DevonEpic's Blog

Well, I have this blog…

devonepic — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 03:39:37 +0000

might as well use it.

It has been dark out for five hours now. In half an hour I will consider this to be a late night for me. I am sitting here drinking a cup of chai tea. For some reason it helps me deal with my adhd. I don’t always show it, but my mind is usually a mess; unable to focus on anything. So here is what I’ve been thinking about with my brief moment of clarity. My dad talked to me for the first time in months yesterday. He decided I wasn’t worth having as a son during his honeymoon when I chose to stand up for myself. I can no longer be ordered around like a child. Age no longer garners respect from me. My father will never accept me as an adult, but that is his choice. We chatted about how I am doing at Ball State, which is rather well. That was about it. He invited me to stop by his new house sometime in January. I accepted because I will not burn any more bridges. I have let too much of my past fade into nothingness. Old burnt out photographs flit around in the forgotten attic of my mind. A whirling dervish keeps it in constant discord. These piles of empty memories hold no promises of momentary solace. I live with the present in mind.

I visited my grandmother on my father’s side today. She was brought to tears by the visit. I always was her favorite, but never found comfort in that. I never wanted to be anyone’s favorite. I wanted to learn. I learned from her that no one has visited her in quite some time. She stays at home with two of my aunts and does nothing but watch tv. She’s the nicest person I have had the privilege of being related to. She’ll be the one I visit before I leave for Ball State again.

My past is worthless now. Individual memories don’t have any worth. Now the importance lies within the lessons I took from them. I lost my friends here at home. They obsess over a girl that I dated. I cheated on her and broke up with her. They will not let go of that. It did not concern them. I forgave me. She forgave me. If they were the kind of people they claim to be then I would have been forgiven immediately. As it is, I have lost all contact with them. They disappointed me regularly though. Sometimes people dwell on your low points too often. I have done many nice, selfless things. I have done many cruel, selfish things. The good I have done outnumbers the bad, but the good seems to be insignificant in weight. The bad deeds are like a mountain in comparison. I once wrote of my righted wrongs in hopes of composing songs. I gave up on self-praise eventually.

Let’s see where I can go.

Genetically Engineered Flying Sharks!

devonepic — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 22:15:18 +0000

Well, instead of going along with the blog prompt that we were given today I’m going to be completely nonsensical. I’m not talking about standing up/not standing up for people. I’m going to talk about what really happened during the Ball Gym “bomb” threat. Let’s start from the beginning. It was a pretty normal day for me. I had a nice breakfast, sat around, did some work. It wasn’t until later that things got interesting. Amidst a little game of hippo-wrestling, a friend of mine suggested that we mess with the genetic structure of sharks. It sounded like a good idea at the time. So we ended up going along with it. Unfortunately, the sharks were a bit more competent than expected. They managed to locate the structural weak points of the cages we constructed and got free. We chased them down with high-powered hunting rifles and eventually herded them into the ball gym. It was an intense game of cat and mouse from then on. The officials closed down the gym and got everyone out so that we could work. The sharks had the advantage in almost every single way. With the ability to fly they were able to outmaneuver us in every way possible. We had to wait until they slept. It’s the strangest thing ever; seeing a shark sleeping while flying in the air. My friend managed to climb up to a point where he could jump down onto the shark, which he did. It’s funny watching someone try wrestling a shark in mid-air. It also doesn’t make shooting the damn thing with a tranquilizer dart any easier. I barely managed to get a shot off as the second shark flew directly at me. I managed to hit my mark, and latched onto the second shark, which I promptly steered into a wall. I recovered first, and choked the foolish beast out. Hooray for nonsense.

