Logic’s Last Stand

While I’ve never agreed with the mantra of “the customer’s always right,” there’s an underlying principle there that states that the focus of the business should be to serve the customer; they aren’t customers, they’re clients. But if you evaluate the Canadian and presumably American corporate landscape, the understanding isn’t that customers are clients, it’s that customers are criminals.

To the discerning eye, it’ll be noticed that the number-one priority in all big stores is preventing theft, particularly in the case of media. Wal-Mart and Zellers lock their games behind glass cases, EB/GameStop removes the boxed contents of every game, new or used, and we all know and hate the impenetrable plastic cases of doom of any product that hangs on a shelf.

Also, don’t forget about the stickers. In some cases it’s for security, some for cost-benefit, but in every case, it’s the customer who pays for a policy that benefits only the business. Every DVD now comes with a sticker seal on the top of the case, Blockbuster video places a barcode sticker on the back and price sticker on the front of every DVD and game, and there’s not a gamer in the world who doesn’t despise the EB/GameStop price and barcode stickers on all games, again new or used.

Oh, but we’re not done. Digital media is arguably worse. While the above mentioned are annoyances, they aren’t hinderances; in the digital market, the prevention techniques are not only limiting to your enjoyment and use of the product you bought, but sometimes damaging to your computer. End-User License Agreements (EULA) are only prevented from making every customer a pirate by the fair-use laws, which are heavily lobbied to be removed entirely. Digital Rights Management (DRM) software in games, music and DVDs prevent playing without the disc, making back-ups, moving to alternate mediums or editing for the previously mentioned fair use; worse yet, DRM has occasionally installed monitoring programs that are both an invasion of privacy and a strain on computer systems.

If you ran your own business, would your focus be on locking down your products, or pleasing you, the customer? I think the customer would choose the latter; is he right?

I sit amidst the night in thought and leisure. In silence, the world my theatre for I can prepare my speech, soon or distant. All my actions, philosophies, principles and innovations; each one of my perceptions, delights, hatreds and desires formulate in private in preparation of distributing them aloud. However aloud, they shall have mistakes or be misinterpreted.

I write electronically from a chair. Moving without stepping, discussing without talking, meeting without proximity. A progression of time, collective brilliance and suffering have led to modern triumphs of societal pleasure. Supported now and in the future by the protection and remedy that we provide each other. Yet, technology will fail me, potentially losing such information forever.

I hear the resonance of my thoughts transcribed into practical existence. Seeing before me the realisation of my own perspicacity and feeling the satisfaction at the tips of my fingers as all things important to me lay into permanent memory. Even with such senses, I can be deceived.

I investigate by what method I can do wield such majesty. Smallest of the small does the importance reach, magnifying the effect of one amongst many. If the frequency by which minute functions may amplify by necessity of reality at large, the simple becomes the complex. Surrounding such elegance is the failed mess that lay in waste of advancement.

I anticipate all that awaits me. Response to the dispersion of notions via technology permitting them to be read, interpreted and considered. The effects they may have, and the effects of others as they similarly share ideas, while survival dictates what should drive us forward. With these new horizons, storms follow in wait.

I accept my role as a part of the beauty of the imperfection of all parts of life and the environment in which it lives. Would I give up expression as to never be wrong, technology to never be overwhelmed, senses to never feel pain, science to never understand, or logic to never be frustrated by the unreasonable? Despite the grandeur of the universe, it is not perfect, nor would I want it to be.

Nature can be beautiful at a glance, but do not leave it at that. Do not underestimate the underlying awe that can be arrived by understanding unto itself. Hesitate to distress at perplexity, refrain from condemning investigation of the unknown, and never be satisfied with the disclaim of the impossible.

To place nature at the will or necessity of rules or power beyond it is to scoff at the simple elegance that provides us, however cruelly, with the capacity to do so in the first place.

Despite my best efforts, I couldn’t generate an interest in getting through Metroid Prime 3 for the time-being, so I just moved on to Shin Megami Tensei Persona 3: FES.

Persona 3 is a JRPG in which you control a male high school student who has just moved into a new dorm and school.  The twist is that by night you fight monsters that turn people mindless using summoned “Personas” by shooting yourself in the head.  I don’t understand, either.

