BARRAGE OBAMA!!!
Posted by Matt
Several things, very fast, changing every moment...change you can believe in (though change I refuse to define or explain, so don't rely on it...just believe in it....).
What cool computer apps do you use? Kenny's gotten me onto a few in my life, and one of the new, terribly useful ones is www.netvibes.com. Have a look: it replaces your single site home page and provides a compact, cool looking jumping off page with links and pics and updated info from your bookmarked sites and widgets. So, again, answer me in the comments area: what cool computer sites, web-apps, or software do you use that makes you feel warm and happy?
Yes, Hellboy II did suck. I'm not even linking to the movie site because you might be drawn in by the evil spirits to see this dung. Not going to qualify my statements or defend my opinion. If this offends you and I lose you as a reader, that makes me sad...a little...maybe not...who knows...but I have to be me, and I'm charging myself with being honest with you: don't see Hellyboy II.
Currently reading Snipers: Profiles of the World's Deadliest Killers by some British writing duo, Craig Cabell and Richard Brown. Pretty entertaining--I'm sure "true history buffs"--by which I mean people who would knife your grandmother in her sleep over minor, quibbling minutiae you got wrong--probably have a field day with their reconstructions of legendary sniper tales of guys like Timothy Murphy (Revolutionary War "sniper) and the unknown dude who shot Lord Nelson at the Battle of Trafalgar.
Nonetheless, the authors aren't pretentious and they aren't piling on me a gigantic pile of firearm and ammunition details; they talk just enough about that so I have a working knowledge and understanding of why a particular sniper did such a great job.
Their poetic descriptions of headshots are vivid, medically plausible, and mesmerizingly grotesque, especially of a hypothetical moment in WWII when Nazi soldiers are huddled in the cold of Stalingrad and one of their pals is capped by Vassily Zaitsev.
They break down their study of the history and vocation of sniping into three basic elements: the sniper (and his psychology), the weaponry (the rifle, itself), and the tactics (how he gets done what very few others can). While Brown and Cabell clearly value the art of long shots and are appreciative of the talent and craft sniping requires; and while they glorify the killshots a little more than your middle school language arts teacher would like; they repeatedly like to remind the reader that sniping is killing--it's more intimate and troubling than tossing a hand grenade, spraying a building with fully automatic weaponry, or watching a building get leveled through the grainy monitor on your AC-130 a few miles up. When a sniper takes the shot, they have to see the eyes of their target--their human target--up close. They see him blink, his ruddy nose sniffle, his mouth widen in a grin when listening to a comrade, and finally, the pink, misty cloud of blood, brain matter, and skull fragments as the back of his head erupts from the force of the sniper round.
That last bit of imagery is mine, roughly based on some stuff I read in the book. Man...what a great read. I'm about halfway through and then I have to loan it to Kenny.
Tonight is D&D. Heskan, my dragonborn fighter will be pwning nubs. Stay away, unless you want kobold blood all over your pretty, trendy Hollister clothing.
Dude...I totally recommend you download a podcast or two from Perry Noble (Newspring Church, Anderson, SC). Funny, passionate, candid, and southern. His message, "God, Make Us Dangerous" has my brain melting a little.
For those of you who know him, Garret Donovan is NOT, I repeat, is NOT as dumb as he looks. I know, I know...smashingly, knee-weakening looks normally indicate a brainless person...but, much like myself (ahem!), Garret is brilliant. Go read his comment on my review of Blue Like Jazz. Spot on and eloquent.
Please welcome my friend Lisa to the blogosphere. Feel free to drop by and check out her goods...er...check out her good thoughts. Check her out.
Finally, a video I'm sure you all will enjoy. Over and over again. Even when you turn it off, you'll continue to enjoy it. You won't be able to stop enjoying it. No, if you continue to have enjoyment of the video for eight hours after initial enjoyment, it's not healthy. Please see your local emergency room physician as soon as possible.
