A few days ago, CNN and others reported a new law (not necessarily a bill yet) being considered after a serious accident in New Jersey. A man received a text on his phone while driving, and while he glanced at the phone, he wound up smashing into a motorcycle. The riders survived but both lost their left legs as a result of the collision.
Obviously, the victims are suing, and the case went to a civil trial. But instead of just the driver being held accountable, some politician is trying to push forward a bill that would make the text sender responsible too as an accessory. At first, I was going to rip on the idea of the law. But after thinking about it, I realized: it’s awesome!
Picture this: let’s say I’m standing in line at the grocery store. Because the cashier is taking forever and is bagging cold stuff with hot stuff like an idiot, I get bored and find myself with a little excess saliva in my mouth. The obvious solution to this problem is to spit on the floor and/or cashier; who hasn’t done that a million times?
Now, under current laws, that might be considered littering and/or assault. But look: the only reason I had that saliva built up is because the girl in the next aisle over was wearing one of those “The Best Thing You’ve Seen All Day” T-shirts and those too-small hot-pink sweatpants with the word “Juicy” on her ass. I haven’t been laid in over two years; it’s not my fault I was staring at that probably-18-year-old girl!
So clearly, the new theoretical law would allow me to sue the other girl for wearing those clothes (and her parents for letting her leave the trailer park like that), and then I could deflect blame. It’s perfect! We wouldn’t need any personal responsibility whatsoever! And clearly, the politician in question has this in mind, for it is most likely a politician’s dream world to be one where personal responsibility and owning up to your own mistakes is a thing of the past. And who wouldn’t want to live in a politician’s dream world?
Age of Empires 2 Eps 13-17
PyroFalkon plays Age of Empires 2: The Conquerors! In an experimental and unique Let's Play, Pyro does a "simul-cast" of both his actions and his opponent's actions during the match!
"Tragedy" by Jon Michael
What's this? An actual, exciting published short story by Jon Michael? WITHOUT PROFANITY? Who knew that was possible?
Check out "Tragedy," hosted by Laughing Bear Media, by clicking the link below...
http://www.laughingbearmedia.com/shortstories.php
And if you're interested in an excerpt, read on...
In truth, the event is not even one isolated moment. It came to be due to two separate destinies that merely converged, figuratively and literally, on a night that would never be known, never be understood, and never be studied.
One destiny started in southern empire, some thirty years ago. The southern empire, back when it was known as the Saravian Empire, had been engaged in war against the Kingdom of Malachi a century before. Wounds heal but still become scars; even though the war had been officially over for decades, distrust festered between citizens of both countries. The leaders had preached peace and understanding as they signed the treaties, knowing even as they scratched their quills against the parchment that their decisions and hopes would not be felt for generations.
Still, life continues on regardless of leaders’ wishes and orders, and it eventually came to pass that a single merchant company from Lowery, the westernmost city on the southern continent, decided to be the first to send ships north across the oceans. Lowery, true to its name, was a dirty town full of dirty people and dirty politics, a place the homeless sought to avoid. Those who were too unlucky or too stupid to live their lives anywhere but Lowery often joined merchant ships as soon as they were able, as a life stranded at sea was often preferable to any extended stay in the port town.
So it was that a sailor of no consequence boarded the fourth ship from the merchant company to travel north to Weysteel, the busiest port city in Malachi. He was an especially dirty man from an especially dirty family in this especially dirty town. He frequently fought anyone who crossed his way but otherwise kept to himself, his greeting oftentimes being nothing but a weapon or fist designed to shatter a jaw. He took on a reputation that he had no wish to deny, and though it made him few friends, he was at least relatively left in peace out of fear.
But such a man as the sailor is not necessarily cold-hearted or emotionless. He had the same emotions as any common man, including his desire to better his situation and leave this dirty town. As much as he hated sailing, and as much as he hated more the idea of taking orders from the many physically inferior meat sacks he met, the pay was good. It was very good. And he could, if he was careful and resisted the temptation to spend his entire wage on ale and women, could possibly claw his way out of Lowery in only a few more years.
So it was that he boarded the dirty ship which possessed a name he could not be bothered to learn. He would never be able to recall much of anything about the trip, given how ordinary and boring it had been. Perhaps if it had been exciting, perhaps if he had not had the desire to visit a tavern the instant he came into port, the event would not have happened.
Another destiny a few weeks later started in Weysteel itself, and the destiny was so ordinary as to be common among all classes and creeds of people across the world. It was simply a girl arguing at increasing volume with her parents. The verbal fight ended, as it usually did, with her grasping one of her mother’s so-called priceless treasures and flinging it across the room so it would satisfyingly shatter against the stone walls of the mansion. She always followed that up with several expletives that she was not supposed to know—and her father protesting that she had no idea where the girl could have learned that kind of language—before retreating to her bedroom and slamming the door behind her.