Anyway, the game has two sides - the social side where you improve your interpersonal attributes and build up relationships.  You have three attributes: Academics, Charm and Courage.  It’s like a flash RPG where you do activities through the day.  Building social links improves the effectiveness of your Personas.  This kind of thing draws me in despite being relatively shallow.

The second side is everything regarding combat.  You can buy new weapons and armour, get new Personas by battling, Fuse personas to create new ones, all in an effort to progress through this one building in which you’re trying to make it to the top.  This building is sectioned into Blocks, further into parts segmented by bosses, then further into individual floors.  Right before each boss segment there are checkpoints that allow you to return to the entrance and from the entrance to that point.

Battles are turned-based allow you to use Personas as the usual special/magic attacks that use an MP meter, or you can use a weapon.  Naturally there are strengths and weaknesses in elements.  The one thing that stands out as unique is the knock-down system where if you get a critical hit or hit a weakness, the enemy (or you if you’re hit) are knocked down (lose a turn basically) and get to attack again.  If all the enemies are knocked down, you can do an “all-out-attack” where you attack all the enemies.

You also don’t control all the characters, only your own and given vague commands to the others,  but usually it’s best to let them decide for themselves.  There’s also no way of avoiding stupid moves such as if you know an enemy is invulnerable to fire, you can’t specifically tell your team not to do attack with fire (though they’ll stop for that battle after the first one fails)

The game so far is essentially a dungeon crawler with simplistic social aspects.  My experience is very much in vein with Suikoden V and Radiata Stories in that I am very much enjoying the game for what it is and it’s exactly what I feel like playing, but as a game it’s not diversified enough.  What you can actually do seems limited and the dungeon sections really simplistic.

Hopefully things pick up a bit.

In a statement of continued promotion of logic, I’ve had my site listed in the extensive Atheist Blogroll.

The blogroll is run by “Mojoey” at the Deep Thoughts blog, and it’s just a matter of linking to the blogroll and requesting to be a part of it.

Go team.

Making rules and definitions is hard. You have to make them broad enough to given them proper meaning, but narrow enough scope to have a use. For example, what is an airplane? Well, saying something that has two wings, a rudder a pilot and co-pilot and a rudder would be too inclusive and disqualify biplanes. If we say, a flying machine to carry humans, that would include blimps. You have to get it just right.

Words are also often shaped by our use of them, even if we don’t mean to specifically redefine the word. For example, if we say that a movie is entertaining because it makes us cry, it blurs the line of what entertainment is to the point that it’s hard to use it for anything. Another example would be if we were to say that Superman 64 is not a bad game. If that’s not bad, well, what exactly is?

So, I now pose my question: If believing in a religion–at least the abrahamic religions–does not qualify as insane or at least ridiculous, what does? This is not a mockery, it’s a serious question for evaluation. By all means, the claims made about miracles in any other scope other than religious would immediately be regarded as delusional behaviour.

There is a fair option, though. Extraordinary claims are not absolutely always false, but we most certainly cannot accept them on faith. What is required is justification — evidence. All a religion need do is provide adaquate evidence of the claims made. By all means, that’s not an unfair request.

“Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence” - Carl Sagan.

If you are willing to accept that statement, most certainly you can accept mine.

For the past couple years, I’ve come across a surpring number of movies that I’ve thought very highly of, some of which make this list. This list is that of my 20 favourite movies.

20 - It Could Happen to You
The “true” story of a New York policeman who in lieu of a tip offers half the winnings of a lottery ticket — that turns out to be a four million dollar winner. The movie stars Nicholas Cage and Bridget Fonda in heartwarming performances. The only downside is the unusual tendency to cheer in favour of adultery. Oh well.

19 - Groundhog Day
The perennial Bill Murray classic, Groundhog Day is about what happens when crusty TV weatherman Phil Connors gets stuck in the hell that is Punxsutawney on Groundhog Day in a daily infinite loop, waking up each morning at the start of the same day. The build-up of anger to desperation to personal growth, Groundhog Day manages to be both hilarious and hopeful.

18 - Borat
So, so wrong and yet so so right, Borat is the politically incorrect comedy based on the Sasha Cohen character Borat, an anti-semitic Khazaki reporter as he travels the United States learning about its culture. Crude, crass and offensive, it has only one goal in mind, and that is to make the audience laugh.

