Girl Gamers Unite (sstr)

This is What I'm talking About(link)

So I am a gamer, its true. Although I don't play all the fancy console or PC games that my friends Ethan or Carl are always raving about. I mostly play hand held games, like Pokemon, or Zelda, games such as that. Personally I haven't been exposed to really offensive comments about my gender. However I do know that many women out there experience rude comments, threats and put-downs just because they are of a different gender. That just seems wrong, video games are open for all people to play, not just guys.

There's a feminist culture critic out the stereotyping of female gamer's. She has received many threats, such as bomb threats and public shooting, to her public talks. This women's name is Anita Sarkeesian and until Tuesday, she had never felt the need to cancel a talk. The day before the talk at Utah State University was scheduled; members of the schools administrative received an email. It said that "This will be the deadliest school shooting in American history, and I'm giving you a chance to stop it,". I find this wrong; people don't seem to understand that females deserve the same treatment as male gamer's. A video game is a form of entertainment that many people out there enjoy and many people are good at it, even girls.

On chat boards and game forums, the talks have become so offensive towards game designers and female gamer's that protesters of such stereotyping are calling out on the big bucks game companies to break their silence on the matter. Many representatives of said big companies such as Activision Blizzard decided not to comment on the requests. Many people think such harassment is wrong and that anyone should be able to enjoy what they love and not be restricted by the biased opinions of others. I have been told that there's no way that I could be a serious gamer just because I am female. I've gotten comments from people around me when I'm playing on my DS in public. Things like "Who plays hand-helds? Well she IS a girl so it makes sense" and such comments like that. Usually it simply makes me want to chuck a controller at their face. But I don't seeing as how I'd A) Get in trouble and B) Give female gamer's a bad name.

You may have heard about the #GamerGate controversy, which is what this is all about. I believe anyone should have the right to do what they want, regardless of their gender. Female gamers have the right to play video games. This is a huge deal and I believe that if we cause enough uproar about this topic, the companies will break their silence.

Silly Urban Story (Bonus Blog)

 The wind blew furiously as the moon shone upon the oak tree. Its large branches creaked and the few remaining leaves were thrown around to the unknown places of the wind. A figure was there, even if you were staring at that exact spot you would have immediately registered the fact as him having been there forever. He had shoulder length hair that, even though the wind should have tossed it into his face, was still. A movement appeared at the other side of the oak, and the stranger was gone. He had fled the tree, with the appearance of it the stranger would not dare to keep on the premises. Some may think of a vampire, such as the sparkly pale thing that could run at fast speeds. But, those aren’t the types of “monsters” that exist here.

                The monsters here were the actual horrifying ones, those that would keep you up with terror and a fear of closing your eyes as doing such may be the last time you ever do so. There were ones that posed as humans and when exposed to certain conditions they would expose themselves. Some drank off of fear and the sound of screams as a source of energy. Some may keep bad disguises that would give any human the creeps and crawls. Most people these days express no fear to monsters, as the media and the internet have ruined the true definition of monster.

                There were those who kept with classic appearances and places to live. Such as the ghouls in the crypts of the downtown cemetery that would steal people from their homes. Or the vampire who supposedly reside above the ancient movie theater on Brooker Street that bite any daring teen that enters upon a dare. But of course those are the ones that will keep to the basics and have refused to advance with the generations.

Back on subject now. The stranger may still reside in the part of your mind where things nag you to investigate or find out more. How did he escape from it? Well he flew of course. Leathery bat wings that stretched across the sky and blocked out parts of the sky. He mostly soared as the wind usually carried him across town to the lake house. As he passed over Axle Street a child stared at him, eyes stretched wide as he saw a shape with huge bat wings and glowing blue eyes quickly streak through the open sky of stars. His name you might ask was Njord. He came from the country of Norway searching fresher hunting grounds.

                Njord arrived at his home and frowned, the door was wide open although he was positive he had closed it. With suspicion the monster slowly walked into the house. A loud creak echoed and Njord turned towards it paling swiftly.

I will spare you the gruesome details, seeing as how bloody murder was screamed and horrid ripping noises. Njord was a monster of great power and was responsible for many murders and disappearances. The next morning the sun shone upon a set of great wings that filled the entrance hall. There was nothing attached and a odd dark stain spread upon the wood work.

Blog 2 Jeg Forklarer Min Rare Lindenskap (I Explain My Wierd Passion) PB

My passion you ask? Well in a way that’s simple but also it’s rather complicated. Some will say food, video games, music and such but I? Nine letters, countries. Yes you read that right, countries. Yes I love music, food, books and anime but countries are special for me. Languages, flags, cultures, myths, history and food, I love learning interesting facts about these languages. How languages of different countries are so alike yet different, adapted for each place where the country is. There are 7 continents and 196 countries (which may or may not include Sealand but that’s a whole different subject). Russia, Cananda, America, Spain, Netherlands, Germany, Italy, those are just a few off the top of my head.  My reasons may be weird but they still led me up to the way I am now.