She enjoyed the act of total rebellion, for how could anyone rebel against their parents in a more direct way? She, after all, understood herself to be the only one who had truly mastered the art of fighting back against them, and she knew her intellect prevented her from making any mistakes. It was as much a part of her as her captivating looks that caused her peers unlimited jealousy.
She dramatically threw herself on the bed knowing that no one could see her pose, but she needed to practice. She knew that she needed to train herself on how to manipulate the man that she would eventually be stuck with into doing her every bidding. She would have to give into him and his desires of course, but only at a proper pace; do not allow him too much that she becomes the pawn, do not allow him so little that he seeks better fulfillment elsewhere. These were her lessons, for she was rich.
Read the rest at Laughing Bear Media!
Check out "Tragedy," hosted by Laughing Bear Media, by clicking the link below...
http://www.laughingbearmedia.com/shortstories.php
And if you're interested in an excerpt, read on...
In truth, the event is not even one isolated moment. It came to be due to two separate destinies that merely converged, figuratively and literally, on a night that would never be known, never be understood, and never be studied.
One destiny started in southern empire, some thirty years ago. The southern empire, back when it was known as the Saravian Empire, had been engaged in war against the Kingdom of Malachi a century before. Wounds heal but still become scars; even though the war had been officially over for decades, distrust festered between citizens of both countries. The leaders had preached peace and understanding as they signed the treaties, knowing even as they scratched their quills against the parchment that their decisions and hopes would not be felt for generations.
Still, life continues on regardless of leaders’ wishes and orders, and it eventually came to pass that a single merchant company from Lowery, the westernmost city on the southern continent, decided to be the first to send ships north across the oceans. Lowery, true to its name, was a dirty town full of dirty people and dirty politics, a place the homeless sought to avoid. Those who were too unlucky or too stupid to live their lives anywhere but Lowery often joined merchant ships as soon as they were able, as a life stranded at sea was often preferable to any extended stay in the port town.
So it was that a sailor of no consequence boarded the fourth ship from the merchant company to travel north to Weysteel, the busiest port city in Malachi. He was an especially dirty man from an especially dirty family in this especially dirty town. He frequently fought anyone who crossed his way but otherwise kept to himself, his greeting oftentimes being nothing but a weapon or fist designed to shatter a jaw. He took on a reputation that he had no wish to deny, and though it made him few friends, he was at least relatively left in peace out of fear.
But such a man as the sailor is not necessarily cold-hearted or emotionless. He had the same emotions as any common man, including his desire to better his situation and leave this dirty town. As much as he hated sailing, and as much as he hated more the idea of taking orders from the many physically inferior meat sacks he met, the pay was good. It was very good. And he could, if he was careful and resisted the temptation to spend his entire wage on ale and women, could possibly claw his way out of Lowery in only a few more years.
So it was that he boarded the dirty ship which possessed a name he could not be bothered to learn. He would never be able to recall much of anything about the trip, given how ordinary and boring it had been. Perhaps if it had been exciting, perhaps if he had not had the desire to visit a tavern the instant he came into port, the event would not have happened.
Another destiny a few weeks later started in Weysteel itself, and the destiny was so ordinary as to be common among all classes and creeds of people across the world. It was simply a girl arguing at increasing volume with her parents. The verbal fight ended, as it usually did, with her grasping one of her mother’s so-called priceless treasures and flinging it across the room so it would satisfyingly shatter against the stone walls of the mansion. She always followed that up with several expletives that she was not supposed to know—and her father protesting that she had no idea where the girl could have learned that kind of language—before retreating to her bedroom and slamming the door behind her.
She enjoyed the act of total rebellion, for how could anyone rebel against their parents in a more direct way? She, after all, understood herself to be the only one who had truly mastered the art of fighting back against them, and she knew her intellect prevented her from making any mistakes. It was as much a part of her as her captivating looks that caused her peers unlimited jealousy.
She dramatically threw herself on the bed knowing that no one could see her pose, but she needed to practice. She knew that she needed to train herself on how to manipulate the man that she would eventually be stuck with into doing her every bidding. She would have to give into him and his desires of course, but only at a proper pace; do not allow him too much that she becomes the pawn, do not allow him so little that he seeks better fulfillment elsewhere. These were her lessons, for she was rich.
Read the rest at Laughing Bear Media!
Borderlands Eps 1-6
PyroFalkon and Yoshi play Borderlands! The guys discuss a few topics in this unique combination of Let's Play and Podcast, although this first session is mostly introductory to the game (as Yoshi has never played it before).
Dynasty Warriors Strikeforce Eps 36-42
PyroFalkon and Yoshi play Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce for the Xbox 360! The guys discuss a variety of topics in this combination of Let's Play and Podcast!
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