17 - The Simpsons Movie
Everyone knew it was coming, and everyone feared that is was coming. TV to movie failures are all too common to the moviegoing public, so to see The Simpsons go to the big screen had fans holding their breath. The all-star cast of writers as found in the longest end credits I’ve ever seen, pulled off a classic. Everything that made The Simpsons a classic show shown through, from crass behaviour in an animated setting, to the emotional reality of family life. We couldn’t have asked for more.

16 - Monty Python & The Holy Grail
Arguably the most quotable movie of all-time, Monty Python and the Holy Grail is as about Monty Python as a human can handle per second. From brazen mockery of special effects to… well, brazen mockery of everything actually. Silly in ways that Family Guy can only dream, if you don’t like it, then your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries.

15 - The Terminator
Have you ever met someone who didn’t like The Terminator? It just may be impossible. A sci-fi film that is uncomparable to any other, The Terminator is by all definitions a classic. It captured the dystopian robot future like none other and pushed it as far as it could go. Real intensity in an unreal world, there’s just nothing else like it.

14 - Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Probably not the position of most, but I preferred the second. More action, more intensity. The setting of one Terminator versus another kept the fearful escape of the original, but made it so that it wasn’t a constant chase scene and more cat-and-mouse. Oh, and try to pack in more action, I dare you. And no, Terminator 3 isn’t next or anywhere to be seen on this list — twenty most hated movies, maybe.

13 - Top Gun
Gung-ho American propaganda aside, Top Gun was my first ever “favourite movie” so you could call this a sentimental placement. The fun interaction of the war games with the interpersonal tension gives Top Gun a unique feel.

12 - Grave of the Fireflies
Sometimes it’s hard to define favourite, because it can be difficult to define entertainment. Studio Ghibli’s Grave of the Fireflies is just the reason why. The film, despite being animation, is a woefully realistic portrayal of Japan during World War II, in which teen boy Seita and his young sister are left homeless after their mother is killed in a firebombing. The fight against time is a heartbreaking struggle that stands as one of the strongest anti-war messages.

11 - Lean on Me
Sometimes you need a feelgood story, and Lean on Me is one of the best. Joe Clark takes over East Side High, a school overrun with violence and drug abuse as he and the faculty make a desperate attempt to get the school up to minimum educational standards in order to avoid having it taken over by the state. This “true” story is a definite pick-me-up.

10 - Contact
Alien lifeforms in science fiction are almost always portrayed as the negative cause of a dystopian future. Contact does an immaculate job at highlighting the search and contact of life without being overly dramatic or going cliché.

9 - Collateral
Collateral is the gritty Michael Mann film about a hitman and his cabbie hostage and what happens throughout the night. Starring Jamie Foxx, Tom Cruise and Jada Pinkett Smith in excellent performances, the seeming chemistry between them is almost unmatched.

8 - The Fugitive
Based on the 60’s TV drama, The Fugitive is about the hunt for Fugitive Richard Kimble as he desperately attempts to prove his innocence and find the “one-armed man.” Harrison Ford and Tommy Lee Jones take the lead roles in the unusual circumstanced movie that has you cheering against a good guy.

7 - Hot Fuzz
I didn’t particularly care for the 2004 film from Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, Shaun of the Dead, but Hot Fuzz definitely won me over on the duo. About a dedicated by-the-book police office Nicholas Angel who gets transferred from London to the small town Sandford for making the rest of the service look bad, it’s a fine balance of hilarious, mystery and action.

6 - The Shawshank Redemption
Notorious Oscar-snub The Shawshank Redemption is a favourite of many. Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman star in a movie about Andy Dufresne, a man wrongly imprisoned for the murder of his wife and his transition into prison life. It’s hard to describe what it is, as The Shawshank Dedemption simply is.

5 - Princess Mononoke
Another from Studio Ghibli, Princess Mononoke is a masterpiece of character. A struggle based on economics and class, Princess Mononoke manages to almost entirely avoid the need for a battle of good versus evil, only a fight for peace and understanding in a heated debate of economic standing. This is another incredible example of the ability of realistic power of animated film.

