mfishrules's New Writeups

Michael Jackson (essay)

2009-12-21T08:59:47Z

I got into Michael Jackson around the time I was ten years old, back in the mid-1990s. That was in the wake of the first child molestation trial and liking Michael Jackson was definitely not a cool thing to do. Especially if you were ten years old. But I didn't care. I loved the music, loved the videos, loved the way he moved, the way he sang. I remember getting made fun by my peers when I would sing his songs or imitate his dance moves, but I didn't let it get to me. Jacko was the shit. That simple.

As I grew older I started getting really into rock music and while I continued to listen to some pop music I didn't listen to anybody on the scale I used to listen to Jacko.

Last summer I was heartbroken when I came home from work to see he had died. It was one of those rare news stories that hit me with a hard hard shock. I thought it would be fitting to put on a few songs and listen to some Jacko for the first time in awhile.

So I started listening.

And I kept…

War on Terror (idea)

2008-05-27T15:23:58Z

Every year since the Iraq War started I take a great interest in the State Department's annual report on global terrorism. Year after year the numbers in the report increase while it seems that the American population (and much of the media) tends to tread these reports as small potatoes.

This year is about the same, but with a twist.

The 22,685 killed by terrorism in 2007 is up 9% from 2006, the 44,310 injured is up 15%.

But the twist is this: in Post Global (a publication put out by The Washington Post and Newsweek) this morning, Fareed Zakaria wrote that this years numbers, which like years past have increased yet again, are skewed by deaths in Iraq. He claims that "Iraq accounts for 80 percent of all deaths counted. But if you set aside the war there, terrorism has in fact gone way down over the past five years."

Other media outlets have reported this as well.

To me it seems like an attempt to say "Look, the war we are fighting is just, because the…

Gone in Sixty Seconds 2008 - Theatre Quest Entries (fiction)

2008-04-17T22:01:23Z

Moonvertising

by David Lawson (New York City, NY) Plot: Two common businessmen argue over the potential environmental impact of purposed advertising on the moon.

COMMON BUSINESSMAN #1: No! I won't you goon! Come on now! Advertisements on the moon?

COMMON BUSINESSMAN #2: It's high time for something new!

COMMON BUSINESSMAN #1: My oh my, listen to you!

COMMON BUSINESSMAN #2: What?

COMMON BUSINESSMAN #1: We could throw off the motion of the ocean!

COMMON BUSINESSMAN #2: So it'll switch! Who cares, we'll be rich!

COMMON BUSINESSMAN #1: It could end the earth!

COMMON BUSINESSMAN #2: But think how much it could be worth!

COMMON BUSINESSMAN #1: We can't do this, now use your head!

COMMON BUSINESSMAN #2: It's a choice between rich or dead. And a life without

…

Cal Ripken, Jr. (person)

2007-07-25T10:12:59Z

I wanted to say a few words about Cal Ripken Jr. I'm very passionate about sports and Cal is one of my all-time favorite figures in the history of American sports. He's being inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame this weekend on the 3rd highest ballot in HOF history and the highest for a position player. So a tribute is quite fitting.

So why do I love Cal Ripken?

Let's get the biggie out of the way. "The Streak." 2,632 consecutive games played. May 30th, 1982 through September 19th, 1998.

On September 9th, 1995 I remember watching the game in which Ripken passed Lou Gehrig to become baseball's all-time Iron Man. I remember him hitting the home run that drove me insane and I remember his victory lap around Camden Yards. It's a very fond memory for me.

Now, some people say "The Streak" is an overrated record. Even Cal himself admits that playing in 2,632 consecutive games requires a bit of luck. After all, the Orioles never had anyone better to play at…

X-Men: The Last Stand (thing)

2006-05-28T05:14:15Z

Just saw my first must-see movie of 2006. And here's what I thought

***SPOILERS AHEAD***

X-Men 3. Nope, I'm not referring to it by its real name. Because (A) I thought it was lame when they announced it and (B) My least favorite part of the movie makes it so there's really no Last Stand to speak of. Which is sad since it came right at the end and I thought everything else in the movie was sweet closure.

But I really liked it. I thought the conflict with the cure for mutants was really well done. It was something I believed would be the final straw for Magneto to start his brotherhood and thus, have the X-Men defend the fact that mutants had a choice if they wanted to be mutants or not (despite the initial claim of cowardice by Storm).

Sure, the politics and the characters have always been great in the series, but action sells. And it was damn fine again this time around. The Phoenix attack in Jean's childhood home, Wolverine's rampage in the woods, Magneto…

Karl Koch (person)

2006-02-16T07:48:43Z

Karl Koch is the archivist and band photographer for the four-piece, American rock band Weezer as well as being the webmaster for their website. He has been an integral part of the band's mass success and is responsible for the hundreds of rare and unreleased Weezer songs that can be found on the world wide web.

Early History With Weezer

Koch's history with the band begins as early as 1991. After graduating from college he was introduced to Weezer members-to-be Patrick Wilson and Jason Cropper. Wilson and Cropper met through Wilson's mutual friend Pat Finn. He soon became close friends with Wilson and they all began living together in Los Angeles, California. By the time Weezer formed in 1992 he was already close friends with the entire band. He also came up with the Van Halen-esque =w= symbol, now infamous among the band's fans.

Koch's Role in the Band

Koch has archived the band's progress since their formation. Video-taping…