Hey, Get Excluded

devonepic — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 22:11:28 +0000

I’ve only been on the periphery of a group on a few occasions. These occasions are religious gatherings of the Christian faith and drinking parties. I’m a Buddhist, so unfortunately I can’t really participate in religious conversations concerning Christians, and once I try everything I say is turned into an attack on Christianity and then the attempts at conversion begin. I am not happy with how people exclude me from the majority of their gatherings because of my religion. I’ve been turned down on dates because of it that’s bad enough, but when an entire group does nothing but acknowledge my presence and not my words…it’s frustrating. I try my best to intrigue people into thinking about things in different ways. Being left out makes that impossible. I try going to bible studies and other organized religious activities on campus as a way of learning. I’m not trying to change my religion, I’m trying to understand the world. Sure the internet can tell me all sorts of things straight from the frantic writings of super-biased individuals who spew hatred as though it were spittle. Sometimes you have to wonder where religion is taking you…

Drinking parties are another area where I am acknowledged but have no say in anything. I am the constant designated driver. I don’t partake at all. I clean up after everyone, and I prevent catastrophes. I do so without thanks. I speak up to people about what could go wrong, but they ignore me. The only option I have at that point is action. It’s saddening how quickly people forget one of their friends when it comes to alcohol.

I didn’t get to go on a coffee date today. That made me sad, so now I have a dinner date. I hope that it goes well.

I have hope that someday everyone will be better. I guess that’s why I’m a humanist.

something something something

devonepic — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 22:16:56 +0000

Multi-model project…bleh. I feel like doing a video about eugenics. I have never made a video before so this could be interesting. This video supporting eugenics is going to be a total pain. I haven’t even done my paper yet. Oh well, I am remarkably good at getting things done at the last minute. Speaking of that, I need to do a formal physics lab for tomorrow. It will be the end of me. I have no luck whatsoever when it comes to physics. I’m pretty much prepared to fail that class at the rate I’m going. I really need to pick up the pace now that I’m semi-caught up. I enjoy the class, and I find the professor to be interesting, but something doesn’t click. I had a very easy time in high school with physics. Now it’s entirely different. I have never had to deal with so much error propagation and uncertainty before in my life. And I make so many errors. I am so easily distracted when it comes to physics. In four hours I accomplish about half an hour of work. It’s atrocious. I don’t understand how I manage to get so little done. I need to be less social and completely isolate myself in a room with no form of entertainment other than physics/english so I can be caught up in everything and make enormous run-on sentences like this one that I just created that somewhat resembles Frankenstein’s monster minus all the etiquette and intelligence. Booga booga.

;fni;nhlidrasv;lighrtawo;[8nur9p78

devonepic — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 21:18:19 +0000

I am so flustered right now. Strangely enough, starting tomorrow I will no longer have calculus which means I should not be frustrated. It is a pain, dropping classes, it really is. My frustrations have lead to me not want to go home and face the inevitable flurry of questions that would follow my announcement of what I have done. I am afflicted by notwantingtogohome syndrome. I never want to be home when I can spend my time here at Ball State. I live in a small town full of people I won’t see regularly for years. My family life is alright. Nothing special there. Sure, my mom provides for me, but I like the independence I have now. It’s a wonderful thing to be independent. Oh my goodness I got a 10.5 out of 10 on my last psychology exam without extra credit being offered. That made me smile. I got an A on my sociology exam today too. That was fun after I had some issues scheduling some time in the accursed INQSIT lab. I can never get it right the first time. I’ll be off by a day, 12 hours, a week, 3 days, 3 hours, the wrong building, and any combination of those.

One time, my grandma made some homemade pizza at a family outing. We all knew that my grandma couldn’t cook, so we left it alone. My dad thought he’d be awesome and eat some. He ate a lot and said it was good. No one touched it anyways. On the 1 hour drive home he complained about stomach problems and how he hoped we didn’t hit any bumps. About 200 feet from our house we went over some railroad tracks and my dad pooped himself. It was quite possibly the most disgusting and hilarious outcome.

I don’t like the looks of ya, so…

devonepic — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 16:55:14 +0000

you’re as good as dead. Eugenics is the topic that I will be stating my position on. It is the practice of eliminating weak traits by eliminating/sterilizing the people with such traits. To be entirely honest, I support eugenics. It could be very helpful. It would eliminate all problems based on heredity. Sure, there would be the occasional problem due to mutation, but that wouldn’t have a chance to be passed on. I support the sterilization of individuals with genetic flaws. There are some cases where I would support the euthanization of people. These are when they have no hope of being a functional member of society. I understand that it can be nice to have kids, but the sterilized individuals can still adopt children. They can still have sex; they just can’t make their own children. No major loss there. Non-functional members of society don’t function, and actually hurt our society. From a purely logical approach it makes sense to euthanize them. Some would argue that we all have the right to live despite our physical or mental impairments. Others would mention that it is unethical to kill the impaired. To them it is akin to murder. In the long run the benefits outweigh the negatives. It would take some getting used to and over time people would accept it. This topic is only taboo because it breaks the norms that people are so used to. They want to care for and love the crippled just because they are ill-equipped to deal with the world on their own.