4 - The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring
When you bring the second most-read fictional book in the world (after the Bible) to the big screen, you had better do it justice. Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Rings did that and so much more. The entire world was fully realized and the characters perfectly cast, from Sir Ian McKellen as Gandalf to Viggo Mortenson as Aragorn and everyone inbetween. The Fellowship of the Ring brought everything to life.

3 - The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
As enjoyable as The Shire was in Fellowship of the Ring, things get more interesting as the plot continues into murky territory. Growing tension between sides and war begins. The moments before the battle of Helm’s Deep is iconic, as is the entire film.

2 - The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King
The further the story goes in The Lord of the Rings, the more complicated they become. It was at one time seemingly impossible to pull off not only the special effects for a live-action rendition of the books, but the sheer manpower. Return of the King was an incredible finish to an incredible trilogy of Middle-Earth.

1 - Spirited Away
There’s something about movies that gives off a feeling unique to the medium. A deep sense of upliftment and caring, which in Spirited Away is far and beyond all others. Another from Studio Ghibli and Hayao Miyazaki, Spirited Away is the story of ten year-old Chihiro as she is lost the spirit world as she attempts to save her parents. Another instance where it really isn’t a matter of good versus evil, the sheer unblemished innocense of a girl makes all the difference in the greed filled world.

Argument is a science, and just like science, if you’re not careful you’ll end up with fudged results. There are many methods in which falsified logical results may occur, intended or not.

One thing that is important to note is that these can appear on any side of an argument or dispute, on the side of fact or fiction, these can also show their ugly head.

These are what I find to be the five most common logical fallacies.

5. Argumentum ad Verecundiam
AKA an appeal to authority or argument from authority. This means to use an opinion of someone who may be considered an authority figure as evidence or proof of a claim. This comes from a misunderstanding of the concept of expert testimony. In a court case, an expert is there to explain evidence — his opinion alone without evidence is meaningless. This is often combined with quote mining — the method of taking a quote out of context to support your side.

An example would be “Stephen Hawking’s favourite movie is The Wizard of Oz, therefore you will like that movie” This says nothing to whether or not you agree with Hawking’s taste in this or any other account (I actually have no idea what Stephen Hawking’s favourite movie is).

In most cases, however, an expert in a specific field can be presumed likely correct on an instance. For example, if a doctor says you have menangitis, you probably do, whether he provides you evidence as to the symptoms thereof or not.

4. Recursive or Circular Logic
Rather self-explanatory, but the recursive logic means that the clause your logic presents must be repeated infinitely backward. Similarly, circular logic (AKA a catch-22) is self-referential and thereby backed by nothing other than the original statement.

An example of recursive logic would be, “Everything must be created, therefore God created the Universe.” This naturally leaves the question of what then, by that logic, created God.

An example of circular logic would be, “You need experience to get a job.” Given experience is having a job, the loop is endless.

3. Straw Man
This is the technique of constructing a similar, but false argument of your opponent to defeat, either consciously or mistakenly.

An example of a straw man is, “Liberals want to raise taxes, which will hurt the economy, further increasing the recession.” The problem is that this presupposes a universal increase in taxes, which is pretty much never the stance of any politician.

2. Argumentum ad ignoratium
AKA an argument from incredulity or an argument from ignorance, this is the idea that you don’t understand something, therefore it’s false. What this is typically is a dismissal of something as just outright crazy without justification.

This is overwhelming in the argument against evolution, such as, “We couldn’t possibly come from simple celled organisms.” Because you don’t understand how doesn’t say that it isn’t true or even possible.

1. False Dichotemy
So simple and yet so common, a false dichotemy is the incorrect assumption that there are only two possible explanations. This is a part of almost every argument you’ll find, including but not limited to, creation/evolution, 9/11 conspiracies, climate change, abortion, and social programs.

Anthropogenic climate change is a perfect example, as it is continually a shouting match between humans are completely causing recent changes in climate to humans have no impact whatsoever. Splitting the sides 100%/0% leaves out everything inbetween.

This methodology is also used in order to claim proof by falsification of the other. For example, creationist/intelligent design advocates continually attack evolution as inconclusive. This is a false dichotemy as they provide no evidence for a “creator” but suggest it’s valid anyway as if should evolution hypothetically be inaccurate, the only other possibility is divinity.