I am a mix of different cultures, from different places and whole different languages. I’m Japanese, Swedish, German, Welsh, Scottish and depending on who you ask I may be Austrian! I love learning about these places, I end up doodling flags all over my school work and often spout random words in other languages beside English. What I find funny is even though in English, which I believe the most known language in this world, some words like jeg elskar deg would look like it has weird letters in silly places; this phrase means I love you in Norwegian. Swedish, Norwegian, and Danish are very similar languages I mean I love you is jeg elskar deg for Norwegian, jag älskar dig for Swedish, and jeg elskar dig for Danish. I know little things in Japanese, German, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian and Russian and I say these things often on a normal day basis. Also countries have an official language but other languages are spoken there often as well. Sweden for example, its main official language is Swedish but  Finnish, Yiddish, Sami and Romani are also spoken there!

Over the summer I discovered this show called Hetalia, which is this amazing anime in my opinion. All the countries are personified as people who often act with those countries stereotypes. Ex: America loves hamburgers, Italy loves pasta and runs away from fighting, Switzerland is neutral and will barely talk to anyone except for Lichtenstein. The characters are immortal except for when the country breaks up such as The Holy Roman Empire. Although the country refuses to fade away and that is Prussia, he is Germany’s brother and even though Prussia broke up in 1947 February 25. The episodes for this show are only about 5 minutes on average and often have simple plots and whenever a historical reference is made the show will pause and the narrator will explain what it’s about. My favorite quote from it is “

Those who call themselves ’Ugly’ don’t realize that someone out there thinks they’re the most beautiful person in the world” – Francis Bonnefoy

Mostly my country obsession is based in Europe when so many things happened in the past and have such interesting cultures. One event that goes on every year is called Eurovison. Eurovision is a big contest where all the European countries select and artist or band who will represent their country in a competition. This year Austria won with a song called Rise Like a Phoenix. One of my favorite songs that won was 2009 Norway. Alexander Rybak performed a song called Fairytale which he accompanied with the violin. I am always breaking out into some Eurovision such as No Prejudice which has a beautiful message about how everyone is equal to one another. I support this idea totally and the song is on my top 10 list. I love the history of such places which includes wars, alliances and such things. There are so many differences between the U.S and Europe I cant even... but whatever I love them.

So yeah my passion may be weird and others may think I need to get a life outside of my odd orbital habits around music, books and countries but I am proud of the fact that I am interested in countries, not many people are and if I'm going to have a hobby why not have one that's unique?

 

#Selfie Yes or #Selfie No (CRR Post 1)

Auschwitz 

“A selfie?! Why in Glub’s name…? Seriously why did…. I give up” All this and more was my lovely reaction top, Ahem, “Auschwitz Selfie Girl Breana Mitchell Defends Her Controversial Picture”. Oh and one trigger warning #Rant. Ok here goes.
“Breanna Mitchell posted the selfie on June 20^th. About a month later, it went viral.” Good rant material indeed sir.

(http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/24/auschwitz-selfie-girl-breanna-mitchell_n_5618225.html)

Ok so if you don’t understand what Auschwitz is or you believe in the conspiracy that the Holocaust didn’t happen, just click-ety on here (http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005189).  Basically this girl Breanna went to Auschwitz a year after her dad died and took a picture of herself, a selfie, smiling. I personally think that’s a little messed up even if she is justifying the picture as a dedication to her dead father. 

Ok so I don’t have a fancy dancy touch smart phone thing that a lot of people in my generation have. And I know that not everyone loves selfies most people I go to school with take selfies almost everywhere, in the hallway, in the science room wearing aprons and goggles. Everywhere. 

To me taking a selfie in front of a place where such a serious thing took place while you’re smiling is incredibly disrespectful. I mean people died there, families who never got see each other again because some of them went to do labor work and others went to die in the gas chambers. Such depressing topics right? There are families who could be offended by this, those who had relatives who died in the Holocaust. I know that some people these days didn’t even know that the Holocaust even took place (which is a really shocking idea in my opinion).

Also Breanna says Auschwitz was her Dads favorite topic and that they were really interested in the Holocaust. If that’s so then she should understand that this place was a concentration camp where horrible things would happen. To me such places should be places treated with respect in honor of those who perished within its walls, and all those who died in the Holocaust. It’s rather like the place where the Twin Towers once stood. You don’t see people going to that place and taking selfies of themselves with duck faces of smiling do you?

Truthfully I’m curious as to why she herself took the picture smiling. I mean yea she said it was in memory of her father but why was she smiling? It just bugs me.