At a Lack of…Words?

devonepic — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 21:50:01 +0000

Euthanasia… it is all about killing the old, weak, and pretty much everyone that doesn’t rock. Essentially, euthanasia is a look back into Darwinism where only the strongest survive to produce offspring. There have been many different groups over the years that have tried to get the idea around. They have all been fine upstanding people. Like Hitler. He only slaughtered Jews, gays, and everyone that didn’t have blonde hair and blue eyes. Aryans are the master race after all, so they are far superior to everyone else. I find euthanasia to be disgusting. Sure, some people are in terrible shape mentally and physically, but as long as they have the will to live they should live. We have a right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. So when do we get to have our rights removed? Just about anytime the government gets involved. GET OWNED AMERICAN PUBLIC! I believe that we all have our uses throughout life, but others see things differently. Euthanasia would lower the population, eliminate disabilities, promote wellness, and let us win the Olympics all the time with our superior breeding.

SUNDAY

devonepic — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 18:54:34 +0000

In Bel-Air, California, born and raised
At the country club is where I spent most of my days.
Having a lark, relaxing all day
Driving some balls right down the fairway

When a band of ruffians, believing they had impunity
Started making trouble in my community
I got in one mere tussle and it gave my mom the willies,
She said “You’re moving to your aunt and your uncle in West Philly.”

I hired a limo, and as it drew near
The license plate said “DAPPER” and it had dice in the mirror.
I could only deduce that this limousine was quite frilly,
But I paid it no mind and directed the driver, “To West Philly!”

I arrived at the house at 7:34
And gave a generous tip to my kindly chauffeur
Looked upon my new residence, the weather was chilly
But I knew that I was now the Dapper Lad of West Philly

I went on an adventure today. It was fun.

I had no clue aimless wandering in downtown Muncie could be so entertaining.

Boom De Ya Da

devonepic — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 21:55:42 +0000

I love the mountains, I love the clear blue sky I love big bridges, I love when great whites fly I love the whole world, and all it’s sights and sounds Boom de ya da, Boom de ya da, Boom de ya da, Boom de ya da I love the ocean, I love real dirty things I love to go fast, I love Egyptian kings I love the whole world and all it’s craziness Boom de ya da, Boom de ya da, Boom de ya da, Boom de ya da I love tornadoes, I love arachnids I love hot magma, I love the giant squids I love the whole world, Its such a brilliant place Boom de ya da, Boom de ya da, Boom de ya da, Boom de ya da, Boom de ya da, Boom de ya da, Boom de ya da, Boom de ya da, Boom de ya da, Boom de ya da, Boom de ya da

Devon Chapman

ENG 103.92

Corby Roberson

10-1-09

Propaganda Pwnage

Propaganda is everywhere, but what is it exactly? The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines it as, “ideas, facts, or allegations spread deliberately to further one’s cause or to damage an opposing cause; also: a public action having such an effect.” Propaganda can be subtle in meaning or blatantly obvious, and can be used for anything. Every poster is an assault on one’s thought processes with the myriad persuasions presented. Understanding the arguments of logos, pathos, and ethos will allow one to make better decisions in regards to the propaganda’s point. World War II has some excellent examples of propaganda. It was the first war where propaganda was used so extensively. Hitler made excellent use of it, and Americans picked up on it as they saw how effective it is. These propaganda posters are very efficient for the most part, and easy to understand once context is established.