Lastly, even the old videogame console wars, you’ll find it. “Red Steel sucked, therefore Wii can’t do shooters.” Red Steel obviously isn’t the only possible way to do a shooter on Wii.

Nomatter what you’re arguing, these should all be left behind. Making such a fallacy immediately discredits your position, whether your side could be argued validly or not.

15 years. That is how long I’ve lived in my current residence after having moved, and I’ve never really been the same. I was 6 at the time, and while prior I had been reasonably social (as best I can recall), things drifted from there. The world further and further developed in a way that wasn’t meant for me.

I’ve at times resolved myself to at least be more verbally open and direct, expressive if still resolved to my principles. There’s been mixed successes, but I remain mentally stagnated while communicating — the only difference is that online I am not on a timer.

Several times I have looked for an answer. What did I need to know to become the complete person. I’ve also relished being correct, skilled and knowledgeable. Wise, focused and determined. Pure, loyal and practical. I’ve wanted to be perfect, but I remained flawed.

There are answers that people can offer, to varying degrees of practicality. Ultimately, though, this is not a physical disability. The answer can only come of my own mind and my own resolve.

I can tell you now, I at last have my answer: I don’t want to change.

I’ve been placed where I don’t belong, I’ve had issues surrounding other’s expectation, however bizarre. While it can be trying and even restricting to my own success, even potentially happiness, what is more important is my own being.

Through college I’ve had the opportunity to have the Internet at my fingertips. Information at a whim. The only way I am going to change is to forego my own progress and ideals. I’m sure it seems strange to those who are not in a position such as my own, but perhaps you can. Imagine having to go the otherway — a world where people considered your quips at how hot it is moronic. Where parties are about activity and not social interaction. Where schmoozing is dead.

If you are used to society as it is, at least as I find it in Ontario, then you can imagine what a quantum shift that would be not only in your daily activities but your very person. How much you’d have to change yourself just to a part of that new world.

I cannot be perfect in this regard, but I have understanding. I do not want to change–not that way.

Due to the yearly event called a birthday, I have come away with some goodies. DVDs of Spirited Away, Princess Monoke and the complete series of Maburaho, some random book calle Wrong About Japan, a wad of cash and some candy.

As you can see, it’s a bit of a theme there. There’s something about the emotional response I’ve found in these animated features that goes beyond live action that I can’t understand. Related to this, something odd is that I actually had an emotional response to a tin of candy.

Grave of the Fireflies branded Fruit Drops

Before you go and call me crazy, let me explain this. A recurring object in the movie Grave of the Fireflies is a tin of fruit drops. Given my lack of subjection to the object, it’s hard not to relate it to the movie, despite relative dissimilarity of the packaging.

On an unrelated note, I am now retired from Tetris DS play. I spent at least an hour and a half on one round of endless Tetris DS in which I ultimately quit because it was 5:30 in the morning and I hadn’t slept. I reached the limit of 999 lines, and was up to level 104. Just as I quit playing Break Em All in the middle of a game because I had reached the maximum level and had no expectation of loss, I am done with Tetris DS.

Insert Coin is the new site I’ve developed focused around discussion of the latest news in its premiere feature, Gamingeek Weekly.

http://insertcoin.has.it

All users are able to write reviews and blogs. Reviews have the option of using the unique weighted review system, or a generic single-section review system. All reviews and blogs have a comments section along the right side.

In the Reviews and Blogs sections, you’ll find on the left your own blogs (if you’re logged in) and to the right, the latest blogs from those on your friends list. You can add users to your friends list by going to their profile page and clicking the button to add them. If you do, a private message will be sent to them telling them you’ve done so. Your mailbox for PMs is on the far right of the menu bar.

You can upload your avatar from your Profile and choosing to upload a new avatar.

And finally, there’s Gamingeek Weekly. This includes a whole new method of organization for each day’s news and a custom pseudo-forum. Unlike 1up, I actually do have some filtering or HTML for the sake of security. Currently Youtube videos can’t be posted directly, but I’m working on it.

There’s still plenty to do, such as fixing up the profile page and PM management, as well as getting RSS feeds going. This is, though, I think a solid starting ground.

Be sure to voice your opinion on what you like, what you don’t, and how to progress. While I can’t make everyone happy, I can certainly try.