an article on Cracked.com about the 6 most horrifying ways anyone ever got rich. (Not that I was trying to get any ideas)  Number two on the list is a man who went by H. H. Holmes.  He graduated from medical school at the University of Michigan and moved to Chicago where he began to murder people, strip them down to their bones, mount their skeletons and sell them to medical schools.  

It is assumed that he killed as many as 250 people, but only about 25 murders have been confirmed.  So how would one go about killing lots of people without looking suspicious?  A hotel is the perfect tool.  But the hotel Holmes built was not ordinary building.  Called "The Castle" by locals, the 2nd floor consisted of air tight rooms to suffocate guests, torture rooms, trap doors, sliding walls, doors that opened with brick walls behind them, and (my personal favorite) a greased body chute that led to the basement.  Once in the basement he would either do the skeleton thing or dispose of the body by cremation or dissolving in acid.  

So by now you're probably thinking, why am I so interested in this?  It fascinates me how people will take their fantasies to such an extreme that they will actually kill people.  Also, that nobody caught on to Holmes' scheme.  The "Castle" is the main thing that interests me.  I don't really think it's cool that so many people died such terrible deaths.  Apparently during the building of his "Castle" Holmes fired workers very frequently and went through several builders so only he would know the layout of the building.  Also, because he fired people so often, he didn't have to pay many of them.  A wise move by the Doctor, indeed.  I think it would be awesome to see the building and explore the death traps and see the logistics behind it all.

I know this makes me seem kind of morbid, but I bet you couldn't watch the documentary (65 minutes) and not be in awe of the terrible things this dude did.

This article speaks volumes about the difference between the rich and poor.  There are 2 arguments you could make about the rich though.

One side of me wants to say, "good for you, you can afford to buy an expensive dead zebra."  The other side wants to say, "couldn't you have done something better with your money?"

The rich folk are certainly much more privileged than middle and lower class, they afford nicer stuff, but there is a fuzzy line between what is luxurious and what is ridiculous.  For example, I would consider having a Bentley to be luxurious.  It is both functional and nice.  Owning a zebra that has been preserved in formaldehyde is kinda of ridiculous (a live zebra would be cooler anyways).  At what point do we look at the actions of the rich and criticize them for not making better choices with their money?  This is hard to say because we cannot put ourselves in their shoes.  It is easy tell people what they should do with their money, but when other people tell you what do with your money you are less inclined to listen.  After all, it is their money and they can spend it how they please.

Now that I have that out of the way, we can move on.  

In all honesty, we all know that there are people around the world who are in need.  There are people in 3rd world countries who lack the basic necessities.  Hell, I walk by homeless folks everyday who need help.  Instead of spending 2 million US dollars on a dead zebra, $2 million could buy a lot of food, build quite a few houses, and vaccinate thousands of people.

The money at the auction could have been spent more wisely, but we are in no position to tell others what to do with their money.  I don't like it when people tell me what to do with mine.

Paper clips are AWESOME.

I like paper clips so much more than staples.  Mostly for their non-destructive nature, but also for their other uses in life.

The paper clip a classic tool used to keep papers together.  They function in such a way that they do not puncture the paper, unlike their arch rival the staple.  Paper clips are also reusable.  This is very important since we live in such a polluted world, we should be reusing everything we possibly can.  Staples are one time deal, once you hear the click of a stapler, you just wasted a very tiny piece of metal.

Another cool thing about the paper clip is its' versatility.  Most of us have heard of MacGyver, the extremely resourceful secret agent.  For him, the paper clip was a very popular multi-tool often kept on him at all times.  There are a number of ways a paper clip can be used, including: zipper tab, cherry pit remover, fingernail cleaner, emergency corkscrew (for your emergency drinking needs), miniature catapult, and my favorite, let the air out of someone else's tires when he parks across multiple spaces.  Not to mention making chains.  Probably the most important use of the paper clip is saving lives.  It's a very serious business.

Overall, I firmly believe the paper clip is the wave of the future.  Next time you reach for that stapler, just think about how you are polluting and denying somebody the simple joy of letting the air out of someone else's tires.