So it’s World War II, the Nazi regime is in power in Germany, and along with the other Axis powers they are seeking to conquer the world. The entire world is in turmoil. The Nazis under Adolf Hitler’s command are creating propaganda posters to help maintain and increase the power they wield. Hitler claimed that propaganda lead to the German defeat at the hands of the British in WWI. He put a lot of importance in well-made and well-placed posters as a result. In reality, the German propaganda was much more effective than British propaganda, but the Germans believed what Hitler had to say. In the other northern hemisphere the U.S. has fallen on hard times. The draft is in effect, but with so many soldiers supplies are limited. The American printing business are printing propaganda posters as though there is no tomorrow. They are encouraging everyone to get involved in the fight even from home.

Rationing was one of the actions that American propaganda encouraged. The copy of a WWII propaganda poster involving rationing that I have is trying to convince the American public that they can do with less. The text, with its obvious positioning and large font, immediately catches the audience’s eyes. “Do with less – so they’ll have enough!” They’ll is underlined, so it draws the eye’s attention. It also implies that without help from each audience member inadequacy is the best that the military can hope for. The font is large and blocky with a coloring that makes it easy to read without being completely in your face. The unobtrusive font alone almost asks for compliance. Ultimately the message is more of a command, but the smiling image that accompanies it softens that impression.

An attractive, young, Caucasian soldier in combat gear that is smiling at you; showing that he cares, is hard to not want to help provide for. So with that picture, sex appeal becomes a prominent point in the propaganda’s persuasive power. Women want to provide for young, happy heartthrobs like him. The calm, jovial manner that he is presented with leads the viewer to think that everything is great. With the media being regulated the way it was propaganda’s effect was increased because no one knew better. The emotional impact is all the greater for that reason.

The text mentioned earlier is powerful enough, but to add even greater effect the poster has the words, “RATIONING GIVES YOU YOUR FAIR SHARE,” printed along the bottom. The text is placed in an area of bright red, so that it draws the audience’s attention. The message is in all capitals, which implies urgency and asks for obeisance without questioning. The use of the word “fair” plays upon the audience’s ethics by accusing them of having more than necessary. Nobody wants be unfair when the people defending their lives are at stake. Another interesting part is how the wording is deceptive. Your fair share is not up to you to decide, so it may not be fair in reality. Rationing is a limiting of items, and the limit is decided by the government. What can be fair to one person can be overkill to another. What about the people that can’t even reach that limit on their own? Completely irrelevant! The military was the major matter at hand. Logically, everyone would want to help the military defend their freedom. So this poster attacks on a logical, emotional, and ethical approach.

Obama-rama & Assorted Things

devonepic — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 21:24:25 +0000

Propaganda is everywhere. It can be negative or positive, and in this case it is negative. The propaganda I have chosen to analyze is a spoof of Obama’s hope/change pictures. It has the same color scheme focusing on vivid, contrasting colors. Obama’s head is tilted upwards and the text under it reads, “Snob, it’s an elitist thing you wouldn’t understand.” This is not implying that Obama is a snob, but blatantly stating that he is. There is no evidence shown to support it. The audience just has to look at the way Obama is holding his head to reach the elitist conclusion. Obama is refined in character and part of the upper-class, so the elitist stance is one that people found the easiest to exploit. That is what makes it believable to the less educated.

I am tired of blogging about a poster. I like Obama. He is an interesting man with a tremendous amount of potential.

Time for today! I woke up somewhat early, but I stayed in bed for a long time just relaxing. So long that I didn’t have time for my morning shower. I had to rush to Woodworth for my breakfast and bike to Cooper. I ate my breakfast in class. We went over the physics homework, which I did remarkably well on. I chose to spend my time doing calculus. My calculus was supposed to be due today, but that got moved back a day since the homework was ridiculous.

Oh My Goodness, I went to Halloween USA today. I found a Yo Gabba Gabba costume that I totally want to get for Halloween. I spent four hours in Toys R Us, Walmart, and Halloween USA today. Sometimes I wonder if I need to get a life, but I already have an awesome one as it is. I love being so easily amused. Sure, I get distracted easily and go off topic on a regular basis. Efforts at capturing the elusive giant squid for scientific research have proven to be failures. I enjoy visiting fmylife.com and mylifeisaverage.com. Woot.com is an amusing little site that sells things. I like it.